August 18 2009

Darren Ambrose

Crystal Palace got their first league win of the season in the bag with a comfortable 3-1 success at Ipswich.

Darren Ambrose grabbed a brace with Neil Danns netting the other to get Neil Warnock's men up and running.

They started well with Town keeper Richard Wright having to make a superb stop to deny Paddy McCarthy's header from a Danny Butterfield cross.

Although Jonathan Walters headed over for the hosts it was Palace who looked the better side with Freddie Sears firing a shot just wide.

Connor Wickham forced Julian Speroni into a good save before clashing with the Eagles stopper just before half-time which resulted in Speroni temporarily swallowing his tongue.

After a long delay, Speroni was safe to carry on and made a brilliant save to turn Liam Trotter's 30-yard drive round the post.

Four minutes into the second half, Palace took a deserved lead when Alan Lee picked out Ambrose and his shot flew past Wright.

Seconds later, the former Ipswich player scored again when he ended a surging run forward by cutting inside and launching a blistering shot into the top cormer for his fourth goal of the season.

Town boss Roy Keane threw on Owen Garvan and Jonathan Stead to spring Ipswich into life and Stead had the ball in the net but it was ruled out for offside.

They pulled a goal back after 62 minutes when Lee Martin's corner was cleared by Jose Fonte only as far as Garvan who crossed for Alex Bruce to head home.

Bruce made an excellent goal line clearance from Fonte and the Eagles made the points safe with a goal from Danns on 69 minutes.

Ambrose's corner was returned to him and his far post cross was met by Danns who headed past Wright. Fonte hacked clear a header from Stead off the line as Palace ran out victorious.

Ipswich: Richard Wright, Bruce, McAuley, Balkestein, Delaney, Walters, Healy (Garvan 52), Trotter, Martin (Quinn 72), Priskin (Stead 52), Wickham.

Not Used: Supple, David Wright, Colback, Smith.

Palace: Speroni, Hill, McCarthy, Fonte, Butterfield, N'Diaye, Derry, Danns, Lee, Sears, Ambrose.

Not Used: Flahavan, Clyne, Carle, Moses, Scannell, Lawrence, Ertl.

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