Preston North End 2 bt Crystal Palace 1

Crystal Palace deserved a point from their deeply disappointing day at Deepdale but a late penalty and some misfortune at the finish cost them dearly.

Palace knew they could not play as poorly as they did against Gillingham, and against a talented Preston side the produced a better performance, pushing the North Enders tantalisingly close.

But Palace were on the back foot from the start, as Preston launched a series of attacks down the wings, skilfully dealt with by a more resolute defensive line up than the house of cards that collapsed against Gillingham. Palace battled to clear from corners, crosses and free kicks, never looking in desperate trouble, despite Prestons proximity to goal.

Palace frustrated North End brilliantly, Matt Clarke taking ages over his goal kicks, Dougie Freedman winding up players and fans alike, and Palaces tough defence stifling all of the home sides best work.

And Preston committed too many men forward on the half hour, allowing Freedman a free run at goal which he duly accepted, lifting a lovely flick over David Lucas. And if Aki Riihilahti had netted just after the break, Palace could have comfortably held on against the Preston onslaught.

It would take a defensive mix up from the Eagles to let the home side back into the game. Clarke and Dean Austin said after you one too many times, and a simple looping header from Richard Creswell flopped into an empty net. Creswell, shambolic in appearance but deceptive, with his shirt untucked and an armoury of stepovers, was a class act throughout, and deserved his reward for some fine play.

And it was that man again who sealed the points for the Lancashire side, as he dived in on Clarke with only a few minutes remaining. Clarke, who thought he had been fouled, grabbed his legs and sent him tumbling, and there was only one verdict.

Graham Alexander converted the spot kick to send the Preston trumpeters into a crescendo and the Palace fans back to the capital rueing another sad away day. But this time they had every right to be aggrieved at the result.

November 28, 2001 14:00