Palace let leads slip to draw

February 26 2011

Darren Ambrose

Crystal Palace twice threw away leads to draw 3-3 in a thriller at home to Reading.

Darren Ambrose gave them the perfect start with a goal after just 39 seconds when he came in from the right, marched past Ivar Ingimarsson and fired a left-foot curler beyond keeper Alex McCarthy.

McCarthy then scooped Neil Dann's effort from under the crossbar with Palace claiming the ball had gone over the line, then Ambrose hit Steffen Iversen's cross off target.

Noel Hunt somehow missed his kick with the goal at his mercy two yards out after Julian Speroni had spilled Jay Tabb's effort.

Palace doubled their lead on 25 minutes when James Vaughan dispossessed Ivar Ingimarsson and centred for Danns to score.

Five minutes later, Paddy McCarthy was adjudged to have fouled Shane Long in the penalty area and Long converted the spot kick to peg it back at 2-1.

Palace were award a penalty themselves four minutes afterwards as Royals keeper McCarthy tripped Iversen in the box. However, the usually reliable Ambrose saw his kick saved by the keeper.

Reading were back on terms five minutes into the second period as Jimmy Kebe smashed Long's pass into the back of the net for 2-2.

Palace boss Dougie Freedman brought on striker Jermaine Easter and he put the Eagles 3-2 up with a volley from Dean Moxey's cut-back.

But with 17 minutes left Hunt nodded Jobi McAnuff's cross past Speroni at the far post to deny the hosts all three points.

Palace: Speroni, Clyne, McCarthy, Gardner, Moxey, Dikgacoi, Danns (Zaha 85), Wright, Iversen (Scannell 70), Vaughan (Easter 63), Ambrose.

Not Used: Price, Davis, Garvan, Counago.

Reading: McCarthy, Cummings (Karacan 83), Mills,Ingimarsson (Khizanishvili 68), Harte, Kebe, Leigertwood, Tabb,McAnuff, Long, Hunt.

Not Used: Andersen, Antonio, Church, Robson-Kanu, Howard.

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