Storm at the Palace

Crystal Palace 0 - 0 Everton

Here's my account of the matchday experience, which was eventful as ever. 

Swamp-like conditions early doors on the park due to the rain. Muddy boots and mucky paws. But I had time given the FA & broadcasters' decision to arrange a match between a team from Merseyside and southeast London late on a Thursday night. When will they have consideration for the supporters? It's been ridiculous this past month. 

Into London. It was looking a bit cloudy and wasn't too cold, but nothing intimidating, so I chanced it and went Danny no coat as usual. That was to prove to be a big mistake. I should have checked the weather forecast. 

Even though I live in west London, Selhurst Park is a tricky place to get to. I caught the Metropolitan Line, changed at Finchley Road and hopped onto the Jubilee Line to get to London Bridge Station. Then a mainline train to Norwood Junction. Door to door, it's about a 2-hour trip. Make that 4 hours round-trip. I shouldn't complain, many of the Merseyside-based supporters on the coaches wouldn't have got home until 4 am. I made it before 1 am. 

I pride myself on my navigation skills but, despite a few visits, I always find that part of the capital difficult to navigate and yet again, I was struggling to find the Prince George, where I'd arranged to meet up with Mark and his son Joe as well as Rob. And it is where Everton supporters tend to congregate when we play Palace, so a good meeting place. 

The rain was relentless and my hoody was struggling to protect me from the elements. I walked for a bit then saw a place that had a big sign saying "Eagles season ticket holders only – no away supporters". I don't like how they do that in London, but I needed to get my bearings. 

The doormen and doorwomen took pity on me even though they guessed I wasn't a Palace supporter, as by now I was pretty drenched. A kind lady gave me instructions. Go to the bus stop across the road and take the 130. Top tip. If you catch it on the High Street, just up from Norwood Junction Station, it drops you off right near the Prince George. 

Into the Prince George. It gradually ended up packed full of Everton supporters belting out all of the best tunes. Spirit, Forever, Marching, Here we Go, We're on the March with Dyche's Army. Royal Blue Mersey. But the best, loudest and most emotive being <em>We Shall Not Be Moved</em>, which is making a revival in the current climate of Royal Blue defiance.

Great to once again see so many young supporters and those of all ages who had made the trek. I say 'trek', it's never a trek. It is great to witness and be part of. I met with Rob. Mark and his son Joe were delayed due to the weather but made it in good time. 

On to the ground. I had the pleasure to once again have a chance meeting with Neil and, as luck would have it, I happened to be sat right behind him throughout the match. 

A completely packed away section on the corner side of the pitch where they put you at Selhurst Park. To our left, the entire rest of the stand along the same side of the pitch was totally empty. Absolutely empty; every single seat empty. Considering the scramble for Everton tickets and us having being sold out weeks ago, I'm sure we would have taken a lot of that. 

The atmosphere from where I was stood was great. I don't know what it sounded like to those watching or listening, but it was noisy despite those irritating drums to our left, behind the goal. As I always call them, the fake Italian Ultras. The supporter to my right was getting very irate and vocal about the drum! I think if he could have got there, he would have confiscated and destroyed it. 

The team played well. They understandably tired a bit towards the end but, given we went down to 10 men and lost McNeil, we can give them a pass for that. They never stopped fighting and carried on trying to win the match.

When we attacked, we did it with purpose and intent, it's just a shame we couldn't have had more composure in front of goal. I think if Doucoure played last night, we win that. We were better than them for most of the game. We'll take them at Goodison. 

Onana had one of the best games I've seen him play for Everton. Not the best at going forward but, when he's on his game, he is very effective in the middle of the park.

James Garner (or Jimmy as the manager referred to him as) does that for us. He's always looking for the forward pass.

Virginia impressed me. Not a bad stand in keeper and made a couple of great saves.

Branthwaite just oozes grace, elegance, composure and defensive certainty. He rarely puts a foot or header wrong and anticipates. Just stop it or you'll be off to the Etihad!

Alongside the rock that is Tarkowski, I almost don't fear corners or set pieces.

Mykolenko was solid. As for Seamus, he rolled back the years. At one point, Mark leaned over and told me he was his Sheedy. So I agreed he can be called Seamus Sheedy! There is an Irish link there even if Kevin the Great grew up in Wales. 

On the Calvert-Lewin sending off. He's gone in one footed into a full-hearted tackle and won the ball. The ref and officials were once again shocking, especially in the second half. He didn't need the VAR to make that decision.

As the manager said, if they look at that, why didn't they look at the Beto "penalty"? He gets his foot stamped on and his arm pulled back. I don't mind the VAR, but let's have some consistency. I understand the club will appeal and rightly so. Start standing up the these bully boys who are blatantly targeting us. 

We couldn't really see the McNeil incident and I initially thought it was a ball boy or Palace player that had been taken out until someone pointed out it was McNeil. It looked serious: I hope not and, listening to Dyche, it might not be. Let's hope. It was highlighted to me that, for a period, we only had 8 outfield players on the pitch due to yet more dithering from the officials. Yet the boys kept fighting and pressing to the end. 

The boys did us proud in adversity and against the tide of outrageous and incompetent officialdom. I don't blame the VAR. I blame the standard of the officials, both on the pitch and those stood around the coffee machine at Stockley Park. It is bordering on corruption and targeted vindication. 

The players took the plaudits as they came over at the end and we all stayed to applaud them. Seamus got a great reception as the "60 Grand" chant was belted out. The officials took the venom of the blue masses. It is getting ridiculous.

My son's post-match message to me was that it was disgusting and, if he was Everton manager, he would have taken his players off the pitch. I don't think I would have disagreed with him. 

The supporters were magnificent and never gave in.   Most of those supporters, young, middle-aged and old won't have got back home until the very early hours. 

For me, it was back to the Prince George before going our separate ways in the still-falling rain. Some gave Man of the Match to Garner. I gave it to Onana. Close call in my opinion for different reasons. 

My navigation was better on the way back and I caught the train back to London Bridge. Surrounded by many Evertonians and a few Palace supporters who were getting bold about "doing us" at Goodison in the replay. We were gentle with them.

Eventually back on the Jubilee Line – London Bridge is a tricky station to navigate. Safely on to the Metropolitan Line for some sleep and then home by 1 am. What a day and night. 

10 days recovery. Hopefully Dwight's injury isn't as bad as it looked. Well done, Blues, in the face of adversity and increasingly incompetent officials that seem to have it in for us, you did us proud. 

Final note to the supporters: Keep believing. This team has fight in it. We have fight and defiance in us as we demonstrated last night. Very few will roll us over and we can beat anyone on the day as well as the establishment that is trying to beat us down. 

They picked on the wrong supporters. We shall never be moved. 

Spirit. Forever 

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