Crystal Palace (0) 1 Vs Plymouth Argyle (1) 2

Crystal Palace slumped to their fourth league defeat of the season after a brace from Paul Gallagher set Plymouth Argyle on their way to a deserved 2-1 win at Selhurst Park.

Gallagher, on a season-long loan from Blackburn Rovers, broke the deadlock in the 28th minute after coming onto Luke Summerfield’s low corner and hitting it with his right-foot to send the ball over a packed six-yard box and into the top-left of Julian Speroni’s goal.

It was the first goal the Eagles had conceded at home in the league.

Minutes before the Scottish-striker had pounced for Paul Sturrock’s side, Palace themselves could have taken the lead were it not for Summefield clearing Clint Hill’s towering header off the line following Ben Watson’s corner.

Watson himself was through on goal in the 11th minute thanks to Alan Lee, but went down after tangling with Plymouth’s Craig Cathcart. Palace players protested but referee Neil Swarbrick was unmoved.

In-fact, Watson with his constant running was Palace’s best player on an afternoon when no-one really performed to their potential.

Indeed, on another day Paul Ifill, playing upfront with Lee, would have seen his piledriver from inside the area fly into the roof of the net rather then get tipped over by Pilgrim’s ‘keeper Romain Larrieu just before the break.

From the resulting corner, the loose ball fell to Lee after Ifill’s shot, but with just the goalkeeper to beat the former Ipswich man shot straight at Larrieu.

After the break, Warnock brought on Victor Moses for Lee and the move nearly paid instant dividends when Moses unleashed a volley in the 48th minute only for Larrieu to be alert enough to tip it over the bar. From the resulting corner, captain Shaun Derry saw his drive from the edge of the area go wide. Moments later Nick Carle had the game’s most audacious shot on target, when finding himself on the floor in the area with the ball under his feet he somehow managed to flick the ball from underneath him and goal-bound. But Larrieu in the Plymouth goal was able to collect the attempted lob.

But for all Palace’s possession after the half-time interval, they couldn’t force the equaliser and somewhat predictably Plymouth scored their second in the 56th minute and killed the game. Gallagher collected a high ball from midfield and ran at Palace centre-back Matt Lawrence who was backing off. With enough space to get a shot away, the Scot dispatched a low, crisp 25 yard effort past Speroni Palace heads dropped, but Warnock shuffled his pack by putting centre-back Jose Fonte upfront with Paul Ifill. It was a pretty desperate measure, but Fonte has proved himself useful as a makeshift forward before, notably in the home leg of the play-off semi-final against Bristol City.

However, it was to be another Palace centre-back who was able to put the ball in the opposition net, substitute Paddy McCarthy heading home Watson’s corner in the 85th minute for what was nothing more than a consolation strike.

Teams:

Crystal Palace: Speroni, Butterfield, Lawrence, Fonte, Hill, Ifill, Watson, Carle (McCarthy 66), Derry, Djilali (Griffit 72), Lee (Moses 46).

Subs Not Used: Fletcher, Oster.

Booked: Fonte, Griffit.

Goals: McCarthy 85.

Plymouth: Larrieu, Doumbe, Seip, Cathcart, Barker (Timar 88), Mackie (Folly 78), Duguid, Gallagher (Easter 83), Summerfield, Clark, Fallon.

Subs Not Used: Marin, Mpenza.

Booked: Doumbe, Gallagher.

Goals: Gallagher 28, 56.

Att: 14,209

Ref: Neil Swarbrick (Lancashire).

Player Ratings

  • Speroni – Was making saves from the first minute of the game and couldn’t be faulted for either of Plymouth’s goals. 6
  • Matt Lawrence – Should not have backed off as much as he did for Gallagher’s second, otherwise an average performance. 5
  • Clint Hill – Going forward he looked a threat and should have had a goal. Defensively fine. 7
  • Shaun Derry – Full of running and tackling, also lucky to escape a booking. 6
  • Jose Fonte – Did his best when moved up-front, after having looked OK in defence. 6
  • Alan Lee – Taken off at half-time after 45 minutes of toiling in the Selhurst Park sun. Should have scored. 5
  • Nick Carle – Always trying to move the ball forward, an attacking midfielder who has yet to find a settled midfield in which to operate. 6
  • Danny Butterfield – Didn’t really have that much to do but at the same time didn’t get forward enough. 6
  • Paul Ifill – Found himself in a role that isn’t really him, that of lone front-man, but nevertheless put in a good shift. 6
  • Ben Watson – Palace’s best player on the day, but not the best on the park. Full of running, and now looking vital to the Eagles midfield once again. 7
  • Kieran Djilali – Had spells where he was in he game, but needs to show more than he did. 5

Subs

  • Victor Moses – Second season syndrome is setting in with Palace’s England star, but showed flashes of why he is so revered. 7
  • Leandre Griffit – Wanted the ball, wanted to run and take players on. Needs more time on the pitch. 6
  • Patrick McCarthy – Got forward and scored, something Palace hadn’t been able to do all day. 7