CRYSTAL PALACE v MIDDLESBROUGH
MATCH REPORT
ComeOnBoro.com, 7 Nov 2009
New signing Isaiah Osbourne, on loan from Aston Villa, went straight into the side as promised, in the centre of midfield alongside Rhys Williams, while Gary O'Neil started on the right.
Marcus Bent started his first game for the club up front with Leroy Lita and Jonathan Grounds replaced the injured Emanuel Pogatetz.
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Boro started the game defending after David Wheater made an unfair challenge on Alan Lee. Darren Ambrose's tried a shot from the free kick. Ambrose looked dangerous asd the game got underway and was in the thick of things again a few minutes later with a well worked corner which went wide. However Justin hoyte should have had it covered, the defender lost concentration.
With eight minutes gone Freddie Sears shot straight at Jones.
Boro woke up about ten minutes after the kick off. Johnson looked threatening and found Gary O'neil who took a shot but was denied by Speroni. Speroni then saved from Lita before new signing Isaiah Osbourne's shot went wide on 14 minutes.
Adam Johnson gift-wrapped an opportunity for Marcus Bent to get off the mark for Boro on 19 minutes and Bent, from close range, fired well wide without testing Speroni. What a waste!
Another defensive error by Hoyte allowed Freddie Sears the space to get the ball into the box, luckily for Hoyte Boro managed to clear the danger.
Speroni messed up his clearance and Johnson pounced but was then tripped up by Danny Butterfield. Butterfield received a yellow card. Boro took the resulting free kick well and Gary o'neil forced a save from Speroni.
Johnson was the major creative force in the opening period and Boro increased the pressure their were applying on Palace as time went on.
On the half hour mark, O'Neil lost the ball and Ambrose shot but the ball was deflected by Hoyte out for a corner.
David Wheater was a constant irritant to Palace but began to annoy referee JJ Linington and was called over for a 'friendly word'.
Johnson produced a lovely pass to Gary O'Neil who found Lita but the striker tried to do too much and somehow put the ball out of play. At the other end a header from Alan Lee went just wide on 31 minutes.
Boro had another chance to take the lead in the 31st minute, Wheater flicked the ball on as Palace's defence panicked but nobody in a Boro shirt got on the end of it.
A deliberate handball from Osbourne as he fell over earned him a yellow card in the 32nd minute.
Claude Davis clattered Leroy Lita but the striker bounced straight back up despite the size and no doubt weight of his opponent!
Hoyte was left on his own to clear as Ambrose sent another corner into the danger area. A lack of communication was causing problems among Boro's defence.
43 minutes gone and Johnson got away from three defenders showing incredible skill and confidence. But, as he tends to, the winger hit the deck far too easily from a tiny nudge and the ref awarded a goal kick.
Two minutes of stoppage time was indicated.
A bit of drama as Wheater and St Ledger collided and Palace went on the attack. Jonathan Grounds did well to clear.
Boro had the majority of the possession and two decent opportunties to go ahead in the first half but once again the tendency to overcomplicate play, and Bent's lack of finish, let us down. The first half was competitive and both teams were pushing for that first goal.
