March 4 2019

Wilfried Zaha

An important double was achieved at Burnley with a 3-1 victory. Jamesey watched on his screen while Wilf King joined the travelling Eagles in the North West.

It’s never dull being a Palace supporter, Well, let’s revise that statement. Over the decades it has sometimes been deadly dull but at the moment it certainly is not. Take this game (March 2) for example, writes Jamesey.

The Eagles, in the their all-white-with-sash away strip, started out with Roy Hodgson’s customary defend and counter-attack game.

It can be scary to watch this style of tactic as Burnley launched attack after attack.

However a stroke of good fortune or a piece of fine Palace pressure, depending how you see it, gave the visitors the lead when a fizzing Jeffrey Schlupp centre was directed into his own net by Phil Bardsley.

The Clarets’ own goal gave CPFC the advantage and that’s how it stayed until half-time.

Barely had the second period begun when Michy Batshuayi was picked out by an Aaron Wan-Bissaka pass. Before you could blink it was in the Clarets’ net. At last a striker who could really strike and long may he continue.

Palace seemed to realise that this game was there for the taking and from then on gave a performance of exceptional style.

Who else but Wilfried Zaha would put the proverbial icing on the cake with a remarkable display of skill when he bamboozled two Burnley defenders with some good, old-fashioned dribbling and struck the ball under the body of the keeper.

Just to show they weren’t too greedy the Eagles gave away a silly goal in the dying seconds. It was a little irritating as three goals and a clean sheet looks so much more impressive.

Still credit where it’s due, a splendid away victory against tough opponents and a further couple of steps up the table to top-tier football next season and the finance for Steve Parish’s ground improvement plans.

Interestingly, the England boss Gareth Southgate was among the spectators, the general opinion being that he was there to run his eye over Aaron Wan-Bissaka for a senior England cap.

It must have been frustrating for Gareth to see Wilf put on such a sparkling display and to reflect on England’s missed opportunity. Definitely what might have been for the Ivory Coast international who got away!

Burnley gaffer Sean Dyche went up a notch or two in my estimation for his gracious post-match comments. He generally comes over as a bulging-eyed ranter, shouting and gesturing on the touchline, but he gave the Eagles full credit for the win, praising their superior sharpness over his own team.

Even our old favourite Glenn Murray, now banging ‘em in for the Seagulls, made a pertinent comment after his side’s win against Huddersfield. Speaking about this coming Saturday’s M23 derby fixture (March 9) “It should be a good game up there… I think they are in a false position - they have got a very talented squad…and they are in their stride more now.”

I travelled to Burnley with three friends for a weekend of football, good beer and pool, writes Wilf King.

We stayed in the Talbot Hotel which was run by a Burnley fan. You can imagine the conversations before the match but all in good humour. Lancashire folk are extremely friendly. What I hadn’t reckoned on was three Burnley fans taking me into their supporters’ club and introducing me to bene’n’hot

(Benedictine with hot water).

It has a relevance to miners in WW1 and now the area around Burnley is famous for serving this drink; I was cheerfully accepted by the home fans when they saw me drink two of them. I was then escorted to Turf Moor.

The only Palace player Burnley fans were worried about was Wilfried Zaha even though I was singing the Aaron Wan-Bissaka song!

The match had just started when I arrived and I joined my two friends at the front behind the goal.

As with a good number of Palace games Burnley had most of the possession but didn’t use it to good effect. There was a swift counter-attack and Palace scored, courtesy of Phil Bardsley after excellent work by Cheikhou Kayoute, Zaha and Jeffrey Schlupp.

Half-time 1-0.

What we couldn't have expected was what was to follow in the second half.

Wan-Bissaka crossed a lovely ball into the box and there was Michy Batshuayi to hammer it into the next.

As good as that was the next goal will live in my memory forever. A lovely move ended with the ball at Wilf’s feet just inside the Burnley penalty area. He twisted right, then left and I shouted “SHOOT” - what a goal!!

The chant “He’s just to good for you” echoed round Turf Moor. The fluency of Palace’s play suggested there would be more goals (should Andros Townsend have been awarded a penalty?) but sadly the only other goal was a Burnley consolation.

Had it not been for the finger-tip save by Wayne Hennessey from Peter Crouch it could have been a nervy finish.

As it was we had enjoyed a superb Palace performance, three goals, three points and almost safety for a sixth year in the Premier League.

Email Jamesey with your comments to jevans3704@aol.com

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