The ghostbusters! Slick Eagles put goal fiasco behind them

Crystal Palace laid to rest the ghost of the goal-that-never-was with this emphatic win at Ipswich Town.

‘I think it’s nice to get the injustice that we felt on Saturday out of the way,’ said Palace boss Neil Warnock referring to the goal which was missed by referee Rob Shoebridge against Bristol City.

‘It’s strange. I don't know whether the word is surreal but it was a weird feeling Saturday, Sunday, Monday.

‘To see an injustice like that happen, you just can’t quite get over it.

'I still don’t know how Bristol City came away with three points.’

On the day Ipswich announced they will rename Portman Road’s North Stand after Sir Bobby Robson, the home fans were forced to watch a former player, Darren Ambrose, score two goals within one second-half minute.

The result meant it was another disappointing performance from Roy Keane’s side who have now taken only one point from their first three Championship games.

If the first of Palace’s goals was slightly fortuitous, the second was a screamer, hit from outside the box and finding the top right-hand corner of the net.

To make matters worse for the home fans, the opener came from a cross by former Ipswich striker Alan Lee, who joined Norwich City on loan last season and was booed throughout the match.

Alex Bruce thought he had started the Ipswich fightback, heading Owen Garvan’s cross past Julian Speroni after 62 minutes, but Neil Danns sealed the game for Palace seven minutes later with a header from close-range.

Ipswich, in truth, did not deserve a point against a spirited Palace side still reeling from being denied a clear goal in Saturday’s 1-0 loss to Bristol City.

Keane expressed his sympathy with Warnock in his programme notes, but said such ‘madness’ was part of the game.

The Irishman also bemoaned his side’s lack of cutting edge and his criticism proved true as Ipswich failed to break down Palace’s solid defence in a scrappy first half.

Keane: ‘I think there are genuine reasons why we haven’t hit the grond running, things we need to put right.

'We’re probably lacking a bit of a goal threat at times, despite the fact we've given two bad goals away.

‘We all got to take responsibility. It’s very tempting for me as a manager to come up and makes excuses but it was disappointing.

‘I think people think we’re going to be the Chelsea of the Championship but I'm going to have to wheel and deal a bit more.

'Don’t think there’s lots of players round the corner coming here.’

Laura Williamson (Daily Mail)