Palace went into the match at West Ham off the back of a fine performance against Arsenal. A 2-1 defeat was harsh on the Eagles that day, whose performance was inspired by a switch to central midfield for Jason Puncheon.
Palace kept with that change for this game as Puncheon lined up in midfield with the returning Mile Jedinak and new signing Jordan Mutch – Joe Ledley and James McArthur on the bench. In defence another new signing, Pape Souare, made way for the returning Martin Kelly. Souare is still adjusting to the division and Kelly offering extra height might also have been a factor.
Injury to Fraizer Campbell and a good performance off the bench against Arsenal meant that Glenn Murray made a rare start. With Bolasie and Zaha on the wings, the hope was that the service would be there for the expert goalscorer to have an impact – and so it was to prove, albeit the goals coming from a different supplier. West Ham made no changes to the side which had played so well against Spurs, conceding in the last minute to draw the game. Expectation was high amongst the home support, as it always is, that three points were on the cards.
The Hammers had the earliest chance in the game, with skipper Mark Noble, fresh from signing a new five year deal, whipping in a free kick from a wide area that looked like it might head straight in before Glenn Murray made a headed intervention. It was Palace’s turn to threaten next as a corner to the back post was met by Scott Dann. Dann’s header looped up but landed harnlessley on the roof of the net.
Those early exchanges set the tone for the opening 20 minutes or so – scrappy play with neither side really settling but West Ham probably shading it in terms of possession and intent. Indeed it was the Hammers who had the chances in this spell, First Aaron Cresswell picked up on a loose Puncheon pass and hit what was either an appalling cross or a fantastic shot that dipped just over the Palace goal with Julian Speroni scrambling to get across to it. Then Mark Noble rocked the Palace crossbar with a direct free-kick from just outside the area – this time Speroni got across but appeared to believe it was heading comfortably over before a last moment dip saw it hit the bar and bounce up and over.
Palace started to come into the game a little later in the half. Glenn Murray had made a couple of late challenges and had seen a yellow card waved in his direction for volleying the knee of Kouyate. The challenges were not malicious, perhaps a little over-enthusiastic, but this effort and enthusiasm earned the Eagles the chance to start getting the midfield forward – with Puncheon in particular getting closer to Murray.
The improved cohesion in the midfield had a positive effect on chance creation – Murray was sent clear on the right of the box by Puncheon and only a shove by Winston Reid at the point of shooting prevented him from getting a shot on target.
Palace’s attacking intent did allow West Ham more space to get forward for chances of their own. Sakho had a deflected shot loop over the bar before a back post header from Valencia went wide. In the build up to the second of chose chances, Mile Jedinak appeared to catch Kouyate with a stray arm – something worth bearing in mind for later…
Up the other end, another late Murray challenge led to the frontman receiving a final warning from referee Mike Dean when it could have been game over for him. Whilst not all challenges are yellow cards, the tone had been set in the game and Murray was certainly walking a tightrope.
Puncheon and Murray combined once more just on the half hour mark, this time on the left side of the box, and Murray got away a decent shot on target, saved by legs of Adrian in the West Ham goal. The threat was increasing from the Eagles and Murray was causing all sorts of problems with his movement and hard work.
This was briefly disrupted as Jordan Mutch, who had been linking play well and looking sharp, was withdrawn with a thigh/hamstring strain. James McArthur slotted into the midfield and Palace continued to grow into the game as an attacking force. Soon after, a corner in from Puncheon was poorly cleared and found its way back into the box to Delaney at the near post. He drove the ball towards goal and a deflection looped it to the back post where Murray went to ground under pressure from Reid. Murray made no claim for a penalty and none was given – with Reid reacting angrily to a perceived dive under minimal contact.
As the applause rang out in the ground for the launch of the DT38 foundation, launched in memory of West Ham’s Dylan Tombides who tragically lost his battle with testicular cancer last year, Palace were on the attack again with Murray trying to slot a strike through the legs of Adrian who managed to keep the ball out of the net. It was only a temporary reprieve as Palace increased their dominance in the match as half time approached. A Jason Puncheon corner found Glenn Murray in the centre of the area and his downward header was sliced into his own net by Cresswell. Murray will claim the goal as the header was on target, but certainly an element of fortune about how the ball ended up in the net.
Certainly a patchy half, but Palace were good value for the lead for the way they got a grip on the game after a scrappy opening. Alan Pardew later revealed he warned his side at half time that they needed to improve – and improve they did.
Pressing straight from the start of the half, Yannick Bolasie was first to open fire, picking out the face of Winston Reid with a ferocious shot, albeit after being given offside. Shortly after further Palace pressure ended with a corner – Puncheon’s first ball in cleared under pressure from Dann for a second corner. This time it found Dann at the back post climbing above Reid and heading into into the net via the head of the unfortunate Hammers CB. A fitting goal for Dann whose performance in both boxes and in general as a Palace player has been top class. Chairman Steve Parish recently put Dann in his all time best Palace XI and the former Blackburn and Birmingham man must surely get International recognition soon.
At 2-0 West Ham looked a beaten side and more pressure from Palace followed. Mile Jedinak fired a long range free kick just wide before Glenn Murray cleverly won a free kick 30 yards out. Puncheon was once again the provider as he curled in the ball perfectly for Murray to dive-header the ball home for 3-0. Palace were rampant, in spite of brief moment of West Ham threat where new signing Nene struck the post from range, and it really did look like a case of “how many?” – but soon Murray’s enthusiasm got the better of him once more.
A ball into the box from Bolasie evaded Reid and struck Murray, bouncing away. On the follow-up Reid cleared as Murray stretched across him, connecting half a second late with the West Ham defender. Reid fell to the ground as if shot and Murray knew what was coming. As a striker he was unable to resist the challenge and the second yellow had him sent off moments before he was due to be replaced by Shola Ameobi.
Ameobi did come on, replacing Wilfried Zaha, to try and hold the ball upfield but the impetus was handed to West Ham to attack and they duly obliged. A spell of pressure ensued before Carl Jenkinson played the ball to Downing, who played in Valencia to smash home a shot from the edge of the area. Julian Speroni getting a full hand to the shot but unable to divert it wide enough to keep it out of the net.
Palace brought on Joe Ledley for Bolasie to resist the inevitable surge from the home team and, despite Speroni having to be at his best to keep out both Jenkinson (from close range) and Valencia (with a superb 30 yard strike matched only by the save) Palace hung on to see the game out as 3-1 winners. Alan Pardew’s 5th away win out of 5 – if Palace can match home form to the kind of away form seen this season, then relegation would look a ridiculous concept.
The game’s other talking point came as Palace were under the cosh. Having already connected with his arm to the face of Kouyate earlier in the game, skipper Mile Jedinak was the centre of attention for the same offence in the closing stages. Appearing to glance past Kouyate once more in midfield with his arms high, he then ran on to clear the ball from the feet of Sahko. In doing so, Jedinaks arm came out and moved towards the head of the West Ham striker quite clearly, connecting and knocking him to the ground. Despite it being where the referee was looking, he saw no offence at the time.
The slow motion TV pictures however showed a different story and Jedinak has now been given, and accepted, a four match ban. Palace fans will point to unpunished incidents against the side this season – indeed Kouyate’s 2 footed lunge at Delaney should have been a straight red card – but in all honesty it was a bad one from Jedinak and the punishment fits the crime. Viewed at full speed, as it should be, the offence is far less severe than has been made out but definitely one to move on from.
