THE youngest ever Crystal Palace Ladies side to pull on the Eagles shirt left it to last minute before seeing off a determined Westfield side to march into the final of the Surrey County Cup against Chelsea Ladies.

Palace looked to take the game to Westfield and they twice went close through Hannah Mayhew and Jade McPhun, before a great cross from Charlotte Cavanagh was headed on by McPhun to Chelsea Wallace at the far post, who slammed the ball into the roof of the net after 15 minutes.

Palace kept pushing forward and Mayhew was unlucky not to make it two when her angled drive came back off the post.

Although Palace were on top, they allowed Westfield back into the game, and after a couple of close calls, they took advantage of their possession when goalkeeper Sam Sharpe was only able to push out a shot to a Westfield forward, who fired in the equaliser.

Palace still looked dangerous going forward and both McPhun and Mayhew should have done better with good chances, but the first half finished 1-1.

Westfield took the lead after 65 minutes when a corner was allowed to get to the far post, where the Westfield forward was able to scramble it over the line.

Palace were then guilty of missing some glorious chances through Rebekah Wiltshire, Mayhew and Lecomber.

But Mayhew popped up with a fine equaliser when she turned a defender before sprinting clear and firing an unstoppable shot from the right of the box.

In extra-time, Palace had Sharp to thank for keeping them in the tie, but just three minutes from time Lecomber played in Cavanagh down the right, and she delivered the ball to the far post where Wiltshire rose to power a header into the net for the winning goal.

The young female Eagles will now face a real glamour cup final against Chelsea on Wednesday, April 3, at Leatherhead Football Club.

Aaron Wilbraham gave the Eagles the lead after they had missed a penalty through Ibra Sekajja.

The Magpies' in-form striker Adam Campbell equalised for the visitors, but Sullay KaiKai put Palace ahead once again, only for Orlando Aarons to equalise late in the second period. The first chance of the game fell to Campbell, who latched onto a ball from Dan Gosling, but Lewis Price denied him one-on-one.

Kyle De Silva was fouled in the box after 14 minutes, but Sekajja saw his effort hit the crossbar.

However, they took the lead when Da Silva got to the byeline and fed Wilbraham to find the back of the net from close range.

But it was short-lived as Gosling's effort bounced back into the path of Campbell, who saw a deflected shot go past Price.

Da Silva had others ideas though as he played a good ball into KaiKai, who shot past Magpies custodian Jonathan Mitchell to give them a half-time lead.

Jacob Butterfield came on for Palace at the break and he was soon in the thick of the action by forcing Mitchell to push away an effort from just outside box.

Wilbraham went close with a header while Alex Wynter also went close from a KaiKai corner.

But they were pegged back again on 79 minutes when substitute Aarons found the bottom corner.

U18 star Reise Allassani nearly won it soon after with a curling effort, while the ball was cleared off the line from a Palace corner late on.

And the Eagles survived a late scare when Price took a free-kick which fell into the feet of Campbell, who put the ball into the back of the net, but it was ruled out for offside.

THE running of the borough's libraries is up for grabs again after the contract with the preferred bidder fell through.

John Laing Integrated Services (JILS), the former preferred bidder, says it will now re-bid against a former competitor to run the libraries instead of the council.

Councillor Tim Pollard said the move followed JILS making a last-minute change to its proposal, over library staff's pension arrangements.

He said the change would affect the bid's "risk profile" and therefore the authority should, under EU procurement rules, hear from the three shortlisted bidders again.

Cllr Pollard added: "This does mean a short delay, but we are determined to secure the best value for the taxpayer."

He made the announcement towards the end of a full council meeting on Tuesday evening to approve this year's budget.

The last-minute announcement left no time for discussion and sparked outrage among the Labour opposition, who stormed out of the chamber.

Leader of the opposition Tony Newman said he would be seeking an emergency council meeting over the development.

He said: "The question we will be asking there is what is behind the collapse of this contract?

"The whole process is shrouded in secrecy and it involves millions of pounds worth of public money."

