Makeshift striker Danny Butterfield grabbed a stunning
six-minute hat-trick to dump Wolves out of the FA Cup and hand Crystal
Palace a huge financial boost following a 3-1 win at Selhurst Park
The Eagles, in administration with debts of more than £30million,
set up a lucrative fifth-round visit from Aston Villa courtesy of
Butterfield's treble.
The popular right-back Neil Warnock has thrust into attack in his
mix-and-match line-up had scored just one goal in the last six seasons.
But he was the unlikeliest of heroes as Warnock's side continue
to defy the odds.
Wolves boss Mick McCarthy may have had half an eye on this weekend's
Barclays Premier League clash with Birmingham, making five changes
to his starting line-up, but there were still plenty of regular
top-flight performers on show.
However Palace, whose financial plight meant they could only name
six substitutes - five of them teenagers - were the better side
throughout and deserved winners and the administrators will certainly
be delighted by the prospect of a Valentines Day clash with Champions
League hopefuls Villa.
Palace were six minutes from winning the first meeting of the sides
10 days ago until Ronald Zubar's goal secured a 2-2 draw and they
started confidently.
They almost opened the scoring in the 17th minute when Nathaniel
Clyne, who 24 hours earlier had turned down a deadline-day move
to Wolves, crossed from the right.
Top scorer Darren Ambrose met the ball with a fierce volley and
was inches away from his 15th goal of the season as his shot whistled
over the crossbar.
Wolves did not manage a shot in anger in the opening half an hour,
and when one finally did arrive it was not worth the wait.
Debutant Geoffrey Mujangi Bia played a one-two with Nenad Milijas
on the corner of the Palace penalty area but his first-time swinger
flew high and wide.
Warnock was furious when Alan Lee appeared to be caught by Jody
Craddock's elbow as the duo went up for a header. Referee Lee Mason
was forced to calm the Eagles boss down on the touchline while Lee,
bleeding heavily, had to go off for treatment and re-emerged bandaged
up.
Australian midfielder Nick Carle came agonisingly close to opening
the scoring when he fizzed an angled drive across goal and narrowly
wide.
Two minutes after the restart Ambrose tested Wayne Hennessey with
a 25-yard free-kick which the Wolves keeper, diving to his right,
dealt with comfortably.
McCarthy made a double switch on the hour, replacing Mujangi Bia
and Sam Vokes with Sylvan Ebanks-Blake and Chris Iwelumo.
But two minutes later his side fell behind. Ambrose's corner was
met by a firm header from Matt Lawrence which Hennessey kept out,
but Butterfield was on hand to nod the loose ball over the goal-line.
Three minutes later Butterfield doubled his side's lead. Lee headed
an up-and-under to Ambrose, whose cushioned volley played in Butterfield
and, with Wolves claiming offside, he calmly slid the ball past
Hennessey.
The Selhurst Park crowd could barely believe their eyes, but Butterfield
completed the unlikeliest of trebles in the 68th minute, latching
onto another flick-on from Lee and finishing like a seasoned striker
past Hennessey.
He sensed a fourth when Ambrose whipped in a cross from the right
but Craddock was by now alert to the danger and managed to clear.
The former Grimsby defender was grinning from ear to ear when he
was substituted with two minutes remaining to a standing ovation
from the Palace faithful.
Karl Henry crashed in a consolation from the edge of the box with
a minute to go but there was no way back for the visitors, who can
now concentrate on their top-flight survival bid. |
