Continuation of a theme

 Please note that in compliance with  broadcasting regulations Burchy's palace blog is now diversifying into an audio blog with a Facebook and YouTube page. My support for Crystal Palace football club will now continue in an interactive audio visual capacity many thanks for this alert. Thanks to Stephanie  jo, Guy and Ash and Emma as well as all broadcasting professionals within the community. In memory of Alan Brown

FA Cup Final: Crystal Palace 1 – 2 Manchester United

So Crystal Palace end the campaign by losing the FA Cup final narrowly by 2 – 1 thanks to a goal by Jason Puncheon cancelled out by strikes from Juan Mata and Jessie Lindgart. In a day that saw and overcast and wet conditions, both teams played a tight style with close control and sharp passing. The game opened up in the second half in a five-minute spell with ten minutes left on the clock.

Jason Puncheon gave the eagles the lead on seventy-eight minutes only for Manchester United to equalize three minutes later on eighty- one minutes. In extra time Chris Smalling got sent off on one hundred and five minutes. Despite only having ten men united won the match in extra time with a goal on 110 minutes from Jessie Lindgart. Palace was very well represented in the stands by passionate fans put on a very colourful display which was also very noisy

This will be the last match report to appear on my blog which after five years and six seasons is now closing. Thank you for your loyal readership over this time. It has been an honour writing about the famous Crystal Palace.

Samuel Burch (May 2016)

Crystal Palace 2 – 1 Stoke City

Now it turns that Palace can look to a cup final the first in twenty- six years since Palace reached the magical forty- point mark. Responding to a Charlie Adam goal a brace from Dwight Gayle has secured Palace’s survival. Palace controlled the game for large periods and although many a team would have given up Palace was expert in their tactics at holding up the ball and spraying the ball out wide. 

Wing play from Zaha and Bolasie marshalled the defence very well.

Pardew can be satisfied with a fantastic ending to 2016 that has seen Palace secure a top flight finish leading many to wonder where the club goes next, and with the likes of Leicester winning the league Palace may consider emulating them next season.

Yet Palace know given their history, football like all sports is notoriously unpredictable and can make fools of us all. Palace now prepare to enjoy a cup final which has been years in the making

Crystal Palace 0 – 1 Newcastle United

So it may prevail that despite another cup final against Manchester United it appears Crystal Palace might face relegation, an eight-point lead above Sunderland with two games left despite Sunderland having a game in hand.

Today Palace trailed on fifty minutes from a goal by Andros Townsend, Scott Dann, freeing himself from defensive attention to win a second half penalty which was uncharacteristically missed by Yohan Cabaye. The equation remains that Palace require three points from six available against Stoke City and Southampton to ensure Crystal Palace survive. The Eagles can now look forward to the FA Cup final 26 years to the day since Palace lost to Manchester United back in 1990. 

Hopefully Palace can maintain their premier league status. Honestly even if they cannot it would be nice to think a historic second FA Cup final would be superb because it would complete a 28yr cycle and a personal journey that included a Watford supporting Catholic babysitter, a Brentford supporting German friend, and a mate who supports Bournemouth where I had a fabulous year at university. Having followed Palace on preseason tours to Sweden and America had many adventures I believe it is time to pass the baton to the next generation.

I don’t know the future but I hope it is a prosperous one for the Palace. 

And so it happened… Magic of Cup sees Palace reach Wembley!

So it transpires after a difficult and disappointing 2016 there is light at the end of the tunnel as goals from Bolasie and Wickham meant Palace made the cup final after an impressive 2 – 1 victory emulated the side of 1990 in reaching an FA Cup final. Loud and Proud and very colourful.

 A magical day that I enjoyed very much was topped off by the appearance of the very happy Steve Coppell who had returned to watch his team emulate his achievement of 1990.

There have been many moments in time where I have felt lucky to achieve so much and do many fantastic things however from the end of the season I will be finishing my blog to concentrate on working for the licence vichelars association in Ascot in late 2016.

Much love, thank you let’s hope we win the Cup.

Samuel Burch

West Ham United 2 – 2 Crystal Palace

Goals from Damian Delaney and Dwight Gayle for Palace and Lanzini and Payet for West Ham meant the match ended 2 – 2. Yet the game changed when Kouyate was sent off on sixty-seven minutes. The decision to send off Kouyate was a controversial one as Mark Clatenberg chose red after the player made a controversial lunge on Gayle. This was Crystal Palace’s first point of 2016 and it drew a dent in West Ham’s top four aspirations as they are behind Arsenal and Manchester City.

 A good performance from Palace saw Damian Delaney gave them the lead early doors before West Ham came back with two quick goals to lead 2 – 1 at half time. Yet Gayle’s seventy-fifth-minute equalizer meant Palace moved a point further clear of trouble.

Palace moved a point further away from the relegation zone and a point closer to survival going into next week’s crucial clash against Norwich City at Selhurst Park. Clearly not distracted by an FA Cup semi Final against Watford, Palace played some attractive and flowing football and the point means with seven games left this season they should have enough points in hand to avoid relegation.

Palace make Wembley on a Mad stad evening 0 – 2

A penalty from Johan Cabaye and a late strike from Frazier Campbell meant Palace booked a trip to Wembley to Celebrate reaching the FA Cup semi final for the first time in 15 years in 1995.  stating it would be a challenge this time Pardew will lead his side out at Wembley for the first time in a cup competition since 1990/91, when Palace played both in the FA cup final and Zenith Data systems Cup.

Now Palace await an opponent from Mondays Draw, as a trip to Wembley may light up Palace’s league form with a 0 – 12 record which unless improved is relegation form. Emulating Wigan and winning the FA Cup but going down may eventually be seen as historically significant even if pragmatists may see relegation as financially disastrous and a failure.

Yet the game itself was comfortable for Palace with Cabaye controlling midfield and Papis Soure doing very well on the left hand side. Reading failed to grasp the nettle and Palace looked dominant for much of the match yet it was not until the last ten minutes that the breakthrough goals from Cabaye (Pen) and Campbell came out as Palace secured the victory.

Table toppers Leicester City come to Selhurst Park next Saturday hoping to carry their good form into the league and damage Leicester’s title ambitions.