CRYSTAL Palace were held to a 0-0 draw at Millwall this evening in a fast and furious encounter at The Den.
It was probably the right result in the end with both sides shutting each out, but it looks as if Palace will need to win on the last day of the season this Saturday against Peterborough United to guarantee their Championship play-off place.
In a lively start at The Den, Millwall had the first effort on goal through Sean St Ledger but luckily for Julian Speroni it went well wide of the target.
Owen Garvan, back in the starting XI from injury, tried to thread a ball into Yannick Bolasie soon after only for Lions goalkeeper David Forde to claim.
Millwall built up pressure though on the Palace goal and Josh Wright nearly gave them the lead when his first time shot inside the box curled narrowly over.
But Palace hit back through good wing play from Bolasie and Wilfried Zaha, with the latter going close with an effort inside the box which fell to Glenn Murray but he was half expecting it and the ball rolled wide.
The Lions made an early substitution with Martyn Woolford replacing James Henry, and the winger made a good impression early on when he delivered a low ball across the six-yard box, and despite some slight hesitancy from the Palace defence, they managed to eventually clear.
Woolford and Wright then went into the referee's book soon after for crude challenges on Garvan and Joel Ward, but then came Palace's big chance of the first period shortly before the break.
Dean Moxey cut out a pass down the left and played Garvan in down the middle, who looked up and found Murray ghosting in behind Mark Beevers, but his first touch let him down slightly and Forde did well to smother.
Into the second half and Garvan had Palace's first chance when he sliced a shot high and wide from outside the box, and then all of a sudden the atmosphere inside The Den went into fifth gear.
Bolasie went very close to opening the scoring on 57 minutes when he sent a rasping effort towards the top corner but Forde got across to save for a corner, from which Damien Delaney headed just wide.
Murray then had a great chance to draw first blood when Zaha zipped down the left before playing a ball into the striker in on the edge of the box, but a couple of backtracking Millwall players managed to put him off as he went to pull the trigger.
Gabbidon was then beaten for pace down the left by Liam Feeney, who crossed low into the box for Shaun Batt, but luckily Speroni did enough to clear the ball.
Jonny Williams came on for Garvan but Palace were a whisker away from scoring after 77 minutes when, following a corner, the ball dropped to the feet of Delaney who stretched for the ball and shot inches wide of the upright from ten yards.
Stephen Dobbie came on late as Palace looked for some further creativity but it didn't come and they had to settle for another point.
It will go down to last game of the season this Saturday as Peterborough United come to Selhurst Park.
Palace: Speroni, Ward, Moxey, Gabbidon, Delaney, Dikgacoi, Garvan (Williams 74), Jedinak (c), Zaha, Bolasie (Dobbie 83), Murray.
Subs Not Used: Price, Ramage, Wilbraham, Moritz, Phillips.
Attendance:
By Croydon Advertiser Sports Reporter Mark Ritson
It was probably the right result in the end with both sides shutting each out, but it looks as if Palace will need to win on the last day of the season this Saturday against Peterborough United to guarantee their Championship play-off place.
In a lively start at The Den, Millwall had the first effort on goal through Sean St Ledger but luckily for Julian Speroni it went well wide of the target.
Owen Garvan, back in the starting XI from injury, tried to thread a ball into Yannick Bolasie soon after only for Lions goalkeeper David Forde to claim.
Millwall built up pressure though on the Palace goal and Josh Wright nearly gave them the lead when his first time shot inside the box curled narrowly over.
But Palace hit back through good wing play from Bolasie and Wilfried Zaha, with the latter going close with an effort inside the box which fell to Glenn Murray but he was half expecting it and the ball rolled wide.
The Lions made an early substitution with Martyn Woolford replacing James Henry, and the winger made a good impression early on when he delivered a low ball across the six-yard box, and despite some slight hesitancy from the Palace defence, they managed to eventually clear.
Woolford and Wright then went into the referee's book soon after for crude challenges on Garvan and Joel Ward, but then came Palace's big chance of the first period shortly before the break.
Dean Moxey cut out a pass down the left and played Garvan in down the middle, who looked up and found Murray ghosting in behind Mark Beevers, but his first touch let him down slightly and Forde did well to smother.
Into the second half and Garvan had Palace's first chance when he sliced a shot high and wide from outside the box, and then all of a sudden the atmosphere inside The Den went into fifth gear.
Bolasie went very close to opening the scoring on 57 minutes when he sent a rasping effort towards the top corner but Forde got across to save for a corner, from which Damien Delaney headed just wide.
Murray then had a great chance to draw first blood when Zaha zipped down the left before playing a ball into the striker in on the edge of the box, but a couple of backtracking Millwall players managed to put him off as he went to pull the trigger.
Gabbidon was then beaten for pace down the left by Liam Feeney, who crossed low into the box for Shaun Batt, but luckily Speroni did enough to clear the ball.
Jonny Williams came on for Garvan but Palace were a whisker away from scoring after 77 minutes when, following a corner, the ball dropped to the feet of Delaney who stretched for the ball and shot inches wide of the upright from ten yards.
Stephen Dobbie came on late as Palace looked for some further creativity but it didn't come and they had to settle for another point.
It will go down to last game of the season this Saturday as Peterborough United come to Selhurst Park.
Palace: Speroni, Ward, Moxey, Gabbidon, Delaney, Dikgacoi, Garvan (Williams 74), Jedinak (c), Zaha, Bolasie (Dobbie 83), Murray.
Subs Not Used: Price, Ramage, Wilbraham, Moritz, Phillips.
Attendance:
By Croydon Advertiser Sports Reporter Mark Ritson
