Crewe 2 Crystal Palace 2

Saturday, October 29, 2005
Source: Sporting Life
Michael Higdon scored three minutes into added time to earn Crewe a point against high-flying Crystal Palace.

Following Palace's 2-1 Carling Cup win over Liverpool in mid-week they were behind with just six minutes on the clock thanks to a first goal of the season from Steve Jones, who along with Higdon was recalled to the side after last week's 6-1 defeat at Cardiff.

Darren Ward hit the post before half time and it was no surprise when Dougie Freedman equalised in the 52nd minute.

Clinton Morrison's seventh goal of the season looked likely to win the game for the Eagles but Higdon headed the Alex level to earn a shock draw.

The Eagles had gone behind with just six minutes on the clock when Jones nipped in behind their defence to score.

The visitors made a positive start, Ben Watson forcing a save from Crewe goalkeeper Ben Williams inside two minutes.

Freedman lobbed over moments later but it was Crewe that took the lead with their first real attack in the seventh minute. Higdon slid Jones into space and the Northern Ireland international making the best of a poor first touch to prod the ball past Gabor Kiraly.

Higdon should have made it two just three minutes later but headed wide at the far post from David Vaughan's cross.

Palace continued to threaten, particularly from set pieces, and after Justin Cochrane deflected Marco Reich's shot wide for a corner, Williams made another low save from a Fitz Hall header.

Jones wasted another chance for the hosts, before Ward's looping headed hit the post at the other end from Watson's free-kick, Williams pulled off another fine stop from a Michael Hughes and Kenny Lunt cleared a corner from the same player off the line.

Palace piled on the pressure without creating good opportunities until they levelled six minutes after the interval.

Hughes found plenty of space on the left all afternoon and his cross picked out Freedman, arriving late at the far-post, and the Eagles striker swept the ball past Williams.

Higdon immediately had a chance to edge the Alex back in front but was again off-target with his header from a Vaughan cross.

Kiraly was helped off after being caught by Higdon and replaced by Julian Speroni but soon after Palace took the lead.

A Watson shot was blocked by Stephen Foster but the ball fell to Hughes on the left, he fed substitute Gary Borrowdale and Morrison peeled away from his marker to the near-post to head the ball home with 65 minutes gone.

The visitors were well in control with Gary Roberts and Lunt each hitting token long-range strikes well off target.

The introduction of substitute Luke Rodgers and a change in formation did give the visitors fresh impetus and Speroni pulled off a fine one-handed save from a Lunt free-kick, while at the other end Morrison should have made the game safe from around eight yards from Freedman's short pass.

Due to the long stoppage for Kiraly's injury, seven minutes of injury-time was added and after three minutes Jones' cross from the right was headed firmly past Speroni to earn the Alex a last gasp draw.
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