QPR's Result at Crystal Palace - Additional Match Reports

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TOP SIX
Watford 16 36
Charlton 16 28
West Brom 15 27
Bristol City 16 27
Wolverhampton 16 26
Ipswich 15 25

BOTTOM SIX
Blackpool 15 16
Cardiff 15 15
Preston 16 15
QPR 15 15
Crystal Palace 16 14
Norwich 16 9
Complete Table

OBSERVER - Jason Thomas
"...One interesting aspect of the season has been the influence of on-loan wingers on Football League teams. Watford's Adam Johnson, the scorer of their first goal against Colchester, has been in impressive form since his temporary move from Middlesbrough. Others who caught the eye in the Championship yesterday were Plymouth's Lee Martin (Manchester United) and Queens Park Rangers' Scott Sinclair (Chelsea...The 18-year-old Sinclair, who joined QPR last week, capitalised on poor defending to put them ahead against Crystal Palace. Rangers, though, conceded a late Clinton Morrison, the 100th of Morrison's Palace career and his first since mid-August. This was followed by one of the most glaring goal misses of the day, by Palace substitute Dougie Freedman, which left them still sharing with Cardiff the unenviable distinction of having the fewest number of home wins (one) in the Championship. Observer

Independent -Crystal Palace 1 QPR 1: Morrison reaches century to rescue Palace - By Mike Rowbottom at Selhurst Park

Palace's new manager, Neil Warnock, had spoken before this derby of his desperation to earn a win after five matches in charge, claiming he was "bored of draws". But he was hardly complaining of ennui yesterday after seeing Clinton Morrison score his 100th goal for the club two minutes from time to rescue a point.

Until Morrison glanced home a free-kick from the 15-year-old substitute John Bostock – who had become Palace's youngest ever first-team player a week earlier – QPR appeared to have done enough to win despite missing three clear chances to put the result beyond doubt in the second half.
Three smart interventions from Palace's keeper, Julian Speroni, however, kept the home side in contention, and after Morrison had celebrated his landmark goal by running all the way back to the other end of the ground, the home team might even have earned an unlikely victory with a chance that fell in the 93rd minute to the substitute Doug Freedman, but the veteran pulled his shot wide from 12 yards out.
Warnock said he had let rip at half-time after his team fell behind a minute before the interval when Scott Sinclair, who arrived on loan from Chelsea on Tuesday, was allowed to head home a cross by Akos Buzsaky.
"I said one or two things at half-time, so now they know what I'm like," he said with a grin. "We weren't getting into their faces enough. In the short term we've got to get some points and move up the table. In the long term some things are going to have to change. It's frustrating, but it's something to get your teeth into. I was pleased for our fans today. At the end you'd have thought we'd won the World Cup."
Warnock's counterpart, Luigi Di Canio, also appointed last month, accepted that his men had missed their chance to earn a victory that would have lifted them out of the relegation area. As it is, they are still there, just one place above Palace.
If Morrison – who had claims for a first-half penalty waved away by the referee – filledcentre stage for Palace, Speroni deserved joint billing after stifling successive breakaways from Adam Bolder, Sinclair and Rowan Vine.
"This game was a good signal for the future," Di Canio said. "Hopefully we won't face such good goalkeepers in future." Independent

