United lose lead at Selhurst Park to exit Carling Cup

3:23pm Thursday 14th August 2008

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Crystal Palace 2 Hereford United 1 HEREFORD were dumped out of the Carling Cup at Selhurst Park as they threw away the lead for the second time in four days.

Moses Ashikodi headed Hereford in front four minutes before the break, but goalkeeper Darren Randolph failed to deal with a long-range shot and then misjudged a cross as United’s second visit of the season to London ended in disappointment.

Hereford, who were unchanged after last Saturday’s defeat at Leyton Orient, were on the back foot in the early stages and Randolph did well to punch clear a dangerous left-wing cross.

United took the lead on 41 minutes, when, after a neat move out of defence involving a number of players, Ashikodi nipped in between two defenders to head in Kris Taylor’s cross.

Nick Carle levelled, however, seconds before half-time when his 20-yard shot beat Randolph’s dive and went into the corner of the net.

Three minutes after the break, John Oster’s powerfully-struck cross from the right completely deceived Randolph and went into the net off the far post.

United used all three substitutes in a bid to revive their attack but, instead, had to rely on a good Randolph save to keep out Carle’s drive as Palace looked to exploit space at the back.

Close to the end, Eagles goalkeeper Darryl Flahavan almost gifted the Bulls an equaliser when he spilled a Clint Easton cross, only to recover the ball at the second attempt as Bradley Hudson-Odoi closed in.

“For the first 41 minutes we did most things right and then we scored,” said boss Graham Turner.

“There were four things we did wrong immediately after we scored and the goal should not have gone in, the goalkeeper should have kept that one out, and it changed the complexion of the half-time situation.

“To concede another just after half-time in the manner in which we did was obviously going to set their good players up but we stuck at it.

“Whether we deserved anything, I don’t know, but what we have to do now is to make sure we don’t start feeling sorry for ourselves.

“Having taken the lead twice and finished by losing 2-1 - and we did the same in our last practice match against West Brom, we need to be more ruthless.”

Hereford: Randolph; Rose, Beckwith, Oji, Threlfall; Johnson (Guinan, 79 min), Diagouraga, Smith, Taylor (Easton, 79 min), Done (Hudson-Odoi, 68 min); Ashikodi. Subs not used: Samson, Breen, Gwynne, MacLeod.

Crystal Palace: Flahavan, Hill, Derry, McCarthy, Fonte, Carle, Moses (Djilali, 58 min), Andrew, Butterfield, Ifill (Fletcher, 46 min), Oster (Scannell, 83 min). Subs not used: Hills, Thomas, Erti, Wilkinson.

Referee: Trevor Kettle (Rutland).

Attendance: 3,094 (372 from Hereford).

Goals: Ashikodi, 41 min, 0-1; Carle, 45 min, 1-1; Oster, 49 min, 2-1; Yellow cards: Ashikodi, foul, 89 min.