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Palace edge six-goal cracker

Image: Moses: Superb brace

Crystal Palace were the victors in a thrilling six-goal match against struggling Reading.

Moses double inspires victory for Warnock's unpaid men

Crystal Palace were the victors in a thrilling six-goal match against struggling Reading at the Madejski Stadium on Tuesday night. A brace from Victor Moses and strikes from Nathaniel Clyne and Darren Ambrose helped Palace to a 4-2 win over Reading, whose goals came from Alex Pearce and Gylfi Sigurdsson. Chairman Simon Jordan has blamed a cash-flow problem for the delay in paying wages at Selhurst Park but should he decide to sell Moses - who turns 19 on Saturday - when the transfer window reopens next month then he will not be short of bidders. Palace started well and went ahead in the seventh minute. Calvin Andrew made a nuisance of himself on the edge of the area and the ball was only half cleared. Right-back Clyne showed good awareness to stride forward and steal possession 30 yards from goal, and after taking a touch forward, arrowed a shot across the turf and inside Adam Federici's near post for his first professional goal.

Howler

Grzegorz Rasiak was guilty of a pair of shocking misses before the hosts did deservedly draw level in the 31st minute. Jobi McAnuff sent in an excellent corner and Pearce gave Julian Speroni no chance with a header from 10 yards that flew into the bottom corner. Moses twice went close with solo efforts as Palace ended the half on top and Ambrose then put them back ahead in stoppage-time. The goal had a similar feel to Clyne's opener as Neil Danns won the ball with a tackle on the right. Ambrose - who had been anonymous up until that point - took the ball on and sent in a powerful shot which again beat Federici at his near post for his seventh goal in his last eight games. And the half was still to get better for Neil Warnock as Moses instantly found the third in the remaining seconds.
Sublime
Andrew held the ball up well and rolled the ball into the path of Moses, who curled a sublime first-time effort over Federici's head and into the top corner from the edge of the D. Pearce headed against the crossbar in the opening minute of the second period as Reading looked for a response which belatedly came when Rasiak won a penalty with 10 minutes left. Danny Butterfield hauled Rasiak down with a clumsy challenge and Sigurdsson confidently buried the spot kick. But there was to be no fight back as Moses saved the best for last with a fourth in the 88th minute. There seemed no danger when he received possession flush to the touchline but the 18-year-old simply dropped a shoulder, powered through two defenders and arced a dipping right-footed shot across Federici and into the far corner.

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