August 7 2016

Puncheon and Jedinak get stuck in while Zaha looks on

The weather was positively Mediterranean for the pre-season match against Valencia. Jamesey was delighted with a 3-1 victory.

Walking from Fort Neef station to the ground for the first time since last spring, one of the first things I noticed was that another landmark had gone.

The Thomas Farley pub on the High Street has joined the long list of drinking casualties in the district and was all boarded up, presumably to become another block of flats.

It was never going to be Pub of the Year but, like the Selhurst Arms and the White Horse before it, it is no longer a haven for Palace supporters to sup before and after games. RIP the Thomas Farley.

Anyhow it was certainly an inspired choice by CPFC 2010 to persuade a famous club like Valencia to travel for the only pre-season friendly on home ground.

The match attracted nearly 14,000 souls to Selhurst, a very healthy crowd for a non-league fixture and quite a few of the them were wearing the red and gold colours of Los Che (as the club is known to Spaniards).

The hot weather certainly suited the visitors although it must have been quite a culture shock for players, used to the superb Mestalla stadium with 55,000 capacity, to run out into the more humble confines of Selhurst Park.

The home team line-up was strong and was led by Scott Dann who is now official club captain although Mile Jedinak is now a non-commissioned midfielder.

This supporter, who was disappointed by a distinctly mediocre display at Fulham last week, was more than a little concerned at how we would fare against some really top-class opposition.

However, worries were soon dispelled as the Eagles gave as good as they got and after only 10 minutes a Pape Souare cross was hooked in by Connor Wickham who was looking every inch a top drawer striker (please, O Gods of Football, don't let him get crocked again).

But Los Che aren't known as one of the best sides in a country where football is almost a religion - especially in Madrid and Barcelona - for nothing.

Valencia were playing some very pretty and constructive stuff and, like all the top Continental teams, kept the ball well when it was carelessly given away.

One of the worst culprits in that area, Wilfried Zaha, redeemed himself to an extent by drawing a foul and getting a penalty in the 18th minute. Wickham's spot-kick was saved but he bundled in the rebound.

The second period brought the happy Palace supporters another goal when Jedi scored - from the penalty spot again, beating fellow Aussie Mathew Ryan. The Palace were 3-0 up against a top European team. You couldn't complain about that.

The customary batch of substitutions were made and the Eagles never looked like seriously being troubled.

Los Che were gifted a consolation goal late on when a Dann deflection eluded Julian Speroni.

It was worth every penny of my fiver concessionary ticket just to see Nani run onto the Selhurst turf. It's not that often the stadium is graced by a current Euro Cup gold medallist.

All in all Palace were looking in good shape for the Baggies visit next Saturday although one of our key men, Yannick Bolasie, looked lacklustre, as he had against Fulham at Craven Cottage.

Let's hope the threatened five-day rail strike doesn't mess up too many travel plans for the opening game next Saturday.

Email Jamesey with your comments to jevans3704@aol.com

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