City go 5 clear with 1-0 win over Palace

By Andy Leggott
March 16 2002

A 10th minute Kevin Horlock goal decided a poor game, sending City five points clear at the top of Division 1, as Wolves lost at home to Grimsby.

Despite rumours of changes, Kevin Keegan elected to start the game with the same starting 11 as at Crewe. City dominated the early stages with some neat football and it came as no surprise when they took the lead as early as the 10th minute. A Bernabia corner found it's way to Wright-Phillips out on the right, he took on two men and crossed the neatest of balls beyond the keeper to present Horlock with the easiest of headed chances.
With City taking such an early lead another deluge of goals was expected, only this game didn't go to script. Bernabia, usually so influential in midfield, was targeted for some rough treatment and with no protection coming from the inexperienced referee was taken out of the game for long periods. Palace competed like a Neil Warnock side rather than a Trevor Francis one but failed to muster one single shot in the first half. City created half chances but the 1-0 half time scoreline was a fair one.
The second half was more of the same with City forcing the pace and creating a few chances. Sun Jihai was brought on for Tiatto and slotted in at right wing back but popped up everywhere. Huckerby had one of his more frustrating days, invariably doing everything right until the goal was in sight and then choosing the wrong option. The Goat was being starved of service until one great oppurtunity was skied over the bar with only the keeper to beat. That turned out to be his last kick of the game as Keegan replaced him with Macken. Macken offered a different option, holding the ball up well and could well have scored from a header he put just over. Palace, after finally having a shot after 75 minutes, decided to push forward for an equaliser but never really looked threatening, despite their build up play exciting their own fans into elaborate celebrating. It was a relief to hear the final whistle, more because of what City weren't doing rather than anything Palace offered. The three points was all that mattered and even more so as the result came in from Molineux.
So five points clear and a game in hand, it's looking more and more like not only promotion but also the Title. Roll on relegated County, surely time to go eight points clear.