Source: Daily_Mail
Crystal Palace 1 Sheffield Utd 0: Ambrose stunner leaves Blades in the mire
A second-half stunner from Darren Ambrose left Sheffield United deep in relegation trouble at the foot of the npower Championship.[LNB] The midfielder lit up a dour encounter between two struggling sides with a sensational volley.[LNB] Crucial strike: Darren Ambrose[LNB] It eased Palace clear of the drop zone and left Micky Adams still looking for his first win as United manager after 10 matches in charge.[LNB] Palace have now not let in a goal at home in more than 12 hours and the Blades rarely looked like threatening that miserly record.[LNB] But in a game which both teams were desperate not to lose, it was going to take something special to break the deadlock and Ambrose was the man to provide it.[LNB] The midfielder has endured a stop-start season due to injury but crashed in his fifth goal of the campaign in style from 20 yards.[LNB] The opening stages suggested the visitors would make a decent fist of it, with Neill Collins heading a good chance wide and Palace full-back Nathaniel Clyne blocking Richard Cresswell's effort on the goal-line.[LNB] But that was about as good as it got for the Blades.[LNB] At the other end Palace broke away when Wilfried Zaha played in James Vaughan, only for the Everton loanee to blaze over.[LNB] South Africa World Cup star Kagisho Dikgacoi joined the Eagles on loan from Fulham this week and almost marked his debut in spectacular style with a 25-yard volley.[LNB] United keeper Steve Simonsen managed to palm the fierce shot away and Ambrose scuffed the follow-up wide.[LNB] Ambrose nearly made amends after 20 minutes when he hammered in a 25-yard free-kick which took a slight deflection and forced Simonsen into a fine diving save.[LNB] United's crosses were causing occasional panic in the Palace area with goalkeeper Julian Speroni uncharacteristically flapping at one and skipper Paddy McCarthy heading another inches wide of his own goal.[LNB] After the break Speroni came out bravely to deny Cresswell and Dean Moxey warmed Simonsen's hands with a low drive.[LNB] But the game was meandering towards a bore draw until the 69th minute when Neil Danns won a header 30 yards out.[LNB] The ball bounced to Ambrose who, in a flash, had controlled it with his left foot before smashing it past Simonsen with his right for a truly memorable goal.[LNB] The Blades almost pulled one back but sub Marcus Bent's header was blocked on the line by a sea of Palace defenders.[LNB] Ambrose could have had a second at the end but he sent a far easier chance than the one he scored high over the top. [LNB] Leeds 2 Norwich 2: Super sub Somma denies Canaries in Elland Road thrillerNottingham Forest 2 Cardiff 1: Earnshaw haunts Bluebirds to fire Forest into second[LNB] [LNB] Explore more:People: Darren Ambrose, Julian Speroni
