Source: Team_Talk
Tevez off the mark as City progress
Joleon Lescott made his debut in a City side packed with £200million worth of talent, with boss Mark Hughes signalling his intent to justify the club's lavish spending with a trophy this season.[LNB]But owner Sheikh Mansour could have been forgiven for checking some of his receipts at half-time with Neil Warnock's no-nonsense Palace well on top.[LNB]City's all-star forward line of Tevez, Emmanuel Adebayor and Robinho were not relishing the experience as the Palace back four snapped and snarled at them at every opportunity.[LNB]At the other end, Lescott and Kolo Toure, wearing the captain's armband with Richard Dunne set to join Aston Villa, struggled with Palace's pacy attackers Freddie Sears and Victor Moses.[LNB]Palace, whose only summer signings have been loans and free recruits, had the scent of a major upset in their nostrils as the sides trooped off at the interval.[LNB]But whatever Hughes told his side in the dressing room paid off as Shaun Wright-Phillips finally found some space to hit the opener and Tevez struck a second to seal City's passage into the third round of the competition they last won in 1976 - their last major trophy.[LNB]The visitors created their first chance after just two minutes, with Adebayor and Robinho combining well before teeing up Tevez, who fired wide from just inside the area.[LNB]But after that early wake-up call Palace began warming to their task and almost took the lead when Clint Hill was left unmarked to meet Darren Ambrose's free-kick, only to head straight at Shay Given.[LNB]Palace were intent on unsettling City's new-look back four and Moses' low cross had to be palmed clear by Given before Paddy McCarthy's header was kept out by the Irish goalkeeper.[LNB]The Premier League side were almost caught napping when Shaun Derry put Sears in behind, but the striker's angled drive was too close to Given.[LNB]On the half-hour midfielder Ambrose was afforded too much space by a hastily retreating defence and fizzed a 20-yard shot inches over Given's crossbar.[LNB]A slick counter from City almost paid dividends when Stephen Ireland played in Adebayor, who cut inside onto his right foot and curled in a shot which Palace goalkeeper Julian Speroni blocked at full stretch.[LNB]Tevez then played a clever one-two with Ireland but Speroni was out quickly to deny his fellow Argentinian.[LNB]Given came to City's rescue again just before the break after a high ball caught Toure dozing and Sears almost nipped in.[LNB]But City finally found their goalscoring touch five minutes into the second half, and it was two of their homegrown stars who made the breakthrough.[LNB]Ireland fed the ball across the pitch to Wright-Phillips, who had escaped the attentions of Hill for once and hit a fierce drive which beat Speroni inside his near post.[LNB]Two minutes later Ireland sent Adebayor through one-on-one with Speroni, but the goalkeeper spread himself well to keep his side in the tie.[LNB]Barely 60 seconds later City carved Palace open again, Robinho slipping in Wright-Phillips who dinked the ball over Speroni but against the crossbar.[LNB]Palace had a chance to level midway through the second half when Nathanial Clyne found Moses in the area, but the youngster skied his shot.[LNB]And the tiring hosts were made to pay in the 71st minute when Tevez tip-toed in between the centre-halves and nodded Wright-Phillips' corner past Speroni.[LNB]Tevez almost doubled his tally when he danced past Hill and fired in a low shot which Speroni scrambled away.[LNB]At the other end, Given saved well from Alassane N'Diaye and Shaun Derry fired wide, but City did manage to record another clean sheet and maintained their 100% record this season.[LNB][LNB][LNB]
