December 20 2008

Nick Carle

Nick Carle's stoppage time goal rescued a 2-2 draw for Crystal Palace at Sheffield United.

The Eagles looked to be heading back to London without any points after James Beattie put United 2-1 up in the 88th minute from the penalty spot.

Paddy McCarthy had earlier cancelled out Nathan Dyer's opener then Beattie looked like he had won it before Carle volleyed home to earn a well deserved point at Bramall Lane.

In a keenly-contested first 45 minutes of few clear-cut chances, Beattie tried his luck with a 35 yard free-kick that warmed the hands of Julian Speroni and Carle flashed a shot off target.

But the Blades went in at the break a goal to the good after a defensive blunder from Palace centre-back Jose Fonte on 41 minutes.

The former Benfica player tried to glance a header back to Speroni but nodded it into the path of Dyer who nipped inbetween two Palace defenders to blast a powerful shot into the bottom corner.

But Neil Warnock, back at his former club, was thrilled to see Palace equalise just two minutes into the second half. United failed to clear Carle's corner on the right and McCarthy smashed a left-foot volley past Paddy Kenny from eight yards.

Danny Webber put a header into the side netting and Speroni bravely dived at the feet of Ugo Ehiogu to save a cross at the second attempt.

Palace missed a golden chance to go in front after John Oster's free-kick was charged down and as Shaun Derry blasted the rebound onto the bar via Kenny's finger-tips, McCarthy somehow blazed wide in front of an open goal.

With three minutes left, the Irish defender was controversially deemed to have pushed Beattie in the penalty area and Beattie put away the spot-kick for 2-1.

The game looked over for Palace who desperately searched for an equaliser deep into injury time. Then in the 95th minute, Shaun Derry's ball into the box was only half cleared and Carle steered a powerful volley into the bottom corner from 18 yards.

Sheff Utd: Kenny, Morgan, Kilgallon, Ehiogu, Naughton, Montgomery, Howard (Halford 90), Quinn, Dyer (Stokes 72), Beattie, Webber (Cotterill 77).

Not Used: Bennett, Sharp.

Palace: Speroni, Clyne, Fonte, McCarthy, Hill, Oster (Butterfield 79), Derry, Carle, Ifill (Moses 56), Kuqi (Lee 46), Scannell.

Not Used: Lawrence, Griffit.

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