A JILS spokeswoman confirmed that it did plan to resubmit a bid, and said it was "an exciting proposition" for the company.

A spokesman for Wandsworth Council, one of the previous three bidders, said it would not be trying for the contract again while Greenwich Leisure Limited, the third shortlisted party, did not respond to a request for comment.

THE council tax and budget for next year were approved on Tuesday evening.

Council tax will rise this year by 1.85 per cent, the first increase since 2010, as reported in last week's Advertiser.

Total council tax bills will rise by 1.2 per cent due to a cut in the London mayor's share, approved by the London Assembly.

The budget was approved without amendments after a heated debate along party lines.

Council leader Mike Fisher defended his budget, saying: "Well I have sat here listening carefully to all the speeches and I am still no closer now to knowing what Labour would do.

"What I have seen them do is rack up an extra £16.2 million worth of spending."

But Labour councillor Sean Fitzsimons said: "You just are so incompetent that one year away from election you put up council tax."

The council needs to save £36 million over the next two years.

Planned investments over the next four years include £92 million for primary schools, £49 million for secondary schools, and £26 million to refurbish Fairfield Halls.

WITHOUT a win on the road for nine league games it's fair to say that Crystal Palace's away form is dreadful at the moment for a team chasing promotion to the Premier League, writes Stephen Bridle.

Our home form, however, is remarkable – you have to travel back to August 18 and a 3-2 loss to Watford to find our last defeat. That's 17 games unbeaten by my count.

There are six remaining at Selhurst Park before the curtain comes down on what's sure to be remembered as a thrilling season.

If we secured those 18 points, history tells us it still wouldn't be enough to go up automatically, which we should surely be aiming for if we're aiming for anything.

Last Saturday – a 1-0 loss to Sheffield Wednesday – epitomised our troubles when travelling. Our performances lack confidence of those in south London.

What's more is that we fail to capitalise on the hard work we put in. Fifty-eight per cent possession and seven shots on target should have seen an extra three points tallied up next to our name in the league table; though a familiar and unwelcome lack of cutting edge meant we picked up no points.

And the performances away against Burnley, Huddersfield Town and Watford in the first half, highlights the massive discrepancies in our form and assault on second place.

The atmosphere generated at home games should not be underestimated, but it's obvious we have the quality to win big on the road – we just need to find the catalyst and start turning in those performances and grabbing the results we all know we're capable of. Success at Selhurst seems an almost forgone conclusion. The battle needs to be won on foreign soil.

CROYDON Central MP Gavin Barwell's legislation on mental health officially passes into law today (Friday).

The Mental Health (Discrimination) Bill aims to break down barriers that infringe the rights of people with mental health problems, and bars them from participating in jury service or becoming a company director.

It also changes a law which stipulates MPs will lose their seats if they are sectioned under the Mental Health Act for more than six months, even if they make a full recovery.

Three leading organisations – the Royal College of Psychiatrists, and mental health charities Mind and Rethink Mental Illness – have backed the legislation.

Paul Farmer, chief executive of Mind, said: "This is a hugely important day for anyone affected by mental health problems and a watershed moment for attitudes to mental health."

Mr Barwell said: "To our shame, the law still discriminates against those with a mental health condition.

"As well as stopping this, the Bill sends a clear message from Parliament that discrimination is wrong: that people have a right to be judged as individuals, not labelled or stereotyped.

"As a society we still have a long way to go to tackle the forms of discrimination and the inequalities that people with mental illness face."

Meanwhile, Croydon South MP Richard Ottaway's Scrap Metal Dealers Bill – an attempt to crack down on the scourge of metal theft – has also become an Act of Parliament.

AN AMPUTEE walked for more than one mile across Croydon to raise money for his rehab ward.

Ian Wilkinson walked from the Travelodge, in Wellesley Road, to the Two Brewers pub, in Gloucester Road, on Sunday afternoon.

