by Mark Denham, from Cardiff City Stadium
Snapshot
Peter Whittingham's eighth goal of the season earned City a hard fought point at Cardiff City Stadium and moved them up to third in the Championship.
Alan Lee's powerful back post header deflected in off City's sprawling Captain after eight minutes, though Whittingham's clinical finish ten minutes later levelled the scores. City dominated large periods of the game, though opportunities in front of goal were hard to come by as the Bluebirds were forced to settle for the draw.
Chronological Report
Palace kicked off from right to left on a splendid October afternoon at Cardiff City Stadium. The visitors started brightly and had their first shot on goal inside the opening two minutes when Victor Moses struck just over the bar from the edge of the penalty area.
City started slowly but soon got in to their stride, Michael Chopra coming close to opening the scoring on five minutes after being played through by Chris Burke. Palace looked dangerous on the counter though and took the lead on eight minutes when an Alan Lee header across goal was bundled in to his own net by Captain Mark Hudson. City failed to deal with a deep, looping cross, allowing the former Bluebird to rise at the back post.
GOAL: CARDIFF CITY 0-1 CRYSTAL PALACE (Hudson, o.g. 8 mins).
City had opportunities to equalise straight from the kick off, Chopra again coming close inside the area before being denied by a stretching Paddy McCarthy.
Substitution, Crystal Palace: Freddie Sears for Victor Moses
The Bluebirds' persistence was rewarded on 19 minutes when City equalised through what is becoming a common source. Chris Burke found space and time on the end of a looping ball inside the penalty area, lofting the ball to the far post for Peter Whittingham to side foot in to the net. It was a clinical finish from the wide man who's really found his scoring touch for City this season.
GOAL: CARDIFF CITY 1-1 CRYSTAL PALACE (Whittingham, 19 mins).
Palace looked a weaker side following the departure of Moses and the City goal certainly rattled them. Chopra had another shot saved by the sprawling Speroni on 24 minutes before Anthony Gerrard's venomous curling shot from the resultant corner was smothered by the pressurised Argentinean 'keeper.
A breakaway Freddie Sears run and shut was the closest Palace came to troubling David Marshall just after the half hour mark, though City immediately won a corner from the following attack when Speroni palmed away a goal-bound Whittingham header. Mark Hudson had a shout for a penalty from the corner kick, though Referee and Assistant waved all protests away.
The Eagles were extremely fortunate not to be reduced to ten men, when Alassane N'Diaye avoided picking up a second yellow card for an extremely clumsy challenge on Joe Ledley. After a fantastic opening ten minutes, Palace seemed to be willing the half-time whistle to come.
HALF TIME: CARDIFF CITY 1-1 CRYSTAL PALACE
The second half kicked off with less of a tempo than the first had, Palace looking keener to consolidate their point rather than press in the early stages. After fifteen minutes of the second half, Jay Bothroyd departed the field of play for the returning Ross McCormack, last season's top scorer coming on to a rapturous applause from the home crowd.
Substitution, Cardiff City: Ross McCormack for Jay Bothroyd (60 mins).
Joe Ledley had a superb chance to give City the lead on 65 minutes after a fortunate one-two with Chopra. Ledley chested the ball in to the path of the striker on the right of the penalty area, collecting the return ball via a deflection off Fonte after Chopra's strike was blocked; unfortunately for the Welshman, he couldn't quite get hold of the fizzing ball and Palace managed to clear the danger.
McCormack's introduction seemed to give City an extra dimension, the midfield looking to feed the Scot and strike partner Chopra in to feet in and around the area. City's football was neat and purposeful, though the central defensive partnership of Fonte and McCarthy looked a tough nut to crack.
Substitution, Crystal Palace: Stern John for Alan Lee (76 mins).
Palace won a corner on 77 minutes after Stern John's shot was deflected wide. The striker had a free header from the corner kick and perhaps should have given the visitors the lead. As the game went on, Palace looked more and more likely to grab a goal that their persistence may have deserved.
Substitution, Cardiff City: Warren Feeney for Chris Burke (86 mins).
The Bluebirds had a penalty shout with four minutes left to play after Joe Ledley appeared to have been brought down inside the area under challenge from Fonte. The Referee again waved away the protests in front of the Canton End. Ross McCormack's wayward free-kick in injury time was the last kick of the game as City were made to settle for a frustrating point.
FULL TIME: CARDIFF CITY 1-1 CRYSTAL PALACE
Fans man of the match: Peter Whittingham
50/50 winner: TO FOLLOW
