August 23 2009

Crystal Palace

It's been an eventful week for the Eagles... loss, win and loss again. Jamesey gives his view.

I listened to our game against Bristol City at Ashton Gate and our Tuesday evening trip to Ipswich on Palace Player.

It's hardly worth agonising about the goal that never was at Bristol. The result is history and the team thankfully put that behind them and convincingly put three points in the bag at Portman Road.

I mention Palace Player above because for £34 a year it seems a pretty good deal for supporters who are unable, can't afford or just can't be bothered, to travel to games.

The commentaries are far more professional than before and I have had no technical problems logging on so far.

So how would we fare with the visit of Newcastle United and the Toon Army, a massive club and still, after their relegation last season, parading an array of international stars (albeit some of them wilting a little) like Jonas Gutierrez, Kazenga LuaLua, Alan Smith, Nicky Butt and Geremi?

Well the answer was with difficulty and the game ended at 0-2. After giving away a couple of goals in the first half, even with a great improvement in the second period, we seemed unable to break down a team which, to be brutally honest, was a class above us.

It would be totally unfair to point the finger at second choice keeper Darryl Flahavan but one has to wonder whether Julian Speroni would have pulled off a couple of his world-class saves, the like of which we have become very familiar.

A cracking crowd of 20,643 turned up on a lovely summer's day, including a few thousand Geordies. All credit to the Toon Army.

As far as I could hear, they sang to support their team and didn't descend to petty malice and insults to their opponents as seems to be common these days. And they had the good sportsmanship, to give our Academy boys a round of applause on their lap of the pitch.

I hope I haven't put the Evil Eye on Alassane N'Diaye. I have been full of praise for the French teenage midfielder but on this day, he had a "mare" with some improvement in the second half.

Well it's not all that common for we unofficial football website commentators to enjoy public recognition, so many thanks to Chris who sells programmes in front of the garage opposite the club shop.

When I handed over my £3, he asked me; "Are you Jamesey who writes for the Holmesdale website?"

"How did you recognise me?" I asked him.

"I've seen your profile picture and I am a fan of your columns," he said.

Fame at last...

Email Jamesey with your comments to jevans3704@aol.com

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