He raised more than £700 in sponsorship for the Coastal Rehab Unit at Croydon University Hospital – and hopes that figure can reach £1,000. The 58-year-old is getting used to a prosthetic after his left leg was amputated last August due to diabetes.

Ian, who is a pub quizmaster at The Two Brewers, said: "I was looking forward to the walk, but then the day before I was petrified.

"The staff at the unit love their job and want to help people get better. I am so grateful to them."

And on Tuesday, Ian Holloway's men welcome fellow promotion chasers Hull City to Selhurst Park.

However, with just over two months of the campaign left, the Eagles need to pick up victories on the road if they are to take one of the automatic promotion places.

Assistant manager Keith Millen is looking forward to both games and insists Palace just need to keep performing and results will come.

"The game against Hull is more important in a way, but we've got to deal with Derby first as a win will put us in a good position," he said.

"We then have two home games, and the more we get towards the end of the season, the more important it becomes.

"But, Hull being where they are, it's not a six-pointer, but they're our rivals for an automatic promotion spot.

"If we keep performing the way we are, we're going to win more than we lose."

Derby have had a steady season but have lacked the consistency needed to break into the top six places, and they haven't won in their last five matches.

However, they have only lost twice at Pride Park, coupled with the fourth-best defence at home this season, so this might not be a straightforward evening for Ian Holloway's men.

And with more than 22,000 fans expected through the turnstiles, there should be a good atmosphere inside the ground.

Wilfried Zaha, at the time of going to press, was still doubtful with a troublesome ankle after complaining in Wednesday's training session, while the game comes too soon for Andre Moritz, who is back in training after an ankle injury of his own, and the likes of Joel Ward and Danny Gabbidon are still unavailable.

The Rams do have some injury problems of their own with defenders Michael Hoganson and Kieron Freeman doubtful, while highly-rated youngster Will Hughes is out with a groin problem.

But on-loan striker Chris Martin could get a start against Palace.

He spent a spell last season on loan at Selhurst Park and netted seven times, which included two against Derby.

However, they do have one of the in-form Championship players in their ranks in Jamie Ward, and boss Nigel Clough believes he is playing some of his best football and can be a big threat to Palace this evening.

"Confidence is the key behind Jamie's form this season and his goals ratio is particularly impressive," he said.

"He looks a real threat and he has an ability to get a goal out of nothing, as well as a creative spark that no-one else can provide."

An even bigger clash is in store against Hull City, with both sides gunning for the second automatic promotion spot alongside Watford.

And of course, the game marks the return of former manager Steve Bruce at Selhurst Park.

Bruce has done a good job taking the Tigers up the table and has formed an attacking side this season, with the likes of Robert Koren, Sone Aluko, Robert Brady and Ahmed Elmohamady catching the eye.

And January loan signing Gedo has proved to be big hit with a number of goals in recent games, so he'll be one Palace need to watch closely.

Both sides played out a goalless draw at the end of November, but it was an entertaining clash with both sets of attacking talent having chances to win the game.

Let's just hope the same happens again on Tuesday – with a Palace win.

POLICE ducked for cover as a metal shotgun ammunition box containing 126 bags of cannabis was hurled from a first-floor window.

Officers were trying to force entry through the front door of the semi-detached house in Tintern Road, Carshalton, when the heavy metal object smashed into a patio paving slab as it crashed to the ground.

The ammunition box was taken to Sutton Police Station, where it was opened and found to contain 120 "snap" bags and six larger bags of suspected cannabis.

While searching the property, the officers also found around 15 snap bags of white powder – believed to be a Class A drug.

Two women aged 42 and 28 were arrested following last Friday's raid.

In a separate drugs bust on Tuesday, a 28-year-old man was arrested after police found a cannabis factory at a house in Church Hill Road, Sutton.

Officers found 60 cannabis plants in an outbuilding in the back garden, while a search of the address also uncovered a quantity of CS and pepper spray. Chief Inspector Nick Collins said this week's arrests were a signal that the police were getting tough on drugs in Sutton.

