July 28 2009

Selhurst Park

Crystal Palace's unbeaten pre-season run came to an abrupt end when they were beaten 1-0 by Norwich City.

Neil Warnock kept with the same line-up that beat Bristol Rovers last Friday.

Chances for both sides were hard to come by in the first half, with Freddie Sears' high and wide shot on the half hour mark the most noticeable. Victor Moses did have the ball in the back of the net, but it was ruled out for handball.

Palace were almost in front in the first minute of the second half, when Clint Hill's back post header was cleared off the line by Gary Doherty. Soon after Norwich had a goal of their own disallowed, when Doherty headed the ball home but referee David Phillips ruled it out for a foul on Julian Speroni.

The Eagles found themselves 1-0 down on 62 minutes when Simon Whaley converted a pass from Grant Holt. Despite chances from Sears and substitute Sean Scannell Palace were unable to get the equaliser, and the game ended in defeat.

Palace: Speroni, Clyne (Hills, 72), Hill (Cox, 84), Derry (N'Diaye, 93), McCarthy, Fonte, Danns, Carle (Butterfield, 72), Moses (Scannell, 45), Sears, Lee (Lawrence, 72)