Paddy McCarthy’s goal 10 minutes after the break was enough to give Crystal Palace a 1-0 victory at Portman Road, ending Town’s six-game unbeaten run. The Blues, who had Aaron Cresswell sent off for a second yellow card late on, were second best throughout.
Town boss Paul Jewell made hisfirst changes of personnel for six games with Ibrahima Sonko out with his hamstring problem, while Jason Scotland and Michael Chopra dropped to the bench, manager Jewell having said that the pair were suffering from a bit of tiredness after last Saturday’s game at Cardiff.
Damien Delaney, Jay Emmanuel-Thomas and Nathan Ellington came into the side, the latter making his first league start for the Blues. Ãvar Ingimarsson was in the matchday 16 for the first time since his debut on the opening day of the season at Bristol City.
Palace included ex-Blue David Wright in midfield but Darren Ambrose dropped out of the 16, while Lewis Price and former Town academy schoolboy Stuart O’Keefe were amongst the subs.
In front of a crowd boosted by a ticket promotion, there was an early scare for the Blues when Wilfried Zaha sent in a cross from the right which Delaney, playing to the left of Collins, deflected across the face of goal and wide.
There was danger for the visitors on seven when an Aaron Cresswell cross from the left led to some frantic defending, shots from Andrews and then Leadbitter both being blocked as the Eagles repeatedly failed to clear their lines. Eventually referee David Phillips blew up for a foul on left-back Jonathan Parr.
Palace should have gone in front in the 14th minute when Zaha got round the outside of Cresswell before laying it back to Dikgacoi, who somehow managed to divert the ball in the opposite direction to goal. It was a lucky escape for Town.
Soon after, Sean Scannell shot just wide, then Delaney had to make a desperate lunge while grounded to take the ball away from Glenn Murray with the Eagles presenting far the greater threat at this stage.
Town weren’t far from going in front themselves in the 23rd minute when Emmanuel-Thomas sent Carlos Edwards away down the right and the Trinidadian whipped over a cross which was just too high for Lee Bowyer to head home from close range.
On the half hour, Cresswell was booked for a tackle that referee David Phillips hadn’t seen as a foul, his linesman having signalled the offence. Moments later, after a Parr shot had been blocked by Delaney, Dikgacoi was also cautioned for a foul on a breaking Bowyer.
The South African shot over in the 39th minute, the visitors somewhat fortuitously being awarded a corner. The visitors were still the bigger threat with the Blues giving the ball away far too easily and having trouble dealing with the pace of Zaha and Scannell.
The Eagles again went close to grabbing the lead on 41 when a corner from the right fell to Glenn Murray but Stockdale was well-placed to block from eight yards.
At the other end, Ellington sent strike partner Emmanuel-Thomas away, the former Arsenal man hitting a powerful 25-yard shot which Speroni did well to push over.
Palace again threatened in the 44th minute when Scannell burst into the left of the area and cut the ball across the six-yard area from where a combination of Delaney and Cresswell cleared ahead of Dikgacoi.
Town will have felt themselves fortunate to have gone in on terms at the break, the visitors having created the better chances throughout the half.
The Blues had had the odd moment going forward, with the front two not involved as much as they might have been, but all too often the ball had been given away too easily.
Town were forced into an early change at the start of the second period, Ãvar Ingimarsson making his home debut as he replaced Damien Delaney, who had done well enough in the first half despite some early shakiness as the Blues got used to their new defensive line-up.
Palace were the first to threaten after the restart, Murray heading a Parr cross from the left over after Stockdale appeared set to claim.
The visitors finally got the goal they deserved in the 55th minute. Andrews and Cresswell got in one another’s way as they cleared a poor Scannell freekick and the ball was played back to the Irish U21 international winger, who sent in a low cross which skipper Paddy McCarthy diverted into the roof of the net off Stockdale from eight yards.
Mile Jedinak hit a low freekick through to Stockdale on 59, moments before Michael Chopra and Jason Scotland replaced Nathan Ellington and Jimmy Bullard, the latter having been limping due to what looked like a groin injury and having reportedly been spotted running to the ground having abandoned his car due to the heavy traffic an hour before kick-off.
Palace could have gone two in front on 62, Scannell breaking forward down the left after beating Andrews and hitting a shot which Stockdale again did well to save. From the corner, Leadbitter gave the ball straight to Scannell but the Blues’ skipper got back to block his strike.
Jedinak curled a freekick over on 79 with the visitors still on top, although Andrews managed a shot for Town after some hesitation by Parr, but sent the ball well wide.
The Blues weren’t looking much like getting anything out of the game but on 83 Jay Emmanuel-Thomas curled a remarkable freekick from the left which dipped towards goal but not quite enough, striking the bar before going over.
Andrews failed to find Emmanuel-Thomas as the Blues broke on 86, then Bowyer just failed to get on to a far better pass from the Irishman when in the clear. For Palace, Murray shot well over after yet another Town pass had gone astray, this time from Edwards.
With the game in injury time referee Phillips, who had red-carded two Sheffield United players on his previous visit to Portman Road, showed Aaron Cresswell a second yellow card, presumably for dissent regarding a tackle on Leadbitter, moments after the ball had been cleared following a superb block from Scotland inside the six-yard box.
Seconds after the 21-year-old’s dismissal, Bowyer was booked for a foul on a breaking Williams, referee Phillips blowing his whistle soon afterwards.
Town could have few complaints about the result, the visitors having been the better side throughout, creating enough chances to win more comfortably.
The Blues’ success in recent weeks was built on keeping the ball and Edwards and Cresswell breaking down the flanks but against the Eagles Town gave the ball away far too easily, while both full-backs were pinned back by Palace’s attacking wide threats.
In the latter stages Jewell’s men huffed and puffed but only rarely threatened and anything other than a Palace victory would have been an unfair reflection of the game.
Town: Stockdale, Edwards, Cresswell, Delaney (Ingimarsson 48), Collins, Bullard (Chopra 60), Andrews, Bowyer, Leadbitter, Ellington (Scotland 60), Emmanuel-Thomas. Unused: Lee-Barrett, Wabara.
Crystal Palace: Speroni, Clyne , Parr, McCarthy, Gardner, Wright, Dikgacoi (Williams 74), Jedinak, Scannell (Easter 88), Zaha,Murray. Unused: Price, O’Keefe, Ramage. Referee: David Phillips. Att: 24,763 (Palace: 1,289)