Crystal Palace, haunted by a home match jinx, are still waiting for their
first Premiership victory at Selhurst Park this season.
They should have done better than a 1-1 draw with Southampton but Palace have
now drawn four and lost five matches at home and only five away victories have
kept them out of the relegation zone.
Palace had far more of the game yet had to fight back from a goal down at half
time and then having equalised in the second half saw substitute Itzik Zohar
miss a penalty.
It was the sort of day that Palace had been having all season before their own
frustrated supporters.
Bruce Dyer hit the post for the home team after only five minutes and Neil
Shipperley just failed to touch the ball home from close in five minutes later.
Palace continued to attack without success only for Southampton to break away
five minutes before the interval and snatch a lead they hardly deserved.
Matthew Oakley, without a goal this season, turned brilliantly inside the
Palace penalty area and struck a superb volley that hit the underside of the bar
before going into the net.
The second half was again almost all Palace and first Simon Rodger and then
Shipperley almost equalised before the home team at last broke through after 61
minutes.
Rodger took a corner on the left, Dean Gordon flicked the ball on and
Shipperley, a constant menace, drove the ball home from almost point blank
range.
Shipperley, apparently struggling with a hamstring, had to leave the field 10
minutes later and on came Zohar as substitute.
In retrospect Zohar might have wished he had stayed on the bench for after 79
minutes came the fateful moment.
Jason Dodd brought down Dyer in the penalty area and though the Palace striker
appeared to have dived a spot kick was given and Zohar stepped up to take the
kick.
Unfortunately he side-footed it weakly and Southampton goalkeeper Paul Jones,
guessing right, dived to his left to push the ball away and it was finally
scrambled to safety.
In the closing stages Palace, apparently losing a little heart, might even
have lost their solitary point but now they must hope they can change their
fortunes in the New Year.
Their next home game is against lowly Everton on January 10 and it could bring
a much-needed victory.
Teams
Crystal Palace: Miller, Gordon, Roberts, Linighan, Warhurst,
Shipperley (Zohar 71), Dyer, Rodger, Hreidarsson,
Fullarton (Burton 60), Ginty.
Subs Not Used: Quinn, Nash, Emblen.
Booked: Fullarton.
Goals: Shipperley 62.
Southampton: Jones, Dodd, Palmer, Monkou, Lundekvam,
Le Tissier (Williams 82), Oakley (Slater 85),
Ostenstad (Davies 65), Richardson, Hirst, Benali.
Subs Not Used: Moss, Hughes.
Booked: Lundekvam, Hirst, Benali.
Goals: Oakley 39.
Att: 22,853
Ref: P E Alcock (Redhill).
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