October 3 2009

Neil Warnock

Neil Warnock was delighted Crystal Palace finally broke their first half scoring hoodoo.

Saturday's 4-1 win over Blackpool saw the Eagles net their first opening half goal since Shefki Kuqi did it against Barnsley back in March - 19 games ago.

Alan Lee scored after three minutes with Neil Danns, Darren Ambrose, Allassane N'Diaye also on target to complete a convincing victory.

Warnock said: "I was just pleased to see a goal go in in the first half because it's got that off our back. We just needed to be patient and we knew the chances would come our way.

"We're just delighted to get the points and have the two-week break because hopefully that will give us the chance to get three or four players fit.

"Jose Fonte went down with a bug today and didn't pull out until 12 o'clock. We didn't even have seven subs this morning.

"I'm not just pleased for myself, I'm pleased for the chairman as well. We are fighting like hell to keep our heads above water and it's difficult at the minute."

Blackpool boss Ian Holloway, who felt Ambrose's goal was offside, said: "Maybe it's a little bit of karma for Neil after what happened to his side at Bristol City when they scored and it wasn't allowed.

"But that's a two-goal turnaround and the linesman might as well have banged them both in.

"You've got Mr Sepp Blatter sitting in his nice office dreaming of wonderful things for football, but why doesn't he come down here and see what mine and Neil Warnock's job is like when it is affected by human error?

"Why haven't they got cameras? The officials can speak to each other easily enough now. Why aren't we using laptops that are linked up and can give a decision in five seconds? A chimpanzee could do it - with not much training.

"Ask every manager if they want this. It will work and it won't slow down the game. Why is football so far behind other sports yet everything in football costs more?

"We might as well go back to being cavemen, grab our girl by the hair, drag her into the cave whether she wants to come in or not because we may as well live in that age. We've come forward haven't we? And can anyone explain to me why we shouldn't do it?"