Keith Millen hails Crystal Palace strikers after Charlton romp

23 September 2015 22:16

Dwight Gayle gave Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew a nudge as his hat-trick shot down Charlton 4-1 in the Capital One Cup.

The striker has yet to start a Premier League game this season but put himself in the frame to face Watford on Sunday with a second-half treble.

Gayle crashed in two penalties, both given away by Alou Diarra - who was sent off - after Fraizer Campbell opened the scoring as the Eagles sank their south London rivals.

Assistant boss Keith Millen said: "It's nice to have your forwards scoring. Dwight and Fraizer looked sharp all night.

"They both looked dangerous so that will give everyone a confidence boost and it's nice to have some competition for the weekend."

Pardew picked a strong side for the derby clash, illustrating he wants a decent run in the competition - although Palace's reward is a trip to Manchester City in round four.

Millen added: "It was a performance that we wanted from the whole team, we had players who needed game time .

"We want to go as far as we can, we are in the last 16 and it's been a while since we had a cup run."

After a goalless first half, Campbell missed a sitter five minutes into the second when he headed Wilfried Zaha's cross wide from all of four yards out.

But a minute later the former Hull striker made amends, digging Zaha's pass from out of his feet, turning his marker and slotting low into the corner.

Diarra's evening started to go wrong just before the hour when he hauled down Campbell in the area, and Gayle thumped home from the spot.

The Addicks threatened a comeback when Mouhamadou-Naby Sarr headed in Johann Berg Gudmundsson's corner, but their hopes were extinguished when Diarra felled Gayle.

The defender had already been booked for the first penalty, but ref Neil Swarbrick this time showed him a straight red card for a professional foul before Gayle hit the net again.

Gayle completed his hat-trick, and Charlton's misery, when he glanced in Chung-Yong Lee's corner five minutes from time.

"We organised well in the first half, especially with a young team," said Addicks manager Guy Luzon.

"But the first penalty was harsh and then after the second, at 3-1 with 10 players, it's finished. I don't know about the sending-off, I was too far away from the situation.

"We have a lot of injuries and in our situation we had to use some young players. I wanted to pick my strongest team but I didn't have any choice."

Source: PA