He said: "Residents are rightly concerned when they believe that drugs are being bought, sold and grown in their neighbourhoods. We have been actively encouraging residents to pass on any information they have about suspicious individuals and addresses.

"This information is developed by local police teams and, combined with information from our own intelligence unit, results in the drugs raids and operations that we carry out on a regular basis around the borough.

"Residents should not have to put up with drugs-related activities on their doorstep. Drugs are a blight on local communities and only tend to encourage more crime.

"We want to continue to encourage residents to help us and we will continue to be robust and relentless in the pursuit of anyone involved in drugs-related crime."

Officers are contacting property management companies, letting agents and landlords to advise them to check their properties regularly to ensure they are not being used for the cultivation of drugs.

THIS picture shows a Croydon teacher about to guzzle luxury Champagne, having conned colleagues out of £20,000 – by "repeatedly" lying about having terminal cancer.

Ursula Rose, a teacher at Oasis Academy Shirley Park, faces jail after being found guilty of defrauding friends who jumped to her aid by lending the money for what they believed to be emergency treatment.

This photo was taken at a "fundraiser" held by the friends, to support the mother of four.

A jury at Croydon Crown Court, which also heard Rose went on holiday after raking in the cash – despite claiming she was penniless – convicted the 42-year-old, who exploited friends' goodwill and told lies about having six brain tumours to swindle the money.

While a teaching assistant in 2008-09 at St Thomas Becket Catholic Primary School, in South Norwood, she said she needed up to £40,000 for "wonder" drugs from the US, alongside specialist operations in private hospitals.

Rose, of Westgate Road, South Norwood, even bought a wig in preparation for "hair loss" to deceive her peers, while forged letters were handed to Thomas Becket's head teacher detailing her "illness".

Claire Robinson, prosecuting, told Rose: "You knew there was nothing wrong with you from the start, didn't you?

"You told this story to a lot of people about brain tumours and cancer to get their sympathy. You told them you were having an operation that was life-threatening and you might die.

"You, over a number of months and years, repeatedly told friends and colleagues you had cancer and were having treatment. You defrauded these people out of large sums of money."

Uncovering the fraud rested on a number of events.

The first was a fundraiser at Bar Txt, in South Croydon, organised by colleagues of Thomas Becket for Rose's treatment.

But in court, she claimed the event was not for herself and was for children with leukaemia.

However, a card sent by Rose to then colleague Iona Horwood, read to the court, said: "I most certainly do remember the fundraiser you done [sic] for me in May. It was so appreciated by me and my family."

Rose also claimed in a police interview that "no fundraising" had been done that evening, and it was just a "girls' night out".

Meanwhile a text sent to colleague Anna Anastasi in 2009 said: "Hi darling, not good news, treatment not worked, is now terminal." Rose claimed her phone was stolen and someone else sent the message.

The fraud came to light when Thomas Becket head teacher Noel Campbell contacted Rose's doctor, who told him she did not have cancer but suffered from migraine-like headaches.

The jury convicted Rose of four counts of fraud on Wednesday after a five-day trial. Rose, who became a teacher at Oasis after completing a postgraduate certificate in education in 2011, will be sentenced on April 18.

HUNDREDS of residents and businesses had their phone and internet lines cut for more than a week – after underground cables were damaged in a suspected theft attempt.

BT cables covering "a wide area" in and around Southbridge Place, next to the Croydon Flyover, were affected on last Tuesday (February 19).

A BT spokesman said it was working "around the clock" to fix the problem, but service was likely to be disrupted for some well into this week.

He added: "We would appeal to residents to be vigilant and report any suspicious behaviour in or around street cabinets or manhole covers immediately."

Surgical Instrument Group Holdings Ltd, based at the IO Trade Centre in Croydon Road, was still without phone lines on Tuesday – seven days after the initial damage was caused.

Managing director David Peddy said: "We lost our phones, our fax, e-mails, internet. We had our landline diverted through my mobile and our laptops are using the adjacent company's wi-fi.

"Customers cannot get through to us, send us orders or ask for information."

