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December 3 2024 5.24pm

Blackpool 1 - 2 Palace

Sat Jan 4 2003 - FA Cup

Crystal Palace booked a place in the FA Cup fourth round thanks to another Tommy Black brace to set the Eagles up for a 2-1 win at Blackpool.

The in-form striker bagged his ninth goal in as many games, but Blackpool gave Palace an early scare in the tenth minute.

Match Stats

Ground: Bloomfield Road (Attendance: 9062)

Blackpool: Barnes, Richardson, Grayson, Chris Clarke (O'Kane, 58), Coid (Bullock, 74), Thornley (Collins, 58), Wellens, Southern, Hills, Murphy, Walker

Subs not used: Taylor, Dalglish

Booking: Murphy

Goal: Popovic 10 (og)

Palace: Kolinko (Berthelin, 76), Symons, Mullins, Popovic, Butterfield, Granville (Akinbiyi, 45), Derry, Riihilahti, Gray, Adebola (Borrowdale, 78), Black

Subs not used: Routledge, Antwi

Bookings: Black, Derry

Goals: Black 56, Black 64

Referee: C Webster (Shotley Bridge)

They took the lead when Tony Popovic put the ball into his own net as he was put under pressure trying to clear away a corner.

Three minutes beforehand, Alex Kolinko had to tip away a 25-yard crack from Pool's Richard Walker which was heading for the top corner.

Black wasted a chance from six yards out and Danny Butterfield nearly equalised with a shot just wide of the goal.

For the second half, Trevor Francis opted for a more attacking formation by bringing on Ade Akinbiyi for Danny Granville and Akinbiyi fired wide seven minutes in.

In the 56th minute, Palace got the breakthrough they deserved after second half pressure. Butterfield's deep cross was headed home by Black at the far post.

In the 64th minute, Black fired home again from the penalty spot after his initial attampt was saved by the keeper. He was brought down by John O'Kane.

New goalkeeper Cedric Berthelin made his Palace debut after replacing the injured Kolinko in goal in the 76th minute.

Post match comments:


Blackpool played some excellent football and we were lucky at times
Trevor Francis

Francis said: "My lads knew they had been in a game today. I made some changes at half-time and the introduction of Akinbiyi gave us more options up front

"Blackpool played some excellent football and we were lucky at times.

"We gave them their goal on a plate because we can't defend corners and that is something we need to attend to quickly."

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