Crystal Palace v Queens Park Rangers

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Crystal Palace striker James Scowcroft serves a one-match ban after his fifth booking of the season so Dougie Freedman or Shefki Kuqi will step in.

Centre-back Leon Cort (hamstring) is still out along with long-term casualty Rhoys Wiggins (knee) for Peter Taylor's team who have won just once in 11 matches.

QPR winger Lee Cook is a doubt after he was taken off at half-time against Sunderland, still feeling the effects of a bruising match against Coventry.

Ray Jones could start, with Kevin Gallen dropping into midfield.

Source: http://home.skysports.com

[kennethlindheim]

Palace:

29 Iain Turner
3 Danny Granville
4 Darren Ward
5 Mark Hudson
20 Danny Butterfield
17 Michael Hughes
7 Jobi McAnuff
14 Ben Watson
19 Tom Soares
9 Dougie Freedman
32 Shefki Kuqi

Subs
1 Scott Flinders
2 Matt Lawrence
15 Mark Kennedy
25 Stuart Green
11 Clinton Morrison
QPR:
1 Simon Royce
2 Marcus Bignot
5 Zeshan Rehman
38 Michael Mancienne
25 Damion Stewart
14 Martin Rowlands
37 Jimmy Smith
10 Kevin Gallen
32 Dexter Blackstock
31 Ray Jones
30 Marc Nygaard

Subs
12 Jake Cole
3 Mauro Milanese
9 Nick Ward
23 Stefan Bailey
29 Paul Furlong

[kennethlindheim]

1:0 Dougie Freedman (13)

[kennethlindheim]

2:0 Shefki Kuqi (32)

[kennethlindheim]

2-0 Half-time!

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3:0 Clinton Morrison (86)

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3-0 Full-time!

[2Slick]

Palace extended their unbeaten run to four matches after a comprehensive victory over Queens Park Rangers. Goals from Dougie Freedman, Shefki Kuqi and Clinton Morrison gave the Eagles three points but there could have been more goals as Palace put in their most impressive home performance of the season.

Peter Taylor made a number of changes from the team that drew 1-1 at Wolves in midweek with Kuqi, Freedman and Ben Watson coming into the side in place of James Scowcroft, Morrison and Mark Kennedy.

Palace took a few minutes to get into the game, but in the third minute Tom Soares' fierce looking shot from Kuqi's knock down was well blocked. A few minutes later though and it was Danny Butterfield who was forced to make a goalsaving block as a cross was dropped by Iain Turner into the path of Martin Rowlands.

Rangers looked dangerous on the break and in the 11th minute Rowlands had another chance to put them ahead but he shot wide following Marc Nygaard's pass.

In the 14th minute Palace took the lead thanks to Freedman. As in the last game against Wolves Kuqi was first to a long Turner clearance and after holding off the challenge of Damion Stewart he squared the ball to the unmarked Scot to finish clinically. It was the 32-year-old's 106th goal for the club putting him level with George Clarke and equal fifth in the all-time goalscoring charts.

The visitors hit straight back though and should have had an equaliser in the 18th minute. Ray Jones' cross from the right was headed back across goal to Nygaard but he somehow failed to connect with the ball from a yard out.

It was a let off for the Eagles and Soares just failed to capitalise on the lucky break with a shot from the edge of the box that flew just wide. A few minutes later Watson also came close with a dipping long range drive which went just over the bar.

Even though Palace were creating some good chances Rangers were also carving put some of their own and in the 27th minute Jimmy Smith scuffed a deflected shot just wide. But the game was end-to-end affair and it was Palace's turn to have a chance a few minutes later when Kuqi's long ball found Freedman, but a last ditch tackle from Stewart denied him a second goal of the game.

The Kuqi/Freedman partnership was working wonders for Palace and in the 32nd minute the pair made their third Palace goal in two games. This time Freedman was the provider and his inch perfect pass put Kuqi in on goal, then with a little bit of luck thanks to a deflection and a fumble from the goalkeeper the ball was in the back of the net.

A great half was somewhat ruined for Palace when Butterfield was forced off through injury just before the break but Taylor was able to call on Matt Lawrence to replace him.

Palace managed to negotiate the expected onslaught by Rangers in the first five minutes of the second-half and Watson twice came close to extending the Eagles' lead. The England under 21 midfielder blazed a shot over the bar after more good work from Freedman and Kuqi and then after the QPR keeper and Kuqi had a 50/50 challenge in the middle of the Rangers half he fired a first-time shot just wide from 45 yards out.

Turner was forced into good save to deny Smith in the 54th minute as Rangers attempted to get back into the game. Gallen then flashed a shot wide in the 64th minute but it was Palace who looked more likely to score and in the 66th minute as Kuqi created a chance for himself but Royce made a good save to deny him before Jobi McAnuff hit the follow up over the bar.

As the game wore on McAnuff was starting to cause QPR real problems and he was in the action again in the 70th minute but his shot from the corner of the box went into the side netting of the Holmesdale Road goal.

Palace were creating chances every time they went forward and the latest player to fire over was Kuqi from Soares' cutback in the 73rd minute.

QPR boss John Gregory made two changes as he sought to get back into the game with veteran Paul Furlong and Australian Nick Ward coming on, but Palace were controlling the game and Turner in the Palace goal was rarely threatened. In fact Palace deserved more goals and they got their reward, and the icing on the cake, in the 86th minute as substitute Clinton Morrison had the simple job of tapping home after Soares found space on the right to send in a low cross.

PALACE: Turner; Butterfield (Lawrence 44), Ward, Hudson, Granville; Soares, Watson, Hughes (c) (Green 89), McAnuff; Freedman (Morrison 80), Kuqi.
Subs not used: Flinders, Kennedy.
Booked: Lawrence.
Goascorers: Freedman (14), Kuqi (32). Morrison (86).

QPR: Royce; Mancienne, Stewart, Rehman, Bignot; Rowlands, Gallen (c), Smith, Jones; Nygaard (Ward 76), Blackstock (Furlong 76).
Subs not used: Cole, Milanese, Bailey.
Booked: Gallen, Rehman.

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