Alan Pardew’s reign as Palace manager got underway with a comfortable FA Cup win over Dover on Sunday afternoon.
Two-goals in either half ensured that the non-league side weren’t going to cause any cup upset against us at the Crabble Stadium as we booked our place in the fourth round draw with a four-nil win.
A sign of what was to come was highlighted early on with Murray, back from his loan spell with Reading, denied by Dover ‘keeper Rafferty at least three times in the opening 10-minutes but you sensed it was only a matter of time before we broke through….
This eventually came when Zaha’s forward play saw his cross deflected to the back post where Dann (10) was grateful to tuck the ball away to give us the lead, which was doubled just past the half hour mark. A Bannan corner was turned home once again by Dann (34) as he headed in his second of the game; the first time in his career he had managed a brace.
Had it not been for Rafferty it would have been three, at least, by the break but after it as we threatened more goals we did make it three at the midway stage of the second period when Gayle (68) created himself some space in the box to fire home before Doyle (87) got in on the act from the bench three-minutes from time to round off the four-nil win from a Thomas cross.
A first win since November was a good way to start the Pardew era, we now need some Premier League wins to follow….
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