Brighton & Hove Albion 2 Crystal Palace 1
Albion beat arch-rivals Crystal Palace for the first time since March 2013 in controversial circumstances and put themselves into the 4th round of the FA Cup.
Albion lost the injury-prone Izzy Brown after just six minutes. He was replaced by Sam Baldock
Dale Stephens put the Seagulls in front on 25 minutes. Great work from Ezequiel Schelotto from the right saw Stephens take the ball in his stride and fire past and via the elbow of Palace keeper Wayne Hennessey.
Palace looked a little stunned. Gaetan Bong was also getting forward well and a cross was met with his head by Tomer Hemed but his effort was over the bar.
Palace’s best effort of the half came from a James McArthur cross which was scrambled away by Uwe Hünemeier.
Bong got forward again at the start of the second half although his cross was fired over by Solly March.
Baldock on effectively his first start of the season was running into the channels well but was also being well shepherded by Timothy Fosu-Mensah.
Palace got back into it with a great strike from Bakary Sako, the ball going in off Tim Krul’s right hand post for 1-1. Sako launched his shot from fully 25 yards out.
Just prior to this Tomer Hemed saw his shot on the turn fly just wide.
Soon Albion were back on top. From a corner the ball was cleared out to Hünemeier, but just as Albion’s German defender was about to launch it back in, referee Andre Marriner blew for a head injury to Fosu-Mensah.
Albion had a great chance to go back in front but Baldock hit the post then Beram Kayal fired over from 10 yards out.
Then, just as it seemed we’d all go back to Selhurst next week, a March free kick was headed back across goal by Hünemeier – and Murray, just on as a sub, brushed the ball home at the far post with his knee, not elbow. Probably.
Albion fans celebrated but Murray didn’t.
The Seagulls travel to Middlesbrough probably on Saturday 27 January as this tie is unlikely to be on the list of any broadcaster.
Far more importantly Albion go to West Brom this Saturday (13 January) for a good old-fashioned relegation six-pointer.
