Crystal Palace 0 Sheff United 0: No favours from Warnock for Blades

03 May 2009 21:36
So much for conspiracy theories; there was not a whiff of scandal at Selhurst Park. And just to banish any fears that Neil Warnock would make life easy for his beloved former team, Crystal Palace keeper Julian Speroni was in inspired form.Kevin Blackwell's team are in the play-offs after Birmingham's win at Reading and the Blades manager is hoping the breaks that did not come yesterday have been reserved for their meeting with Preston.Warnock admitted he was just pleased the game had no bearing on the automatic promotion picture. He said: 'When they told me about Birmingham, I thought, 'At least we didn't affect that'. Now we're all behind them for the play-offs. I still think they're the favourites, they're physically strong.'[LNB] Big Mac: Palace defender Paddy McCarthy towers above Blades striker Jamie Ward [LNB] [LNB]Blackwell, who has already suffered two play-off final defeats once as assistant to Warnock at Sheffield United and once as Leeds manager said: 'It makes it slightly easier that it was out of our hands. We will start preparing for the game on the bus on the way home.'I am pleased with the performance, it was a massive pressure game and they didn't buckle. They will need that commitment in the play-offs.' [LNB] Burnley 4 Bristol City 0: Alexander the great makes City pay the penalty Charlton 4 Norwich 2: Burton's hat-trick condemns Canaries to League OneIpswich 2 Coventry 1: Home comforts for new boss Keane Forest 3 Southampton 1: Forest on fire in sorry finish for sad SaintsPlymouth 1 Barnsley 2: Campbell-Ryce ensures Tykes' survival Preston 2 QPR 1: St Ledger the hero as hosts head into the play-offs Reading 1 Birmingham 2: Phillips fires Birmingham to the promised landSheff Wed 1 Cardiff 0: Agony for Bluebirds as play-off hopes are dashedSwansea 0 Blackpool 1:Loan star DJ on song to sink SwansWatford 3 Derby 1: Rasiak at the double as Hornets finish with a winWolves 1 Doncaster 0: McCarthy's men leave the Championship with a win Port closed: Portuguese defender Jose Fonte times his challenge to perfection to snuff out a promising chance from Ward[LNB] [LNB]Watched by 7,500 travelling United fans, Darius Henderson was guilty of a shocking miss early on, heading David Cotterill's cross wide despite having time and space to pick his spot. Speroni then denied United a goal by keeping out Chris Morgan's header. The Argentine keeper pulled off two great stops after the break, parrying Jamie Ward's shot from three yards before tipping Greg Halford's header over the bar.Palace's best spell came straight after the restart, but Neil Danns fluffed a great chance by sending his shot wide with only keeper Paddy Kenny to beat.[LNB] Burnley 4 Bristol City 0: Alexander the great makes City pay the penalty Charlton 4 Norwich 2: Burton's hat-trick condemns Canaries to League OneIpswich 2 Coventry 1: Home comforts for new boss Keane Forest 3 Southampton 1: Forest on fire in sorry finish for sad SaintsPlymouth 1 Barnsley 2: Campbell-Ryce ensures Tykes' survival Preston 2 QPR 1: St Ledger the hero as hosts head into the play-offs Reading 1 Birmingham 2: Phillips fires Birmingham to the promised landSheff Wed 1 Cardiff 0: Agony for Bluebirds as play-off hopes are dashedSwansea 0 Blackpool 1:Loan star DJ on song to sink SwansWatford 3 Derby 1: Rasiak at the double as Hornets finish with a winWolves 1 Doncaster 0: McCarthy's men leave the Championship with a win [LNB]  

Source: Daily_Mail