Appalling Palace in free fall

Crystal Palace plummeted to new depths on Saturday with a drab display in the defeat against a hard-working Plymouth Argyle side.

The Eagles' performance lacked spirit, character and above all, passion, as the homeside failed to claw back the visitors' one-goal lead which they held for over 50 minutes.

And it all started so well for Peter Taylor's men, who made early inroads on the Plymouth goal with Marco Reich and the Clinton Morrison-Dougie Freedman partnership looking bright.

A goalmouth scramble inside the Plymouth box nearly gave Palace the lead before Freedman misscued a half-volley wide with the goal gaping.

Reich got on the end of a Mark Kennedy cross but his header was easily gathered by keeper Luke McCormick as Plymouth slowly took control of the game.

The lively David Norris caused panic in the Palace box with a fierce ball across the face of goal before Gabor Kiraly was called into action to block Sylvan Ebanks-Blake's effort after he was slotted in on goal by Akos Buzsaky.

Plymouth's pressure finally paid off five minutes before the break but the goal was handed to them on a plate by Palace.

Ebanks-Banks turned swiftly to fire a low shot which Kiraly could only palm on to the post in to the path Darren Ward.

The former Millwall defender hesitated on the ball and was dispossessed by Nick Chadwick who made no mistake slotting past Kiraly from 10 yards.

A fuming Taylor would have had some harsh words to say at the break and wasted no time in making changes.

Reich was unluckily replaced by Danny Butterfield and the ineffective Fletcher was withdrawn to allow Shefki Kuqi to plat play in a front three in a 4-3-3 formation.

The tinkering looked to have had a positive effect as once again Palace started the half brightly.

Freedman forced McCormick into action but saw his shot blocked before Kuqi's deft header found Leon Cort on the edge of the box but the defender got his shot all wrong.

Kuqi looked to be Palace's best outlet and he again tested McCormick with a soft header.

With half an hour to go and Palace firmly on top, you would have expected a further onslaught in the bid to snatch an equaliser or even a late winner.

But this never came, as the Eagles' urgency was non-existent.

In fact, Plymouth looked the likelier scorers, as Paul Watton let fly from 25 yards which went just over.

Stuart Green replaced Ward as Taylor pushed further men up front but Palace did not provide the frontman with any decent service which left Kuqi, Morrison, Freedman and Green isolated.

Freedman had a late chance to grab a point but in keeping with Eagles' luck, he prodded wide.

Palace star man: Tom Soares. The only Palace player who showed a bit fight in the last quarter of the second half. Quick on the ball and looks to attack, must be played in the centre sooner rather than later.Palace: Kiraly 7, Lawrence 5, Ward 4 (Green 73 5), Cort 5, Borrowdale 5, Reich 6 (Kuqi 46 6), Kennedy 5, Fletcher 5 (Butterfield 46 6), Soares 7, Morrison 6, Freedman 6