Mr Peddy was getting increasingly frustrated with the pace of repairs and what he described as poor communication from BT.

His company makes, sells and repairs reusable surgical instruments such as forceps and scissors, and supplies hospitals across the country.

"I have spoken to our provider who is speaking to BT, but we have to keep chasing them."

The BT spokesman said engineers have brought in replacement cabling and were "jointing those affected back into service".

He added: "We have now restored some of those affected and this will increase as work progresses around the clock.

"We are doing all we can to get this completed as quickly as possible, but it is likely to be well into next week before absolutely everyone is back in service."

Crimestoppers and BT Openreach are offering a reward of up to £1,000 for information about the damage.

Simon Davies, security manager at BT, said: "Cable thieves seem to be targeting Croydon once again with other incidents having occurred close by recently. If you have any information on activity around a manhole in Southbridge Place, mid-morning last Tuesday, contact Crimestoppers now and help safeguard your community services."

If you have information, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

PATRICIA Crouch was born in Croydon, lived here all her life and spent more than 25 years policing its streets.

Today (Friday) the borough says goodbye to someone who dedicated her life in its service.

Friends and colleagues will gather at Croydon Crematorium to remember the 69-year-old who died last Monday.

"She was a larger than life character, with a stern exterior but a big softie inside," her daughter Pauline told the Advertiser.

Patricia intended to join the force when she left school but found the Metropolitan Police would not accept 16-year-olds.

Instead, she studied nursing at what was then Croydon Technical College for two years. In 1961, she successfully applied to continue her training at Farnborough Hospital in Bromley.

After qualifying, she worked in Croydon General Hospital's Herbert Brown wing between 1964 and 1965.

Patricia spent time as a receptionist for a dental surgeon before being employed by Croydon Council as a nurse responsible for five schools in Thornton Heath, but she still longed to fulfil her first ambition.

"From my office in Taberner House I would look out over the yard of Croydon Police Station," she wrote in her CV.

"I would watch the comings and goings and think 'I want to do that'."

In 1972 Patricia applied for a job with the Met, successfully passing the entrance exam, and a year later she was posted to Croydon, where she was given special responsibility for women, including missing people, shoplifters and young offenders.

In 1987 she moved to Kenley and was given her first 'home beat', covering South Croydon, Sanderstead and Purley.

There Patricia, who lived all her life in the same house in South Norwood, got to know the area, the people living there and its "villains".

In 1991 she returned to Croydon, where she worked until retiring in 1998. Patricia spent her retirement enjoying the good life with friends and visiting Pauline in Spain.

For the past 15 years she lived with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia and, last November, developed complications following a bone marrow transplant and spent six weeks in the Royal Marsden cancer hospital in Chelsea.

On December 12, Patricia told her daughter she was expecting a very special visitor.

"When she said there was a royal on the way I thought the doctors might have to come and test her brain," laughed Pauline.

"Suddenly this person walks into the room and said: 'Good afternoon, Pat'. It was Prince William.

"He stayed and had a chat with us for at least ten minutes. He asked her what she used to do for a living and she told him about the police.

"Then she turned to him and said 'I wore your grandmother's initials on my hat for 26 years'. He burst out laughing and I nearly fell off my chair.

"When the Prince went to leave he told mum he bet Croydon was never the same without her policing it. She wouldn't stop talking about his visit for weeks."

Patricia had a heart attack last Monday and died peacefully in her sleep.

Her funeral is to be held at 3pm today (Friday) at Croydon Crematorium.

"Her funeral is going to be something else," said Pauline.

"There will be a horse and carriage and we will fly the police flag.

"She's going out in style, just as she would have wanted."

On Thursday 28 February 2013 the Childcare department held a fashion show and art exhibition to showcase their learning on children's rights. The event took place in Nightingales restaurant with the College Principal, Peter Mayhew-Smith present amongst a number of friends and family.

As part of the Childcare course students have been working on gaining an in-depth understanding of children's rights. The students have worked in small groups to research an article from the rights and have taken this information and designed this onto a t-shirt. These t-shirt designs were displayed in the fashion show.

