Palace Trot through

January 17 2017

Christian Benteke

Crystal Palace secured a 2-1 third-round replay victory at home to Bolton Wanderers.

A second-half brace from substitute Christian Benteke spared Palace's blushes as they came from behind to win against their League One opponents.

Sam Allardyce will be delighted to have claimed his first win as Eagles manager and his side host Manchester City in the fourth round.

Allardyce selected just four players from Saturday's 3-0 defeat at West Ham and the squad players did little to impress the watching boss in the opening period.

Josh Vela fired wide of the goal for the Trotters in a lacklustre first half, while Palace responded with a free-kick from Sullay Kaikai – who was making his first start for the club.

Joe Ledley then handled Kaikai's cross into the net and Martin Kelly's header was saved by Ben Alnwick.

The away team shocked Palace by going in front three minutes into the second half when James Henry curled beyond Julian Speroni and into the top-right corner.

Allardyce made a triple substition on 62 minutes, taking off Damien Delaney, Ledley and Loic Remy with James Tomkins, Jason Puncheon and Benteke coming on.

Six minutes later, Mathieu Flamini's right-side cross found Benteke and the Belgian nodded home the equalising goal.

And 13 minutes from time, Benteke scored what proved to be the winner by converting Andros Townsend's left-wing cross.

Palace: Speroni, Ward, Kelly, Delaney (Tomkins 62), Fryers, Lee, Flamini, Ledley (Puncheon 62), Townsend, Kaikai, Remy (Benteke 62).

Not used: Hennessey, Phillips, Cabaye, Husin.

Bolton: Alnwick, Wilson, Wheater, Beevers, A. Taylor, Thorpe, Spearing, Henry (C. Taylor 88), Vela, Clough (Clayton 88), Madine (Proctor 77).

Not used: Turner, Moxey, Derik, Trotter.