Plymouth Argyle v Crystal Palace 17/02/09

Welcome to this evening's game at Home Park between Crystal Palace and Plymouth Argyle, which has just been described by someone in the press box as a crunch game for both sides and I am inclined to agree with him.

Palace have had a 17-day break since succumbing to 10-man Blackpool at the end of last month, their fourth league defeat in a row and having had so long to train together.

For Plymouth Paul Sturrock has basically been told "win or you are out", no pressure then.

Palace boss Neil Warnock makes FIVE changes to that side that lost to Blackpool, though looks set to stick with his favoured 4-3-3 formation.

At the back Claude Davis makes his debut in central defence and Nathaniel Clyne is recalled to right back, with Lee Hills and Danny Butterfield dropping to the bench.

In midfield, the suspended Nick Carle is replaced by Neil Danns while up front Sean Scannell and Paul Ifill are recalled ahead of Shefki Kuqi and Victor Moses, who are both on the bench alongside Matt Lawrence.

There is no place in the 16 for Rui Fonte, Carl Fletcher or James Scowcroft.

Palace: Speroni, Clyne, J Fonte, Davis, Hill, Derry, Oster, Danns, Scannell, Ifill, Lee. Subs: Lawrence, Moses, Hills, Kuqi, Butterfield.

Plymouth Argyle: Larrieu, Duguid, Paterson, Timar, MacLean, Doumbe, Fallon, Sawyer, Cathcart, Judge, Mackie. Subs: Clark, Gallagher, Noone, Summerfield, Barnes.

As a side note tonight you should know that so high is the esteem that Plymouth hold for the Croydon Guardian and its local friends the Advertiser and South London Press, that we are sat in a row at the back of the grandstand with our laptops on our laps while all the bigwig boys from the nationals and radio get a nice warm seat in a box - still at least we got a Ginsters pie in the press room!

Out come the players and now we have people in the row infront of us who will no doubt like to stand up during the game. Sorry to be grumpy but after a five hour journey down here this is somewhat of a joke. Anyway, that's enough ranting for now at least...let's concentrate on the football.

1 min: So after 17 days Danns and Oster get Palace playing football again - no pre-match huddle this time.

2 min: Mackie beats Fonte all ends up in the corner and wins a free-kick that Judge swings in and Speroni tips away and Derry puts behind for a corner. Paterson delivers that and Timar gets a free header on it but it goes well wide.

7 min: Davis gets a strong tackle in at the back to deny MacLean after Plymouth again escaped down their left and Palace's right.

9 min: Looks a bit like it might be 4-4-2 from Palace you know with Ifill up with Lee and Oster and Scannell wide.

10 min: Palace win a free kick with their first real attack of the game but Oster's take is poor.

12 min: Davis puts in another timely challenge before MacLean goes right through Danns on the centre circle and escapes a booking.

16 min: Palace exposed as Plymouth break down their left again but the home side are too slow with their attack and Speroni gathers the cross unchallenged.

17 min: Palace go up the other end and win a corner but Oster's delivery only finds a Plymouth head again.

19 min: Chance for Palace as Lee's knock down finds Oster free in the box but after a bit of twisting and turning Sawyer blocks.

21 min: GOAL! Danns puts Palace ahead heading home Oster's cross at the back post. that should give Palace some confidence and special mention should go to Clyne too who, faced with two defenders simply flicked the ball passed them and then ran between them to get it.

24 min: An Oster corner leads to a scramble in the box with Davis inches away from getting a flying header on the ball and Derry also has a drive blocked. With Davis lying prone on the ground in the six-yard box Argyle break and manage to waste a 2-on-1 opportunity. Davis is up and walking around but looks very groggy having got a boot in the face.

27 min: Palace double their lead as Argyle fail to clear 18 yards out and Scannell fires against the post with Alan Lee tucking home the simplest of rebounds. Plymouth are furious about something - I'm not sure what.

30 min: The Eagles are in their stride now as Ifill has a shot blocked. The scoreline is probably a little harsh on Plymouth who have played a couple of neat bits of football.

37 min: Little action of note in the last few minutes. Plymouth have gone forward a couple of times but a good tackle from Fonte and some good pace from Davis clear the danger.

42 min: Fallon almost sets up Mackie but Davis gets back just enough to clear the danger.

43 min: GOAL! Unbelievable it's 3-0. Derry clears a corner from under his crossbar, Danns volleys it clear and Ifill breaks down the left, sees Oster in acres and acres of space on the right and sends over a loveley ball that the Welshman takes one touch to control and another to finish. Sublime.

44 min: Argyle should have one back as Duguid goes through but blasts over an pressure from Clyne.

HALF TIME: Boos ring out from the home fans but 3-0 is the stuff Palace fans were dreaming of earlier, though in truth it flatters them. The difference is they have made chances and finished them, something they haven't been doing since Christmas.

46 min: Back under way and Plymouth get straight into the Palacae box but Davis is in the right place at the right time again.

48 min: Lee does his best impression of a baby whose toys have been thrown out of his pram as the linesman gives him offside from Oster's throughball. To be fair he had a case.

50 min: A bit of trickery from Ifill frees up space for a shot but it's easy for Larrieu.

53 min: Plymouth win a free kick 20 yards out after Scannell is late on Paterson. MacLean takes an age to line it up before shooting it straight into the wall. He connects with the rebound well though but it's blocked by Fonte's arms as he dives. Argyle call for a penalty and they have a case but nothing given.

55 min: YELLOW CARD. There's a bit of handbags in the Palace box as Mackie dives in on Speroni and clatters him in the face. Davis then collides into Mackie and the Argyle players claim a stamp but it didn't look like it. Mackie is booked for his challenge.

58 min: Attendance: 10,710 (546 Palace)

60 min: SUB: MacLean off, Noone on.

64 min: DOUBLE SUB: Judge and Fallon off, Barnes and Gallagher on in what could be Paul Sturrock's last substitutions as Argyle manager.

67 min: GOAL! This makes things interesting. Danns makes a hash of dealing with a ball down the Palace left and lets Gallagher get past him and cross for Sawyer to lash home at the back post.

70 min: DOUBLE SUB: A rather dejected Alan Lee is replaced by Kuqi and Scannell goes off with Hills coming on.

73 min: Kuqi turns Doumbe on the edge of the box and Oster dinks it to the far post for Kuqi but it's cleared. Should have shot really.

75 min: Hill is penalised for holding Mackie out wide and Noone's delivery is headed just wide by Doumbe. Warning signs for Palace.

79 min: The home fans are right behind their side now as they win another free kick but Noone's delivery is poor.

80 min: SUB: Oster, whose kit is still perfectly white, is replaced by Butterfield as Palace go defensive.

82 min: Palace survive two penalty appeals, both against Fonte, which are correctly waved away but the Eagles are living dangerously as Clyne gives away a free kick 20 yards out.

82 min: Gallagher's kick hits the wall.

86 min: Another free kick to Plymouth and this time Barnes heads it straight at Speroni.

90 min: Good claim from Speroni as he collects Noone's corner. Four minutes added on.

94 min: Ifill crosses to Kuqi but with the goal gaping the Finn misses his kick! That's the Shefki we know and love.

FULL TIME: That's exactly what Palace needed. They were made to work for it second half but didi the business before the break. Davis is my man of the match for an impeccable display at the back. If his head didn't get to the ball then his foot did. Next up Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday, see you then.