October 5 2008

Shefki Kuqi

Crystal Palace extended their unbeaten record to3 games with a 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest for a first away win, writes Simon Pophale.

“Who lobbed the keeper for number 2, Kuqi, KUQI!”

Words I never thought that I would be writing. Shefki Kuqi, outcast and multi-million pound misfit, netted the winner to send us back down to London with 3 points.

Warnock made little change to the 16, bringing another forgotten man, Neil Danns, on the bench in place of transfer-listed Carl Fletcher.

Forest might be bottom, but they are no mugs and with former hero John Pemberton on their coaching staff, their work rate was going to be of “Coppellesque” proportions.

Which is precisely how the match unfolded; for the first 20 minutes, it was end to end stuff. It was an open, attacking game and we drew first blood, with our very first attack on 4 minutes.

Ben Watson swung over a free kick from 30 yards which fell just outside the box to Paul Ifill, who made up for his missed sitter against Charlton by sending an exocet into the top right hand corner.

Forest immediately hit back and from a Lee Martin corner, Julian Bennett sent a header crashing against the bar. One minute later Nathan Tyson went close with an effort that had Speroni scrambling.

Tyson carried the goalscoring threat in the absence of Rob Earnshaw and following a through ball went one-on-one with Speroni, but was not alert enough to the chance and fouled the mercurial Argentine, which he was booked for.

Despite Forest playing some good football, we were in control of this game. Butterfield was finding acres of room on the right, while Derry and Watson were causing havoc in the middle of the park.

Forests’ dangermen came from wide positions, as Chris Cohen and Lee Martin both found space, but too many times crosses and corners fell into the grateful arms of Speroni.

However, from almost a copycat corner in the 23rd minute, Guy Moussi rose unmarked and headed inches over. The threat was still there.

Forest's belief was slowly ebbing away and while Bennett forced Speroni into a one-handed diving save at the end of the first half, as well as starting the second half brightly, we wore them down by a work rate in midfield which left Forest with no time on the ball.

Warnock was not without headaches though, an injury in the first half to Paddy McCarthy which looked like a dislocated shoulder, saw Lawrence come on and at half time, Danns replaced Nick Carle.

On 66 minutes, Victor Moses went off to be replaced by Kuqi. Exit the Prodigy, enter the misfit.

Kuqi almost doubled our lead 76 minutes, as following an Ifill run and shot, blocked by Smith, the ball fell to Kuqi, who drove the ball into the ground and back into the grateful arms of the keeper.

Kuqi made amends 6 minutes later and took another step on his road to rehabilitation as he chased a through ball and Paul Smith came charging out of the penalty area. Kuqi got there first, before turning and floated the ball over the retreating Smith from about 15 yards into the net.

Forest battled to the end but Beattie and Watson could have made it 3. This was comfortable but it is the return of players in from the cold that would have given Warnock the most satisfaction. Kuqi heard cheers instead of jeers and punched the air in delight as the teams departed.

Palace: Speroni, Butterfield, McCarthy (Lawrence 36), Fonte, Hill, Derry, Watson, Carle (Danns 46), Ifill, Beattie, Moses (Kuqi 66).

Subs Not Used: Scannell, Oster