PATRICK van Aanholt spectacularly ended Crystal Palace’s long wait for success with one of the sweetest strikes of his career.
Showing the shot-shy strikers how it’s done, the Dutch defender unleashed a thunderbolt of a free-kick to celebrate Palace’s first win in all competitions since Boxing Day.
Van Aanholt celebrated his first home goal since MayCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Dubravka was beaten all ends up by his long-range effortCredit: Reuters
The left-back’s third goal of the season halted a run of three successive Premier League defeats that was threatening to derail their campaign.
And victory over lacklustre Newcastle United gave Eagles boss Roy Hodgson the perfect morale-booster before he pens a new one-year deal in the coming weeks.
If anyone had arrived at Selhurst Park with high hopes of watching a high-scoring affair then they would have been lying to themselves.
There had only been six goals scored in the past six head-to-head meetings and last season these two fought out a tepid goalless draw in south London.
In fairness, there were plenty of chances here, more than was probably expected, but there was a lack of clinical edge from both sides when it really mattered.
In the first half, Palace had a series of set-pieces that troubled the Newcastle defence and two in particular which required acrobatic responses.
Toon goalkeeper Martin Dubravka certainly earned his appearance fee with a stupendous finger-tip save to deny a header from Palace captain Gary Cahill on six minutes.
And then on 17 minutes, the Slovak stopper was at it again, this time his big powerful right hand blocking the flicked front-post header from Scott Dann.
A superb free-kick provided the winner for PalaceCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Newcastle’s day was summed up with the late dismissal of LazaroCredit: Reuters
A third defender soon stepped up to try his luck and this time it finally came off.
One minute before the half-time break, Van Aanholt could not have wished for better connection and his attempt flew straight as an arrow into the top corner. Dubravka’s desperate outstretched hand had no chance of stopping this left-footed 25-yard screamer.
In the second half, Van Aanholt was the chief tormentor for Newcastle and continued to create havoc.
It was from his cross, for example, that Jordan Ayew hit the outside of the post on 50 minutes. Ayew would later have another chance at the back post, from a Wilfried Zaha pass, but this time his shot was saved by Dubravka.
Surely Newcastle fans feared the worst when the teamsheets were announced and misfiring Joelinton kept his starting line-up place ahead of the fit-again Dwight Gayle.
The much-criticised Brazilian has scored just ONE league goal since his club-record £40million move from Hoffenheim in July.
Once more Joelinton was an anonymous figure, the only noteworthy effort he created was well-saved by Palace goalkeeper Vicente Guaita.
The only time we saw a bit of fight from the No.9 flop was an angry clash with Zaha for which he was booked.
Newcastle’s chances were limited. Fabian Schar watched one deflected effort tipped behind by Guaita.
And Valentino Lazaro made a long, lonely walk back to the dressing room after being sent-off for pulling back last man Zaha.
Understandably annoyed, frustrated and probably cold, Newcastle fans made their feelings known towards their hated owner, singing: “You fat Cockney b****** – get out of our club.”
And for a record 79th time, those supporters boarded late-night King’s Cross trains after a London Prem fixture with nothing but bad memories and bad hangovers to show for their travels.
Newcastle stars including Danny Rose involved in train bust-up with fan on way home after Arsenal humiliation
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