SUNDAY MIRROR Football: Warnock's blast wakes up Palace - Mike Allen
Palace players now know the real Neil Warnock after somehow salvaging a point against fellow strugglers QPR.
Clinton Morrison snatched late equaliser with his 100th goal for the club, but Warnock delivered a withering half-time attack on his team after they had fallen behind to Scott Sinclair's debut goal for Rangers. QPR should have been out of sight long before Morrison struck, but keeper Julian Speroni single-handedly kept Palace in the game.
Warnock, still looking for his first win after six matches in charge, said: "I'm frustrated. That little bit of desire was missing in the first half and they know what I'm like.
"It is going to be a bit by the fingernails for now, but the spirit was good in the second half.
You'd have thought we'd won the World Cup judging by the fans at the end, not taken a point off QPR at home.
"Getting up the table is the short-term aim, but whether it's with this squad I'm not sure."
Warnock gave Ryan Hall, 18, his debut at the break and sent on 15-year-old sensation John Bostock soon after.
They could be the key to Warnock's rebuilding, and with Bostock, especially, drawing admiring glances from the big clubs the new boss may cash in.
Luigi De Canio, meanwhile, is fast establishing his way of doing things at Rangers. The arrival on loan of Chelsea's Scott Sinclair has added pace and skill to a team who have a new belief.
Only their flawed finishing and great goalkeeping by Speroni denied them and De Canio said: "Their keeper was special.
Sinclair hasn't been with us long, but he's an exceptional boy."
The young striker knows what it takes in the Championship, having spent last season on loan at Plymouth, and he glanced home a header on the stroke of half-time from Akos Buzsaky's cross.
With Warnock's rage ringing in their ears Palace should have equalised soon after the break, but Martin Rowlands cleared Paul Ifill's header off the line.
Adam Bolder had a great chance to stretch Rangers lead, was denied by Speroni, and within 60 seconds Sinclair burst through in the same manner and suffered a similar fate.
Speroni then denied Rowan Vine and Rangers were made to pay when Morrison headed home Mark Kennedy's free-kick.
HOW THEY RATED
CRYSTAL PALACE
Speroni 8; Lawrence 6, Fonte 6, Hudson 6, Hill 6, Songo'o 6 (Hall 6), Soares 6 (Freedman 6), Watson 6 (Bostock 6), Kennedy 6, Morrison 7, Ifill 5.
Manager N Warnock 6
Qpr Camp 6; Mancienne 6, Stewart 6, Timoska 6, Barker 6, Rowlands 6 (Ainsworth 6), Buzsaky 7, Bolder 6 (Rehman 6), Leigertwood 6, Sinclair 8, Vine 7 (Sahar 6).
Manager De Canio 8
Referee P Walton 7
MAN OF THE MATCH JULIAN SPERONI Vital saves allowed Palace a way back. Sunday Mirror


SUNDAY PEOPLE - Dave LEWIS
NEIL WARNOCK has masterminded six promotions during his 21-year managerial career but he won't be popping the champagne corks this season - unless it's to celebrate Palace staying up.

The Eagles were anything but effervescent against an improving Rangers side, fast being fashioned into a smooth-passing, crisp-tackling unit by their new Italian manager Luigi de Canio.
But de Canio was left aghast as Palace pilfered an 87th-minute leveller through Clinton Morrison just when it looked as though Scott Sinclair's glancing header on the stroke of half-time would do the job.
The 18-year-old, on loan from Chelsea, ghosted on to a cross from Hungarian international Akos Buzsaky to leave keeper Julian Speroni helpless.
And de Canio's men should have closed out the game long before Morrison rose to head his 100th Palace goal from 15-year-old sub John Bostock's free-kick.
Palace could even have gone on to nick it with substitute Dougie Freedman squandering an injury-time gift.
Warnock was as fiery and feisty as ever at the age of 59, stalking the technical area berating officials and pumping up his players. And despite Palace's plight, he was typically bullish afterwards.

Refused

"The goal we conceded was Sunday morning football stuff and I had a few words with a few people at halftime, so at least they know what I'm like now," he declared.

"Yes, our keeper made some great saves but we also had opportunities.

It's bite your fingernails stuff at the moment but I back myself to get this club out of trouble.

"People have to understand what I want, but if they can't do it or won't do it then we'll make changes."

De Canio, talking through an interpreter, refused to castigate his side. "Yes, we had opportunities but I have to salute the Palace keeper," he said. "He was spectacular. We have dropped two points, yes, but we are still moving in the right direction away from the wrong end of the table.

Hopefully, we won't come up against as many great goalkeepers as this."

Morrison had an effort ruled out three minutes after the break for offside - just seconds after Martin Rowlands had headed Paul Ifill's scuffed shot off the Rangers line.

"I was just pleased to get the monkey off my back, now I want to kick on and get 150 goals," he said.

"Althoughwe're in a bad position, I still think we can finish in the top six. We've got the right manager to motivate us, so let's see."

De Canio's men should have killed the game on the hour when Rowlands and then Sinclair were denied by stunning stops from Speroni. And it got worse, Rowan Vine spurning another sitter.

Despite the euphoria which greeted Morrison's rescue act, Palace remain manacled in the bottom three and still searching for the first win in six games under Warnock.

"It's frustrating right now," added Warnock. "But I'm optimistic about the long term although there are some people out there who would love to see me fall flat on my face.

"The fans know the club is in good hands, and I want to repay their faith." People

CRYSTAL PALACE - WARNOCK's PERSPECTIVE
We get the views of Neil Warnock as we go into the international break.

