Report: Town 1-1 Palace

Town dropped another two home points today, after drawing 1-1 with Neil Warnock's Crystal Palace side.

Town manager Jim Magilton made four changes from the side that slid out of the Carling Cup earlier in the week, Richard Naylor partnered Gareth McAuley in the centre of defence, David Wright came in at left back, Veliche Sumulikoski started in alongside Tommy Miller in the centre of midfield and Jon Stead started up front with Kevin Lisbie.

The game started at a fairly high if mildly bad tempered pace with two players being booked inside the first 10 minutes, Alex Bruce booked for Town and Bent Watson booked for Palace.

Paul Ifill has the first chance of the game but Wright reacted quickly, sprinting off his line to block the shot.

Town took the lead after 23 minutes, Jon Walters' low cross was stepped over by David Norris allowing it to run to an unmarked Jon Stead 12-yards from goal, who fired the ball into the back of the net.

The lead barely lasted 2 minutes as Palace responded, firstly Victor Moses had a header tipped over the bar by Wright but from the resulting corner Palace equalise. Alex Bruce inadvertently flicking the ball just out of the reach of Wright and into the path of Victor Moses who headed the ball into the net despite David Norris' best efforts on the line.

Lisbie was denied a goal thanks to a brilliant save by Palace ‘keeper Julian Speroni, Lisbie's headed effort came from a Tommy Miller free-kick that the Palace defence was unable to clear before reaching Lisbie at the back post.

Clint Hill blazes the ball high over the bar from 6 yards after Richards Wright and Naylor were unable to deal with his first effort fully.

Palace thought they should have had a penalty 9 minutes into the second half after Craig Beattie went down under a challenge from Richard Naylor but the referee booked Beattie for diving and gave Town the free-kick.

Pablo Counago's name was being chanted just before his introduction but when the board comes up showing Jon Stead's number the chanting of Pablo's name turns to boos' and chants of "you don't know what your doing" from the home fans, unhappy that Stead had made for Counago when Lisbie seemed the more obvious candidate for substitution.

Watson should have given Palace the lead in the 64th minute when he got the end of Ifill's cross, only to send his shot wide of goal.

Bruce had a go at being a left winger, his cross was blocked out for a corner which Tommy Miller took, Palace could only clear it as far as Ivan Campo who fired the ball back in only to see it deflected.

Owen Garvan slid two perfect balls across the Palace box but no-one was able to meet either of them as the game ended in a draw.

Town: R Wright, Bruce, McAuley, Naylor, D Wright; Walters, Sumulikoski (Campo 71), Miller, Norris (Garvan 56), Lisbie, Stead (Counago 62). Subs: Supple, Balkestein.

Palace: Speroni; Butterfield, McCarthy, Fonte, Moses; Hill, Watson, Derry, Carle (Fletcher 80); Ifill (Kuqi 67); Beattie (Scannell 74). Subs: Lawrence, Oster.

Referee: Mr D Deadman (Cambridgeshire)

Attendance: 19,032.

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