RamZone Match Roundup - Clough's Luck Returns At Palace!
Saturday, 3rd Dec 2011 23:30 by Daniel J Sewart

Nigel Clough got the slice of luck he was looking for to break a run of 5 consecutive defeats but frustratingly the inability to finish, once again cost the Rams a chance to take all 3 points.

Cystal Palace 1 vs. 1 Derby County

Selhurst Park

Friday December 2nd

Referee:

A. D'Urso

Crowd:

14,338 (444 Travelling Rams)

The Teams:

Palace:

Speroni, Parr, McCarthy, Ambrose, Garvan, Jedinak, Murray, Andrew (Pedroza 82’), Martin (Zaha 71’), Keinan, Ramage.

Unused Substitutes: Price, Clyne, Iversen.

Yellow Cards: Zaha

Goals: Martin (15’)

Derby:

Fielding, Green, Barker, Shackell, Roberts, Bryson, Hendrick, Bailey (Ball 71’), B Davies (Bennett 64’), Ward, Priskin (O'Brien 90’).

Unused Substitutes: Legzdins, Buxton.

Booked: Roberts

Goals: McCarthy OG (75)

Match Stats: Palace - Derby

Possession: 44% - 56%

Shots On Target: 6 - 10

Shots Off Target: 3 - 8

Corners: 4 - 8

Fouls: 8 - 9

Most Fouls: Murray (2) - Barker (3)

Match Report:

The Rams were desperate to prise any points from their opposition after going games without a win or draw. Nigel Clough fielded an unchanged side from the one defeated by Brighton midweek.

With John Brayford still injured Paul Green continues at right back while Priskin once again played the role of lone striker up front.

In contrast Palace Captain Paddy McCarthy was the only player on the park who had started for the Eagles against Manchester United in their successful Carling Cup clash. The major change for Palace was they rewarded their goal scoring heroes Darren Ambrose and Glenn Murray, with a place in the starting line-up.

Despite their recent giant killing exploits, Palace’s fortunes have mirrored those of the Rams with only 2 points in their last 5 matches after a barnstorming start to the season. Without a goal in close to 500 minutes of football it was going to be a case of two teams trying to stop the rot and find some forward momentum in the league again.

Things started nervously with some ordinary defending and a Derby defence that looked as if it was wearing the weight of the world on its shoulders. At times they looked as if they had never played together before and were showing the signs of a long run of losses affecting their decision making under pressure.

Palace could have shattered the Rams hopes of a change of fortunes with only a minute gone when Ambrose found Murray with a clever ball that allowed the striker time to steady and drive a shot from the right. Frank Fielding was up to the task as he answered recent criticism with a sensational save down low that showed despite the nerves in front of him, Fielding was not going to be the one to blame if the Rams went behind.

Gareth Roberts was lucky not to give away a penalty when he found the front of Owen Garvan with a lunge in the box. The forward momentum of Garvan made the challenge look much worse and may have saved Roberts with Andy D'Urso letting play continue as the Rams cleared the ball.

The relief was short lived as the Rams stuttering, nervous play was punished when Peter Ramage mugged Jamie Ward as he tried to jink past him. Ramage charged forward and found Martin, who let loose with a 20 yard shot that unfortunately deflected off Shaun Barker and into the net with Fielding stranded.

After an assist for the first goal, Ambrose tried for one himself as he shot from nearly 20 yards as half-time approached but once again Fielding was on hand with another good low save.

The Rams had little of the energy and attacking intent they had shown midweek against Brighton and really had little to show for their first forty five minutes with only a speculative long-range effort from Jeff Hendrick coming even close to troubling the Palace defence.

After the break the Rams looked like a different team, or at least one that had been served up a severe bollocking in the dressing rooms.

Early in the second half McCarthy was called on to deal with a Jason Shackell header but after only being able to half clear the ball, Craig Bryson's hit sweetly but could only find the body of Mile Jedinak who bravely charged down the goal bound effort.

Tamas Priskin looked in a perfect position to head home when Roberts placed a near perfect cross in from the left but in trying to place the attempt, Priskin substituted both power and placement which left the weak effort wide of its target.

The Rams pressed forward constantly as the likes of Ward and especially Green were tireless as they ran, attacked, took on defenders and pinged balls into the box. Unfortunately in what seemed like déjàvu after the Brighton match, Derby could find no one to stand up and provide a quality finish to some quality moves and crosses.

Ball and Bennett were introduced and immediately added to the verve of the Rams forward thrusts as the two youngsters showed real intent and purpose in their work. Some to their efforts to not just create opportunities but chase, keep and retrieve the ball for their team were outstanding.

The hard work finally paid off as Nigel Clough finally got the slice of luck that he has lamented his team were not getting of late. It was not the quality finish he would have been hoping for from one of his own players but instead an own goal from McCarthy on 75 minutes that brought the teams level.

The tireless Paul Green looked to be running out of puff after a busy schedule since returning from a long term injury but he still managed a deliciously dangerous cross which he swung invitingly into the area.

In trying to avert the possibility of the oncoming Rams players latching onto the cross, McCarthy stuck out a foot to clear the ball and instead deflected its path away from Palace keeper Julian Speroni.

The Rams full of purpose were hammering Palace in their search for a winner and despite both teams trading blows in an attempt to win the game, neither could carve out a genuine opportunity to claim all three points.

Paul Green could have capped off what was a sensational second half performance, when late in proceedings he let loose with a powerful shot that was on target but unable to find its way past Speroni.

Losing streak over, a point gained and something to build on for the Rams.

A long way from what could be called a return to form but if Green, Bailey and Barker continue their improvement and Brayford can get back on the park again, they will trouble teams but turning trouble into victory could prove much more difficult.

Official Match Reports:

DCFC Official Site Report

CPFC Official Site Report

Manager’s Reaction:

Nigel Clough revealed a half time chat fired up his troops:

"We were a lot better in the second half than in the first half. We just wanted them to play with a bit more conviction. It was a bit too much like a practice match from us in the first half.”

"If we had started the game like we did the second half, we would have been OK. But it was another good performance following on from Tuesday against Brighton.”

"We think two good performances, certainly on Tuesday night and the second half against Palace have yielded one point out of six when it could have been six quite easily."

"Mason made a difference again when he came on and won the header leading up to our goal as well. And the biggest bonus for him is that he has had a day off school as well"

Captain’s Reaction:

Shaun Barker was pleased the team finally had a slice of luck:

"The own goal was a break we deserved and we're all chuffed to have stopped the losing streak. We needed a bit of luck because we've not had much of it in the last few weeks.”

"Although we've had a bad run we had to maintain our belief and I think our performances have shown it is still intact. We might have needed an own goal to get a point but it's a slice of luck I think all the boys deserved.”

"We've all been a bit frustrated results haven't gone our way but when you're in a rut you need to grind a result out somehow. Now we've managed it I hope we can get few more wins on the board as quickly as we can."

"We've missed them for the attributes they have and what they bring to the team. If we keep playing like we have been once they come back I think we'll get a few more wins.”

"It will be great when we have Theo, Steven and Nathan back fully fit because they're all capable, as they've proved already, of getting goals at this level. I think if they had played in the Brighton and Crystal Palace games we would have probably got six points and that shows how missed they have been."