There is never a good time to concede a goal but just before half time against QPR meant that the players saw a different side to their new boss at the break.

"I was disappointed with their goal - we should have stopped the cross, The desire was missing a little bit, so I had to have a few words for the first time - now they know what I'm like.

"The spirit in the second half was good, and Julian Speroni made some good saves when we were a little bit desperate but you'd have thought we'd won the World Cup at the end when you saw the crowd's reaction. We kept going and Paul Ifill's chance just before half time and Dougie Freedman's at the end were probably two of the best chances you are going to get".

The late goal not only saw us take a share of the points but also saw Clinton Morrison score his 100th Palace goal in the red and blue and the boss was pleased with the Tooting born striker.

" I gave Clinton his first start today and he deserved his goal, and I thought he played well for us".

Neil Warnock is aware of what is needed short term but is also looking at the big picture.

"In the short term, we need points and we need to climb the table - and I know we can do that. It's frustrating, but you have to look further ahead. In the long term, I'm quite optimistic. I am aware of what I need but getting it is a different thing but I am going to try and improve the squad but we must all remain positive. I have a feeling of frustration at the moment but I must say that I am really pleased with the way the fans have responded to what I am trying to do but it's a great challenge.

"I don't think the fans are panicking at where we are at the moment but I will assess the situation after a few months in charge and I will be surprised and disappointed if we are where we are now". Crystal Palace

MAIL
Warnock's rocket stirs late Palace comeback
By MALCOLM BROWN - More by this author »

Last updated at 09:50am on 11th November 2007

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Neil Warnock revealed that he had given his Crystal Palace players the first taste of his temper after Clinton Morrison rescued a late point with his 100th goal for the club.


Before Morrison headed home Mark Kennedy's free-kick two minutes from time, Scott Sinclair's flicked header looked to have given QPR all three points at Selhurst Park.


A win for the visitors would have been enough to lift them clear of the relegation zone and leave Warnock's men in deep trouble.


And the Palace boss claimed his half-time tirade had made all the difference.

"We were lacking desire in the first half and I had to say some strong words," said Warnock, whose side sit second from bottom in the Championship, one point and one place behind Rangers, having gone nine games without a win.

"I guess at least some of the players know what I'm like now, but the first half was unacceptable - particularly the way the goal went in - and I was frustrated, though I'm optimistic long term."

In truth, a point was more than Palace deserved after they were outplayed for long periods, with Sinclair catching the eye only two games into his six-week loan deal from Chelsea.

And QPR's new boss, Italian Luigi de Canio, preferred to concentrate on the performance of Sinclair rather than the concession of another late goal - Coventry had struck in injury-time to seal a 2-1 win on Tuesday.

"He has integrated very, very well considering the time he has had with us," said De Canio of Sinclair, who is expected to feature heavily under Avram Grant when Chelsea lose stars to the African Nations Cup in January.

"It has only been a few days, he has played two games close together and hasn't done much training, so I am very pleased."

Both managers made two changes to their sides from midweek and it was the visitors, who have lost one in seven, who started the brighter, with Rowan Vine ably supported up front by Hungarian Akos Buzsaky.

It didn't take long, though, before the game descended into a gritty midfield battle as Palace's 4-4-2 formation quickly became 4-5-1, limiting space in an already crowded midfield.

But with the half drawing to a dreary conclusion, QPR took the lead as Sinclair showed the finishing skills that have seen him touted as a future regular for both Chelsea and England.

Buzsaky was the instigator, collecting a half-cleared corner and creating a yard of space with a clever feint before whipping the ball in for Sinclair to get ahead of his marker and flick a header into the far corner.

It was just reward for Rangers' endeavour, but Warnock's rocket instilled a new sense of purpose, with only Martin Rowlands' desperate goalline clearance preventing Paul Ifill from equalising after Ben Watson had headed a corner back into the danger zone.

Adam Bolder, Sinclair and Vine all had chances to put the game beyond Palace as Julian Speroni made a trio of superb saves that later drew praise from a frustrated De Canio.

But as the game slipped away Morrison salvaged a point that was barely deserved, and there was still time for Dougie Freedman to fire wide when he should have grabbed Palace what would have been an unjust victory. Mail


See Also:
De Canio's Post Match Comments
Additional QPR-Palace Match Reports