November 27 2004

Wayne Routledge

There is a film called "The 12th Man". It is about my Dutch Team FC Twente and their run and eventual success in 2001 against PSV Eindhoven in the Dutch Cup, writes Simon Pophale.

The 12th Man, is the fans who galvanise the team and spur them on to victory. Saturday's game could have a film called "The 12th and 13th man" as for the last 15 minutes, this is certainly what it felt like.

How bad was the referee in the last 15 minutes?, needless bookings on Popovic and Watson and not to mention, the movement of a Saints free kick 10 yards forward as a punishment.

Tackles from thier players went unpunished, the linesman on the left hand side (if you were in the away end) had some sort of paralysis in this flag holding arm while the lino on the opposite side seemed to have a nervous twitch everytime we went forward. This was bias at its very best.

But this is not how the day started out, indeed with a HOL meet up in the offing and for many of us, The St Marys Stadium was going to be a new ground to add to many of our lists. Indeed it was a very early start (09:52 to be exact) when several hardy souls set off (no doubt some already had left earlier than this) by train to Southampton Central.

The train seemed to be packed to the rafters of HOL members, moderators and match report writers alike, trying to get to the nominated pub, the Beavois Castle. On reaching said pub at 12:15, it was by no means a castle, more like someones front room! It was tiny, yet there were many HOLers already in there and more were piling in, Danger, Horsham, Jcreedy, Guntri, Rach_d_cpfc, West Wickham Eagle,Bacon, Eliiott Hutchins and Bedge to name a few, not including my merry band of Ajs_Shorts, Super Palace and others.

Despite the lack of range in Beer (Miller being the only offering on tap) and food (I hope all those who did try the All Day Breakfast for £2 will NOT be spending Sunday haunched over the toliet), it was a cracking atmosphere. This was my first real HOL Meet up since 2001 and to be honest, it was a quality one, even though not all the regular attendees could be said, to be there. After much singing and beer drinking, it was off to the Stadium.

St Marys is a wide ground, but only has one tier, we have 2 in the Holmesdale at least! But it is a tidy ground. Around 4,000 of us made up the total attendance of just over 31,000. However from the kick off it was patently abundant to anyone there or even to those not fortunate enough to get a ticket and to be listening on the radio, that it sounded like 27,000 Palace fans in the crowd.

The Saints (no relations to me I might add) were as quiet as a grave in that first half. Not surprising as it was ourselves who made all the early running, AJ having a chance after 3 minutes, which Keller got to, before Hughes had a free kick which led to nothing and Routledge sent a corner over from which Fitz Hall, playing against his former employers, headed towards goal but Keller was equal to it after 14 minutes.Southampton finally got going shortly afterwards Kevin Phillips having a shot deflected which Gabor Kiraly caught well, before Anders Svennson also blasted wide.

Both players would have one more effort each in the half, which came really to nothing. Phillips hitting one over which never looked like troubling Kiraly and Svennson winning a corner with a deflected shot, but this again came to nothing.

Otherwise it really was all Palace. The midfield 5 were their usual industrious selves and Micheal Hughes and Ben Watson were really beginning to play some entertaining stuff, sending Kolkka and Routledge free at every possible opportunity but despite this, the half ended 0-0.

You often hear a football match being called a game of 2 halves and this, despite the obviousness of the quote, summed this match up to perfection. AJ who had a relatively quiet first half, exploded into life from the off in the second period Ben Watson sent AJ scampering down the right hand side and his shot was well saved by Kasey Keller.

A minute later he was at it again, once again Watson the provider but this time down the left as AJ sprinted towards the corner flag, cut inside Dodd and Jakobsen before making Keller pull off another save. Despite Saints clearing the ball away for a throw, we kept up the pressure and the ball falling to Aki Rhihilaati on the right hand side, his cross was met by a firm and placed header from AJ and we were 1-0 up.

But as ever, we like to make it hard for ourselves and no sooner had we taken the lead then we gave a goal back immediately. In what seems to be now a regular occurance Fabrice Fernandes, who was totally non existant up to this point, sent over a cross which evaded the entire Palace defence and Kevin Phillips was almost over the line when he tapped it in. Offside? Nothing from the lino and ref. It was 1-1.

The manner which we conceded the goal was poor, but 2 minutes later we got the lead back again, albeit with the help of a deflection. Micheal Hughes first time pass found Routledge away on the right and his run kept the ball in and he cut inside Le Saux before unleashing a shot which deflected against Jakobsen and we were ahead. 2-1 and sitting pretty once again. Or so we thought.

From the moment of taking the lead, Palace then assumed the role of panic stricken rabbits playing chicken on the motorway with Southampton being the cars. Fernandes was able to take Granville apart time and again and found space and sent crosses over which Kiraly, who from his position of King between the sticks took up the role of court jester (maybe could not catch Jester)as he came for everything and got nothing.

Twice he completely missed the ball and appeared lost with no clue where the ball was. Thankfully for us, Dexter Blackstock could not reproduce his Carling Cup form and blasted 2 chances over in very quick succession midway through the 2nd half.

Grateful that it was not Beattie on the end of these chances, Wigley had seen enough, substituting Blackstock and Jason Dodd, bringing on Griffit and Peter Crouch in order to throw caution to the wind in order to get his equaliser.

6 minutes later, the changes appeared inspired as from ANOTHER Fernandes cross, this time from a free kick, Crouch nodded on and Jakobsen, who looked a country mile offside, tucked the chance away unapposed. Kiraly appealed, Dougie remonstrated with the lino, but the goal stood. 2-2 and total disbelief with what was to follow.

Suddenly Southampton looked like they could win it, Phillips had the ball in the net again on 76 minutes but was FINALLY adjudged to be offside. We also had the ball in the net again as well, but the offside was far more clear cut, which led to bookings for Popovic and Watson as we desperately tried to cling on to the point.

Svensson went down under virtually no challenge from Onesize. However did the referee book him for simulation? No. Another injustice. Peter Crouch almost scored a winner, but his hooked shot went over the bar and embarassment was averted. There is no doubt that he is a handful, but a Premiership striker, you are having a giraffe! Literally almost.

But we did hold on. Any away point must be a good point. But I cant help feeling that this was 2 points lost, rather than a point gained.

No doubt the Saints feel the same way and with all the other results not really condenming us to a lower spot in the table, the games against Clowntown and Blackburn take on a huge significance now. 6 points from 6 is now a must.

Man of the Match today was Micheal Hughes, literally worked his socks off. Again.

Southampton 2

Phillips 50, Delap 75

Crystal Palace 2

Johnson 48, Routledge 54

Crystal Palace: G Kiraly, E Boyce, T Popovic, F Hall, D Granville, W Routledge, A Riihilahti, B Watson, J Kolkka, M Hughes, A Johnson.

Subs: J Speroni, D Freedman, W Andrews, M Leigertwood, V Lakis.