Season 2002/2003

	Crystal Palace 2	Arsenal 2
	N McGinty 22 Daly 73	Viera 45 Henry 66

Played at Duppas Hill, 12/10/02.

GUNNERS ROBBED AT EAGLES NEST

Page: Won an extra point for Eagles with fine performance

An injury hit Palace team hosted Arsenal, hot for revenge from a 3 game losing streak against their London rivals. With the game counting towards the London League too, double reward was on offer.

Arsenal look to be through a tough transition period and dominated this match throughout, early signs showed that the Palace defence was in for a busy afternoon as Viera and Lungberg took a grip on the midfield and sent the three-pronged attack on regular forays into the Palace box. Fortunately John Page was on top form between the sticks and was called into action to keep Palace in the running. The deadlock was broken in the 22nd minute completely against the run of play when out of retirement Paul Hepburn slipped a delightful throughball to left winger James Daly. His burst into the Arsenal box ended with a thumping shot that David Seaman could only parry before quick thinking Nick McGinty stole in to score from close range. Resurgent Arsenal continued where they left off giving Ben Couchman and Graeme Hindshaw a torrid time at the back and they got a deserved equalizer in first half injury time from the corner kick. Palace failed to clear and in the melee Patrick Viera's half shot looped into the top corner.

Daly: Smash and grab equalizer

A change of tactics for Palace hoped that they could get a grip on the match and they did improve however it was the gunners still dictating play, John Page once again called into action to smother a fierce Bergkamp strike. Alas Arsenal took a lead when Hindshaw was turned and beaten for pace by Henry, his nearpost shot too clinical for Page. Arsenal searched to stretch their lead but were denied by tenacious defending and woeful finishing, eventually they took the sucker punch from James Daly in the finishing stages and were punished for their missed chances. In a rare Palace attack the McGinty brothers forced a corner kick which Arsenal failed to clear, Daly rose like a phoenix above the confusion to power home the header at the far post. Arsenal continued to dominate but the best chance fell in injury time to Paul Hepburn unmarked but he struck wide.