Crystal Palace 0 Coventry City 1: match report

By Neil Trainis Published: 6:19PM GMT twenty February 2010

Mired in doubt off the pitch, Crystal Palace unsuccessful to recover their orientation on it. Administration has dissolved their graduation attack and they are struggling to keep their heads on top of H2O in each sense.

Ipswichs delight at Sheffield Wednesday cursed the south London bar to the relegation section and an strenuous debate of presence beckons.

Championship list Telegraph player rater Championship fixtures Sport on radio FA ask Warnock to insist arbitrate comments Warnock faces FA assign

Neil Warnock, whose destiny as Palace physical education instructor has been hidden in conjecture, looked loose as he acted for photographs prior to kick-off, nonetheless patience fast evaporated when asked about Queens Park Rangers seductiveness in him. "Ive pronounced sufficient about that. Im fed up with it," he replied with agitation.

A tie riddled with sub-plots, noted by the lapse of Chris Coleman and Clinton Morrison to Selhurst Park, was not the tact belligerent for expressionist football or a Palace recovery.

Coventry achieved in a unsentimental 4-4-2 and Palace, whose circuit leather belt of bent has reeled off sparkling players, mostly unsuccessful to move aptitude to their play. Sean Scannell and Darren Ambrose were evenly stifled.

Yet there was short-lived hope. Once marginalised by Warnock and clearly on the approach out nonetheless expelled by Victor Moses departure, Nick Carles liveliness lighted Palace. In the initial half he drifted past a integrate of hurdles and combined space for Ambrose, whose shot ricocheted off Kieren Westwood and dribbled wide.

Carle was buoyant and inspired for the ball, an ardour whetted by the guarantee of unchanging football. Both sides were rival but stodgy going forward, nonetheless the Australians appetite remained throughout.

Here was a player with designs on gracing this summers World Cup with Australia and rejuvenated by the prospect. Just mins in to the second half he weighted a pass in to Ambrose, who detonate in to the box but was stopped by Stephen Wright.

Carle bristled with an merriment generated by a new-found confidence. Soon he drifted out to the right and delivered a cranky that Johannes Ertl headed off target.

The past, though, tugged uneasily at Palace. Morrison, so mostly their saviour, expelled Aron Gunnarsson with a dispassionate crack but, with only Julian Speroni to beat, his finish was tame.

Coventry did not secrete journey but menaced on the mangle and, five mins from time, surrogate David Bell played a one-two with Jonathan Stead and left Speroni stuck with a apt chip.

"Youve got to feel contemptible for them," offering Coleman. His old bar need to pattern fantasy and insurgency to the backdrop of hideously indeterminate times.