Team
Westwood, Cranie (O'Donovan 81), Keogh, Wood, McPake, McSheffrey, Baker (Gunnarsson 63), Carsley,,Doyle, King (Eastwood 70), Jukiewicz. SNU Ireland, Clarke, Cameron, Thomas
Palace
Speroni, Clyne, Wright, Davis (Gardner (24), McCarthy, Ambose (N'Daige 85), Danns, Vaughan (Counago 78), Garvan, Zaha, Morrow. SNU Price, Cadogan, Djali, Obika
HT CPFC 0-1 CCFC FT CPFC 0-2 CCFC ATT 13,278
Goals Darren Ambrose (31 & 52 pen)
Referee P.Miller Booked McPake, Wright, Danns, Wood, Vaughan
Man Of The Match James McPake took the votes in our car from Richard Keogh.
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Aidy Boothroyd might have felt that the game at Crystal Palace was not a must win game but it will go down as a should have won game and two contentious decisions.
We drove, got the tube and train before piling into the Alliance pub to catch up with some of our Southern based supporters including our friends from Brighton and two good mates from Denmark.
We walked up to the ground and into the far end of the Arthur Wait Stand, away from the laughable Palace Ultras, hopeful that City who had two changes from the team that lost at Forest on Tuesday night could get back to winning ways.
After a minute's silence to mark Armistice Day and a chance to remember the events that happened in Coventry seventy years ago, City, attacking the end nearest to the City support, got into the side who were bottom of the table going into the match.
Richard Keogh had a fine game and made some scorching runs down the right.
One in the fourth minute just missed McSheffrey and four minutes later, Marlon King who laid the ball off well, turned in the area and had his shot saved by the legs of Speroni for a corner.
That was the first of a couple of a corners and it was King's striker partner Lukas Jutkiewicz who had two good chances to score in the 13th and 16th minute.
The second he poked wide looked a bad miss with only Speroni to beat. It had been set up by McSheffrey who worked hard and a good cross from him was played to King's feet, twelve yards out only for the former Watford man,who was booed by the home fans, blasted high over the bar.
With the City support livid with the Essex based assistant on our side who was not up with play, Palace were forced into a change when Claude Davis limped off and gave his shirt to a fan before going down the players tunnel in the corner.
Keogh nodded over from a corner and then a great recovery from Jutkiewicz won another.
In the 31st minute, James McPake who had a solid game was booked after McSheffrey was accused by the Hertfordshire referee of a back pass.
Mr Miller tried to force the City players back they were almost in the stand and as they stood on the line, DARREN AMBROSE blasted it into the net.
Jutkiewicz wasted another good chance in the 36th minute and the industrious Lee Carsley fired over.
In the 41st minute, the City support had more grievance with the assistant in front of them when he completely missed a bad foul by Wright on Keogh. Thankfully, the referee spotted it and the defender was duly punished.
McSheffrey just missed the far post before the half came to a close.
After Carsley had an effort well saved, the Sky Blue Song blasted out from the City fans but in the 51st minute, Richard Wood tackled James Vaughan. Wood took the Scouser down a good yard or more outside the area. The City players and supporters were livid as a penalty was awarded by the referee and backed up by his assistant who was ten foot away from the incident. Upstepped DARREN AMBROSE and it was 2-0.
The assistant took it full pelt from the City support but with Jutkiewicz and King unlikely to hit the proverbial cows backside today despite the efforts of the other nine players who gave some hope, it was game over.
Aron Gunnarsson was sent on and then Marlon King was replaced by the players the fans had been calling for - Freddy Eastwood.
A shove on Gary McSheffrey did not bring the penalty it merited and with nine minutes, left, City went three at the back when Roy O'Donovan came on for Martin Cranie.
However, it was brought nothing and the livid Aidy Boothroyd, who went over to the referee and his assistants on the final whistle, was left to thank the City support for a excellent backing.