Crystal Palace 1 Albion 1
Monday 26th April 2010, 9:58PM BST.
Gabriel Tamas headed Albion to a new club record after equalising in an ill-tempered match at Selhurst Park.
The centre-back’s second goal of the season on 21 minutes secured a point against 10-man Palace in a high-octane clash.
A draw took Albion to a new record points haul in a season of 90, beating the 89 collected by Gary Megson’s Baggies in 2002.
But they should have collected all three points in South London with only a string of fine saves from Palace goalkeeper Julian Speroni denying them a hatful of goals.
Palace had led on 17 minutes through a bizarre Steven Reid own-goal but the home side needed a win to secure their Championship status.
Their hopes ended with minutes to go, when Neil Danns was sent off for a butt on Graham Dorrans.
Simon Cox had a goal disallowed for handball on 13 minutes but Albion fell behind four minutes later, when Darren Ambrose’s free-kick was turned in comically by Reid a couple of yards out.
The Baggies were level on 21 minutes when a free-kick from the right by Chris Brunt was glanced into the roof of the net by Tamas at the near post.
Calvin Andrew headed a good chance wide for the hosts, after goalkeeper Scott Carson had saved from Danns.
Robert Koren then missed a sitter for the visitors, firing over from a rebound after Roman Bednar had headed against the bar.
Albion increased their dominance as the first-half wore on and Speroni was increasingly the busy goalkeeper, pulling off a string of good saves.
The Palace No 1 blocked a cross-shot from Brunt and then leaped high to tip over a fabulous 25-yard dipping volley from Graham Dorrans.
Speroni made another smart save in stoppage time to deny Bednar after a pass by Dorrans.
Early in the second period Koren should have put Albion ahead from close range but his shot was too close to Speroni, who saved comfortably.
Palace threw caution to the wind, knowing a draw was useless in their fight against relegation but they could not find a breakthrough.
Jonas Olsson was substituted after a series of ill-tempered incidents including an apparent missile aimed in his direction from the crowd, resulting in a booking.
Danns was then dismissed for a butt on Dorrans, after the pair had clashed.
They had one more chance as Ambrose found space on the edge of the box, but his shot was cleared off the line dramatically by Marek Cech with the final kick of six minutes of stoppage time.
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Up to the owls now!!!! hope they do it. Blue and white all the way!!!
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I think ALBION should consider buying Speroni (Crystal’s goalkeeper). He played a stupendous game. Well, thats one way of trying to stop dorrans?. Great goal Tamas. We looked more dangerous on the right side after Barnes was introduced. Carson had another good game. Cech was
colossal. Calm it Jonas!. Brunt blitzed their defence with that wonderful left peg of his. Cox
ran his socks off. Congratulations on the our new points haul.
~~~~BOING~~~~BOING~~~~JtH.
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Blood and thunder (thud and blunder?) match that was always interesting. My only concern was, Albion attempts on goal: 4,763 …goals ONE ! Yes, Speroni was brilliant, but we shall meet those sort every week in far better defences. What the heck Reid thought he was doing for his own goal would be worth hearing. Ironic that Jonas got a yellow and crowd abuse when Lee behaved like a complete thug after coming on. Ref had done well up to then but was in danger of losing control from then on in. Last few years we’ve had some fun have we not?
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Another good performance last night especially when you consider our players could be forgiven for already having one foot on the plane to the carribean or wherever they are off to. It’s this sort of spirit and attitude that is going to be vital next season.
Oh and come on you Owls…….not sure what it is about Palace I dont like? but I just dont.
Boing Boing!
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Looks like warnock as left his trademark at palace,they should have been down to 9 subs tackle was a disgrace,over to you sheff wednesday,send um down,aye boing boing
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Happy.
From previous thread. They didn’t disappoint did they.
Cantello Rocket 78.
From previous thread. I take it all back. Sky matched the Beeb bigoted comment for biased commentary. Until the teams came out it was difficult to see who Palace were going to play as the coverage only mentioned one team.
I loved the bit where after Olsson being brutally mugged by Lee, the commentator started screaming about Olsson taking ‘revenge’ with what must have been the most innocuous borderline foul imaginable. The mug of a referee then booked Olsson after brushing Lee’s original assault under the carpet.
1Baggiebal 66.
Totally agree. Come on you Owls.. Although if I was Wednesday fan I’d be worried about the pro London bias kicking in again to the detriment of a Sheffield team as it did with West Ham and United.
2 JtH.
To quote Meatloaf, You took the words right out of my mouth. Not only has this bloke Speroni impressed me every time I’ve seen him on but on interview after the game he came over as a very modest team player that wouldn’t upset the dressing room.
3 Cyril.
To complete a nap hand of agreeing with everybody. I thought the referee had a decent game for about an hour and then just suddenly lost it. As I’ve mentioned above, his handling of the Olsson/Lee incidents was laughable, a real St James Park decision. And what about Golum running the line? Those offside decisions were unbelievable. So obvious even Sky had to mention them. Agree, we have had some fun this season and looking forward to our first enjoyable season in the PL. Yes of course there will be the dodgy refereeing as the Wulfies have found out this season after pouring scorn on our claims in recent years. The future’s bright, the future’s blue and white.
