Crystal Palace 0, Birmingham 0: Colin Tattum's big match verdict

Feb 25 2009 by Colin Tattum, Birmingham Mail

Palace got themselves in a muddle and Bowyer squirmed through to the ball barely 10 yards out but he toe-ended it wide of Julian Speroni, as he desperately dived at his feet, and the post.

Then Costly, striding through to Larsson’s sumptuous pass, guided a sidefooter into the advertising hoardings from the same range. Again, it seemed harder to miss; costly indeed. Blues were flattened for a while, but rallied and went on to completely dominate the half.

They were resolute at the back, probed down the middle and sides with menace, and good crosses were delivered, from wingers and full-backs.

Larsson was all-action, the Larsson of old, before a back injury restricted him and Bowyer was a major influence.

Nick Carle was sent off in the 76th minute for a biting tackle on Jerome that was executed over the ball and with studs showing.

Blues moved in for the kill, but agonisingly didn’t have that finishing touch, that end product.

Balls flashed across the Palace penalty area and last-ditch challenges came in, Jose Fonte once brilliantly denying Bowyer.

Palace squandered a two-on-one break when Ridgewell and Jaidi mixed up between them, but it was a rare threat from the home side.

Jerome’s failure to get his head on that final cross encapsulated the so near, but yet so far frustration.

Blues were vastly improved, yet a point was an unsatisfactory return.

PALACE (4-4-2): Speroni, Clyne, Lawrence, Jose Fonte, Hill, Oster (Ertl, 88), Danns, Carle, Moses (Hills, 54), Rui Fonte (Butterfield, 78), Lee. Not used: Kuqi, Pinney.

BLUES (4-4-2): Taylor 7, Carr 7, Murphy 7, Jaidi 7, Ridgewell 7, Larsson 7 (Johnson, 83), ★ BOWYER 7, Fahey 6, Bent 6, Costly 5 (Jerome 59, 5), Sinclair 6 (Bouazza 65, 5). Not used: Traore, Lyness.

Referee: P Taylor (Hertfordshire).