September 27 2018

Patrick van Aanholt

Crystal Palace reach the last 16 of the League Cup with a convincing 3-0 victory away to West Bromwich Albion. Jamesey and Wilf King offer their views.

How many supporters browsing this report can remember the name of the current sponsors never mind how to spell it? No neither can I (writes Jamesey).

It’s a strange competition dreamed up by some bright spark comparatively recently and long before fixture lists became jammed with two European contests for the top clubs and other bits and pieces.

Most of us dismiss the whole thing as not having much importance apart from the winners qualifying for a Europa Cup place.

Anyway football vanity being what it is, the league cup escalates in importance the further a club progresses so at least the Eagles have reached the interesting stage.

And what a pleasure it was to watch what was essentially our second XI playing with a style and verve sadly absent from the dreary Selhurst showing against Newcastle Utd (Sept 22).

Two cracking goals from Andros Townsend and another beauty from Patrick van Aanholt did the business and how can we mere commentators say more than Roy Hodgson who thought the team were excellent in every aspect of the game?

And I must give a bouquet to WBA boss Darren Moore whose pre-match eloquent and affectionate tribute to Roy Hodgson was so unlike much of the unpleasant and vituperative bellowing that infects the Stacksomoulah League.

Wilf King reports from the Hawthorns.

How would the Eagles cope without Wilf was the question.

You had to be at there on September 25 for the answer.

When I looked at the team sheet before kick-off I remarked "Andros Townsend is in the team" but little did I know what an influence he would have on the match.

Before I carry on let me say that I have always enjoyed going to West Bromwich Albion although my last visit was about two seasons ago.

This was a remarkable team performance and EVERY Palace player contributed to the result. Our defence was solid, midfield creative and front two looking for goals.

When Jairo Riedewald was substituted for Aaron Wan-Bissaka on 22 minutes Joel Ward moved into the centre and that worked very well.

Townsend's goal on six minutes was sublime. He ran with the ball and launched a shot from 30 yards that flew past the WBA goalie.

The CPFC passing was a joy to behold and Max Meyer seemed to be involved in all of it (Roy, surely he has earned a Premier League start). The only disappointment was there were no more goals.

Van Aanholt sorted that out on 76 minutes with another beautifully executed goal but Andros wasn't finished. You often hear the expression 'a team goal’ – well our third was exactly that – Jeffrey Schlupp to Wan-Bissaka to Townsend who drilled it in off the left-hand post. It was a lovely goal.

I must add that Vicente Guaita made a great save from James Morrison on 40 minutes.

Pape Souare replaced PVA on 79 minutes and Townsend went off to great applause when Jordan Ayew came on in the 85th minute.

Ayew might have had a fourth goal at the end and he held his head as he didn't know how Boaz Myhill had kept it out.

Although the trip from and back to Selhurst Park lasted 10.25 hours I count myself privileged that I witnessed such a superb team performance and am looking forward to the 4th Round draw in the Carabao Cup; the feeling amongst Eagles fans was we would like it to be at home.

Email Jamesey with your comments to jevans3704@aol.com

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