The students have also gone into their work placements and have set up activities to raise children's awareness of their rights. This resulted in children making artwork displaying what their rights mean to them and this is the artwork that was on display at the exhibition.

Following the catwalk display of t-shirts the students were questioned by their tutor on what right they learnt about and how they approached this with the children they work with in their placement.

The Carshalton College hairdressing students were also involved in the show doing the hair for those students participating in the fashion show.

Carshalton College Childcare tutor, Xiao-Huang Li organised the fashion show and exhibition and said "The students have really gained a thorough understanding of children's rights and the importance & seriousness of the subject. It has been great for them to display what they have learnt in a different way through the fashion show and art exhibition. We are all so pleased with our students and the effort they have put in with the subject and with the show. This is the first time we have organised this event and it has proven very successful and has aided the students in their learning."

PALACE assistant manager Keith Millen says the Eagles will not be changing their style of play ahead of tonight's game against Derby County at Pride Park.

Millen acknowledges the team have not won away since November, but insists the Eagles have not been that bad on the road – they just need a bit of luck.

"The boss and I were talking about it the other day, but we've had a few games like the one at Sheffield Wednesday last weekend," he said.

"The games at Burnley and Huddersfield, there was nothing in them, and they weren't great games, but we had done enough to get something from them.

"The form we're in and the mood among the lads, we really fancy taking something from the game at Derby.

"It will be a tough one and they're a decent side at home, but we certainly won't be changing our mindset.

"We go into every game looking to play attacking football, so it's not about looking to play a more solid and defensive game instead.

"Selhurst has been great for us this season but it has been over the years for Palace.

"The form hasn't been bad away from home, we just haven't picked the results up, so it's something we need to address if we want to get in the top two places.

"Any points you get away are a bonus when you win your home games."

Meanwhile, Millen says the management team gave the players two days off at the start of the week.

"It's important you keep the lads fresh because you're not going to get them any fitter," he said.

"It's more of a mental thing that we keep them happy and they continue to enjoy what they're doing.

"Hopefully they will be raring to go."

TWO robbers have been jailed for stealing money from a mini-cab driver and injuring him with a concrete block. 
Aaron Mizen, 32, and Natalie Bivand, 31, attacked the driver while he was taking them to central Croydon on October 5 last  year.  
The pair, both of no fixed abode, were found guilty at a trial at Croydon Crown Court and have both been sentenced to three and a half years in jail.
They launched their attack after asking their driver to pull over in Bridge Place, central Croydon, having started their journey in Penge at around 4.45pm. 
Mizen dragged the driver out of the car with an object at his neck - which the driver believed to be a knife, police said, before hitting him with a concrete block and stealing his wallet, containing £130.
Bivand also assaulted the driver and stole an undisclosed amount of  money from inside the car, before the pair left the scene.
The driver was taken to Croydon University Hospital and treated for a broken ankle and injuries to his jaw.
DC Kris Blamires, from Croydon CID, who investigated the case, said today (Friday) the victim's injuries were "long-lasting" and  "still having a negative impact on his personal and professional life."
Bivand and Mizen were arrested on October 8 after police found their bags and clothing in the bag of the car, but denied the offences.  
DC Blamires added: "With the strong evidence from witnesses and the victim, they were convicted and will be spending a considerable time behind bars."

FORTY-THREE people have been injured in traffic collisions on or near 10 school crossings set to be scrapped by the council.

Figures for accidents over the past three years appear to indicate how dangerous the roads can be when lollipop men and women are not on duty – and how much safer it may be when they are.

None of the 36 collisions involved children and few were during the school rush.

The figures, obtained by the council this week, are among the factors it will take into account when deciding which of the patrols should be cut.

The Advertiser has launched a campaign to save the crossings, which cost £60,000 a year.

Each of the under threat lollipop men and women work on automated or zebra crossings, though parents and head teachers who have backed out effort say this is far from a guarantee of safety.