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TRBH – no they certainly didn’t suprise us did they….. and all credit to the lads for giving such a committed performance against a team with everything still to play for and no hesitation in hacking or headbutting you out the way.
This sort of resolve coupled with our usual skill and flair will be much needed next season.
On another point – has everyone seen
wolves1877 comment on the albion story about Di Matteo plans change ??
A more nasty and despicable comment is hard to imagine and I urge all decent fans on both sides to ignore this vile idiot from now on.
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Oh, and how nice to see the paper giving shadrag another go at the transfer rumour page – I’m sure JP will be grabbing that £4 million off West Ham as fast as possible… bye bye Dorrens !!!!!!
Get real lads – it aint even funny now.
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I have just read the transfer rumours …. West Ham trying our resolve with a 4m bid for Dorrans .. are they having a giraffe!!!.
Not being funny but Mr Peace got 7 million for Davies and he would certainly not accecpt anything below that (although he is not for sale)..
I thought last nights game was very entertaining end to end stuff well more one end than the other on another day the game could have easily ended 8-3 to the Albion.
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Happy_Baggie I agree this person seems a very despicable moron…We have good banter on here with our shadrag and fellow wolfies but when he his not talking about “the wolves boys running our lads out of town etc he is making vile comment about our disabled fans..
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4. Could it be a certain Clinton Morrison who used to play for them and dissed The Albion when we went up over the Wolves OR a certain Neil Warnock OR the fact that they are a London club OR all of the above.
Ref interesting. A foul and a headbutt – red card. Defender takes out Barnes off the ball – yellow.
From all I have seen this season with refs and the FA disciplinary bunch, decisions and punishments are ridiculously lenient. Things need to change and the FA (aptly named!!)need to BOLT A PAIR ON!!
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4 Million for Dorrans? That wouldn’t even be a decent deposit!!
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It was strange to hear Tony Pullis in the press this week talking about ref bias towards the bigger clubs.
He was right of course, and he put his points really well – but I did think that if refs were consistant then Stoke would end most games with 9 men.
Mowbray raised the same issue, so lets hope that if enough managers raise this point something may eventually happen to address it.
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Happy number 7. Can`t find the comments you refer to about 1877 dingle. Have they been removed out of common decency? Can you give me the gist, or are they too vile to repeat?
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I think last night we should have beaten palace six/seven – one.
We were very comfortable throughout the game and never in danger, until the last ten minutes when palace nearly stole the game from us. Jonas – calm down. remember in the Premiership you are the underdog all the way. Referees wont sympathize with you for long.
All the best from Malta.
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Baggiepaul – I’m really happy to see the paper have removed his comments and I have no wish to give him any more oxygen – but suffice to say it was unpleasant.
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End of season game where tired minds can lead to wrong decision making, still a good performance. Reid reacted, basic instincts, it happens.
Roman and Jonas need training in how “not to waive red rags” before next season. Overall, a good effort – unbeaten run. Hope the Owls put the not so Pussycat Place out to sea in a holed boat!
As for 1877, why waste another second on such a pathetic excuse for a human being? Just did.
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14 – I’ll sum it up for you. He’s an idiot, and an absolute disgrace to the rest of the Wolves fans!!
Re: the match. Should’ve won by 3 or 4 at least, but a combination of tremendous goalkeeping and some terrible finishing kept it at 1 all.
We need to buy a goal scorer for next season, and last night was a perfect case for this.
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8 Happy.
I hate to prove you wrong BUT…
Shadrag couldn’t have put that in the transfer news as he’s far to busy with his car on the beach at Weston.
Have a look at the news pages.
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At no point did I make an offensive comment, I merely asked a question to therealbullywho in reply to the pretty offensive question he threw at me, happy you have no right whatsoever to take the moral high ground with some of the insults you have thrown, but I do get the impression with you lot that its ok for you to do it but not us and also you lot can dish it out but certainly can’t take it, so you carry on and call me your stupid little names like I’m really bothered what you lot think laters losers.
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TRBH – love it…… the guy is looking at his car as if to say “this don’t look quite right”.
Anyway – what was someone from wolvo doing with a jet ski – did they win it on Bullseye ??
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I forgot and no one else mentioned the smashing game young Cox had last night. Not easy to play football when the tackles are reckless throughout. A bit of luck he could have scored two, but he is there to let fly so later maybe. A credit to our coaching staff then as so many have made a step up this seasson. Cech played a blinder too, always moving dangerous balls AWAY from our goalmouth towards the wings. Jonas and Roman are both a bit ‘mouthy’, one no doubt in perfect English and the other speaking with hardly moving lips and an accent. Guess which way. Nontheless, they are our players and good ones at that.
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