April 14 2003

Trevor Francis

Trevor Francis was delighted with Palace's clinical finishing in the 4-1 away defeat of Grimsby Town.

He said: "We didn't let it turn into a battle as we were so clinical with our finishing that we put ourselves in a very commanding position.

"Goals change games and this one was no different, we got into a very good position at half time thanks to the fact that we took our chances.

"I made five changes to the team and also played a different system in 4-4-2. We worked on this at the training ground on Friday with particular emphasis on getting Wayne Routledge into the match as much as possible.

"We managed this and he proved a constant threat to them as the stats show. He scored the first and made another in a very good individual performance in the first half although in the second he was called upon to defend more, as the team were as a group.

"If they had scored a second it would have become concerning, but Freedman produced a super strike, after missing a couple, to tie the game up."