DOUGIE Freedman wants his Crystal Palace side to believe in themselves more after letting their one goal lead slip to the 10-men of Nottingham Forest last night.

 

The Eagles had taken the lead early in the second half when Kagisho Dikgacoi added to his goal from Friday night’s game at Charlton with a header from an Owen Garvan corner.

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But despite Adlene Guedioura's sending off just after the hour mark for kicking out at Palace captain Mile Jedinak, the home side were unable to defend their lead. Simon Cox was allowed time to turn on the edge of the area and substitute Dexter Blackstock was sent clean through before tucking a shot under Julian Speroni with 10 minutes to go. Freedman said: “We need a little bit more belief around the place. “There were certain feelings that Nottingham Forest were going to come here and win this game, that they have spent a certain about of money – well, that’s not the case.

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“I need everyone to believe in us a little bit more. “We are a good team and a strong team. “We can get better, of course we can, but tonight we showed our capabilities of how good we can be and maybe with one or two bits of quality at the top end, we would have won quite comfortably.” While Freedman was frustrated the Eagles allowed Forest back into the game, he was also delighted with his side's performance after the hosts outplayed the visitors from start to finish. “The performance was fantastic but the result was disappointing,” added Freedman. “We have played against a team who will be in the shake up by the end of the season and have given them a right good game. “We passed them off the pitch in the first half but you have to be focused for the whole 90 minutes and unfortunately we weren't.

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“We were a little bit naive when they went down to 10 men, we tried to attack them in the last 15 minutes and the game opened up but we just couldn't get that win.” Dikagoi, who is Palace's leading scorer with four goals this season, had to be taken to hospital when he suffered concussion shortly after his goal and Freedman admitted his absence in the final 20 minutes of the game was missed. The boss said: “The problem with KG is that he is a hugely influential player around the place and when he went off it did hurt us a bit. “I don't know whether he will be fit for Saturday.”

 

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