The data, compiled by Transport for London (TfL), shows the number of incidents between January 2009 and September 2012.

The area around the automated crossing on Lodge Lane, which serves Elmwood Junior School, saw the highest number of accidents during this period, with eight.

None of the collisions occurred during times generally thought of as the morning or afternoon school rush.

In the most serious incident, three people were injured when a car driven by a 21-year-old man went through a red light and crashed into another vehicle. In December 2011 a cyclist was injured when he jumped the traffic signal and collided with a car. Some of the incidents appear the fault of the pedestrian, including a 32-year-old man who was seriously injured after running into the road. In another a 65-year-old was standing in the street watching the Olympics last July when a car ran over his foot.

Lollipop patrollers and parents concerned by the cuts have spoken of dangerous conditions caused by hurrying or impatient drivers, which fits the description of several recorded collisions on a number of the crossings.

A pair of lollipop patrollers serving Broadmead Primary and The Crescent are under threat. TfL data shows there were two collisions near the zebra crossing on Sydenham Road and five in Northcote.

Joe Wittams, a parent governor at The Crescent, said: "Statistics like this can be interpreted in a lot of different ways. It's also extremely difficult to tell how many accidents the school crossings have prevented.

"What I know is that our lollipop people must have been put there for a reason. At some point a risk assessment will have shown there was cause for concern. The council may use stats like this to prove their point, but they should also be taking into account the other factors which make an accident more likely, such as gender, deprivation and ethnicity.

The council says its risk assessments will include accident statistics as well as the number of children using each crossing, both on their own and with an adult, the volume of traffic, the behaviour of motorists and the position of signs and road markings.

It is also talking to other boroughs which have made similar decisions to identify what other checks or measures might prove useful. Accidents statistics have also been compiled for 20 other crossings which have been phased out over the last decade.

There have been 13 incidents near the crossing on Beulah Hill since All Saints C of E Primary's lollipop patroller was scrapped in March 2009.

This included a 12-year-old who was knocked over after leaving school on May 31 last year. The schoolboy was seriously injured after stepping out from behind a parked car instead of using the zebra crossing.

Michaela Groves, All Saint's school manager, believes the school needs a lollipop patroller.

"We are situated between two very busy main roads – Church Road and Beulah Hill," she said.

"Each has a zebra crossing, however the flow and speed of traffic that uses these roads makes it virtually impossible to cross the road safely without traffic supervision.

"The zebra crossing in Church Road is currently manned by our lollipop man John Murphy. He does a fantastic job in making sure that our pupils and parents can cross this road safely while he is on duty.

"We fully support the Croydon Advertiser's campaign."

Cutting ten patrols would save the council £60,000 as part of larger plans to make £36 million in savings over the next two years.

A final decision about which crossings will go will be made in April.

• Elmwood Junior School, Lodge Road, Croydon; automated crossing*; eight
• Oasis Academy Shirley Park, Long Lane, Addiscombe; automated crossing; two injuries
• St John's/Shirley High, Shirley Church Road, Shirley; automated crossing; three
• Park Hill Junior School, Stanhope Road, Croydon; zebra crossing; five
• Broadmead Junior School, Sydenham Road, Croydon; zebra crossing; two
• Broadmead Junior School, The Crescent, Northcote Road; zebra crossing; five
• Woodside Junior School, Morland Road; zebra crossing; two injuries
• Woodside Junior School, Blackhorse Road; zebra crossing; two
• All Saints CofE Primary School, Upper Beulah Hill, Upper Norwood; zebra crossing; six
• Aerodrome Primary School, Goodwin Road, Croydon; zebra crossing; one

YANNICK BOLASIE says he was happy with his second half performance at Hillsborough and hopes to take that form into the rest of the season.

And with a Friday night game next up for the Eagles, the winger said he prefers playing on Saturdays at 3pm.

"I do like playing night games and have favoured them before, but not so much now because I've played so much on a Saturday and you tend to prefer them because they come around quicker," he said.

