Derry delighted with new responsibility

9:46am Monday 11th August 2008

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NEW Eagles skipper Shaun Derry admitted the opening game of the new Championship season game "wasn't for the faint hearted".

After the 0-0 stalemate at home to Watford, the midfielder said: "It was an important factor both teams got off to a start as in points. It was a fair result in the end.

"They would say they perhaps shaded it over possession but we had more clear cut chances."

He added: "We've been waiting for this for a couple of weeks and knew Watford would be a hard game.

"To lead the side out was a very proud moment.

"There are a few more responsibilities on my shoulders and I've got to work my way into the role.

"I thoroughly enjoyed it out there, it was my kind of game."

Derry predicted the Championship will be wide open this season and spoke about Palace's chances of promotion.

He said: "Anyone can beat anyone. Who would have thought Doncaster could beat Derby?

"It's going to be a real hard season "Getting automatic promotion will be very hard. We've lost a couple of players in the close season and are one or two strikers light at the minute."

Derry was booked during a melee after Lee Williamson's challenge on Matt Lawrence sparked the second half into life.

He said: "I enjoyed it. It got everyone back on their toes again although I was disappointed in getting booked.

"I raised my hands but everyone was raising their hands out there. It's one of those things.

"It highlights it was a real no holds barred London derby."

Speaking about the fracas, Palace manager Neil Warnock said: "It was a horrible tackle by Williamson, but I didn't see much else in it.

"I think Derry got booked out of sympathy."

Warnock added the game saw "two professional sides who cancelled each other out".

He said: "We looked more likely to score in the first half but they had more of the possession.

"It's up to us to open them up. "I didn't think we had enough guile in midfield but they swamped it with five men in there so there wasn't much room."

Teenage wingers Sean Scannell and Victor Moses struggled to make an impact.

Warnock said: "It was difficult for the two 17-year-olds. They want to impress but when you're playing against experienced players, they've got to learn where to go not where they want them to go.

At 17, there's loads of room for improvement."

He added: "First games are horrible. You want the competitiveness, you want to play lovely football and win four or five."

Warnock also agreed with Derry that the division is wide open this year.

He said: "I think there are 16 teams thinking about the play-offs and eight teams thinking about the Championship."

Following the departure of Clinton Morrison to Coventry, Palace are short of options up front, but Warnock hinted there could be some new faces at Selhurst Park before the end of the transfer window this month.

He said: "We obviously need a striker or two and we're going to try and work on that."