Beattie sinks the Addicks

9:54pm Tuesday 30th September 2008

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Crystal Palace 1-0 Charlton

A 63RD minute winner from on-loan striker Craig Beattie earned Crystal Palace the derby bragging rights over bitter rivals Charlton at Selhurst Park.

Beattie's decisive header sent Alan Pardew to his first managerial defeat in this fixture and handed Neil Warnock a massive boost after a disappointing start to the campaign in SE25.

Crystal Palace started brightly and Paul Ifill powered in a shot from 20 yards on four minutes which took a crucial deflection off the head of Nicky Bailey before going behind for a corner.

Paddy McCarthy was fortunate not to pick up the first yellow card of the game in the 20th minute for a clumsy looking lunge on former Charlton team mate Darren Ambrose.

The two sides were cancelling each other out as the game descended into stalemate, but Victor Moses came close to livening things up with a 29th minute drive which just sailed inches wide of Nicky Weaver's post.

Danny Butterfield played in Ifill three minutes later and Weaver did well to push his low shot behind.

From the resulting Ben Watson corner, Beattie rose high and saw his header hit the crossbar and rebound back into the six-yard box but the danger was cleared.

Hameur Bouazza was the first Addicks player to test Julian Speroni on 37 minutes when the winger broke into the area and unleashed a shot which the Eagles keeper did well to palm away.

Kelly Youga tried his luck with a long range effort from 30 yards within the 60 seconds of the restart.

Almost immediately at the other end, Nick Carle shot's was saved by Weaver and Ifill blazed the rebound wide with the goal at his mercy.

Bouazza attempted an ambitious 50th minute volley from outside the area which failed to trouble Speroni.

Two minutes later, Ifill flicked the ball down and dragged a clever shot agonisingly wide as the Eagles continued to look the side most likely to break the deadlock.

The inevitable did happen on 63 minutes when Beattie met Watson's cross from the right and the on-loan striker headed across goal and beyond Weaver.

Matt Holland saw a tame header go straight into the palms of Speroni three minutes later as the visitors went in search of an equaliser.

Pardew introduced Zheng Zhi, Andy Gray and Svetoslav Todorov in a desperate bid to turn things around, dragging off Ambrose, Holand and the anonymous Lloyd Sam.

However, it was Palace who should have added a second when Jose Fonte headed against the bar on 72 minutes and Ifill blazed the rebound off target again for the second time.

Charlton never really looked like getting something from the game on a disappointing night for the Addicks and their large travelling contingent of fans.

Palace fans were only too happy to revel in the victory on the final whistle and any talk of an early season crisis in SE25 will be quickly forgotten after this result.

The best team definitely won on the night.

Crystal Palace: Speroni, Butterfield, McCarthy, Fonte, Hill, Ifill, Watson, Carle (Fletcher 82), Derry, Moses, Beattie (Kuqi 82). Subs not used: Lawrence, Scannell, Oster.

Charlton: Weaver, Cranie, Primus, Hudson, Youga, Sam (Todorov 70), Ambrose (Zhi 70), Holland (Gray 70), Bailey, Bouazza, Varney. Subs not used: Elliot, Semedo. Att: 16,358.

News Shopper verdict: Crystal Palace thoroughly deserved the three points on an abject night for the Addicks, who delivered their worst display since April's lame defeat at QPR.

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