"In the first half at Sheffield Wednesday, I didn't think I was in the game that much but in the second half I came into it more, and that's the way I want to finish the season.

"For me as a player, I like to admit things, and I think the last four or five games haven't been the best of what I've been doing at Palace. But to play like I did in the second half at Wednesday gave me a lot of confidence to come back in and to give us a push now towards the end of the season.

"I thought we would have got the three points late in the game, but obviously they got something at the end and nicked it."

And assistant boss Keith Millen couldn't fault the players' performance, insisting Palace didn't deserve to lose the game.

A COULSDON snooker venue's application to sell alcohol until 2am, two days a week, has been turned down.

Frames Sports Bar, in Brighton Road, applied for various extensions that would have enabled it to serve alcohol until 2am on Thursdays and Saturdays.

This was turned down by Croydon Council on Wednesday evening.

However, the club will be allowed to open until 2am on no more than 30 occasions a year to host pool tournaments.

The bar had previously dropped an application to serve booze until 3am in 2011, after residents complained, but returned with a revised bid in January.

Neighbours had complained about the renewed application, with one letter to the council claiming the area would become a "sleazy ghetto".

Another said: "There are frequent instances of shouting, swearing, urination, breaking glass and other antisocial activities."

The bar wanted to hold twice-monthly over-30s nights on Saturdays, but owner Mehmet Akis said the venue would not become a nightclub.

The application asked for extra licences to be granted for live music, dance performance, films and live sporting events.

Before the meeting, Mr Akis said: "We want to generate more money for our business. There is nothing to worry about."

But next-door neighbours Coulsdon Comrades Club sent Croydon Council's licensing team a strong letter of objection.

The letter claimed people leave Frames at after 3am and that blood was found on the pavement after a fight.

Top snooker players such as Marco Fu, Tony Drago and David Gray have used the club to practise.

Frames also holds regular tournaments, which is another reason Mr Akis gave for wanting to open the bar later.

Another resident said: "I am shocked that after a long period when Frames have been agreeable and considerate to neighbours they now appear to want to take over the entire area."

The application also received objections from Croydon GLA member Steve O'Connell and Conservative councillor for Coulsdon West Jeet Bains.

The council's pollution team recommended the application be turned down, which it duly was by Croydon Council's licensing committee at a meeting on Wednesday night.

After the meeting, speaking about the decision to allow Frames 30 days' worth of late opening, committee member Councillor Tony Pearson said: "They met the council's pollution team and agreed a number of amendments which satisfied the objectives of the licensing team."

I THINK football can be very cruel at times.

If anybody was at the game last Saturday at Sheffield Wednesday, they would have thought we were much the better team in the second half.

To be perfectly honest, they got a goal with nine minutes to go and we couldn't respond, and there wasn't that much difference.

Now is the time to start winning and get a good run together – there is no reason that we can't.

From my point of view it's always good to be in the leading pack and just on the shoulder of one or two of the other teams, because nothing is done yet.

Pride Park is a fantastic place to go because they've got a great surface and they've got a great stadium, so we'll be looking forward to it.

We've just got to visualise ourselves winning again on the road.

I don't think we're far off from having a really good run and it's great finding out whether you can do it when you need to.

My suggestion is that my group of players will.

They'll grow into it, and unfortunately last weekend maybe we missed Wilfried Zaha.

Even if he was on the bench, it might have helped us to bring him on.

With two games coming up after Derby, there's nothing more exciting than where we are right now, so it's a great feeling.

But it's all about Derby first. You're next three points are the most important and what you've got to do is get as many as you can on this run-in.

Reading proved it last year, while Sir Alex Ferguson calls it 'squeaky bum time', and it is.

What you've got to do, going into these games is still be calm and play your football.

I know how much you want our lads to perform but we've all got to stay calm.

You've got to relish these opportunities and I'm delighted the lads have given us all an exciting end to the season.

Reading managed to get a run going and that was enough to get them up, so anything can happen, and we've still got a quarter of the season left.