Dzeko helps City just clip Eagles wings

MANCHESTER CITY           1 - 0       CRYSTAL  PALACE

          

Dzeko 65'

Edin Dzeko 50th Manchester City goal was enough to send Manchester City back to the top of the Premier League table since the opening weekend of the season, after a tough 1-0 victory over a difficult to break down Crystal Palace at the Etihad Stadium.

City boss Manuel Pellegrini raised a few eyebrows with his team selection for the game, as he made Seven changes from the side that had beaten Liverpool 2-1 only two days before on Boxing Day.

It saw a near brand new defence for the Blues, with only Captain Vincent Kompany keeping his place at the back for the home side. While Gael Clichy, Belgian Dedrcyck Boyata and returning from injury Matija Nastasic all came into the team, with James Milner and Javi Garcia starting in midfield as well as Edin Dzeko playing up front as the lone striker in the starting Eleven. Pellegrini also gave some playing time to his fringe players while resting a couple on a bench too.

It was clear from the off that Crystal Palace was going to have everyone behind the ball and was that they were going to try and frustrate the home side by it. City would have to work extremely hard to break down the stubborn Palace back defence as the home side enjoy a majority of possession in the first half.

 Crystal Palace`s fortunes have changed in the last few weeks with new boss Tony Pulis style of football, starting to rub off on some of the Eagles players as they have looked a better defensive unit in the last few games for the Visitors.

pic:  bbcsports

City created a chance after a couple of minutes in when James Milner pass to Brazilian Fernandinho, saw the midfielder float a ball over the top for Edin Dzeko, but the ball was too high for the Bosnian hitman to do anything with.

Dzeko then had a half chance for the Blues, when David Silva was looking to unlock the Crystal Palace defence and his vision spotted the movement of Dzeko who had stayed on side and his effort across goal, when harmlessly wide of the goal but shown Palace, that they were dangerous despite resting a few of their star players.

For the opening half hour of the contest, the play was all inside the Palace half as City had hoped to score an early goal as to make Palace try and chase the game with an early goal.

City were carving chances out, only problem was that the shots were all off target and not troubling Spironi in the Palace goals.

Silva had an effort go wide of the target, after Fernandinho had the ball on the wrong side for him and so he laid the ball off to the Spanish wizard and saw him miss the goal with his effort.

The Visitors then created an attack with Bolasie running at the City back line unchallenged and his strike was off target, but shown Palace was up to giving it a go.

City were knocking down the away side door, but just couldn`t hit the target at all with James Milner being the next player to fire the ball just over the bar from a Clichy pass.

All the possession the home side was having wasn`t counting for anything at all, but saw City come nearer to a goal. When more good passing play saw Clichy put a ball towards the back post and Dzeko header on goal was flicked over the bar for a Corner to the home side.

pic: talksport

James Milner had another attempt for City, as his shot was deflected away for another corner kick after Silva had found Milner free.

Bolasie then had a half chance for Palace after a knockdown from Cameron Jerome saw the Striker volley the ball into the ground and safely in to the hands of Joe Hart. City then had another chance go begging as this time, Silva had his shot blocked for a corner as they kept up the pressure on the visitors.

In the 28th minute, a cross whipped in by Parr down the City right saw Palace forward Cameron Jerome and City Goalkeeper Joe Hart collide in the area and saw the Palace man going off injured, while Hart picked up a nasty looking cut under his left eye and carried on for the home side.

David Silva then nearly created a goal out of nothing, when a ball by Boyata saw the midfielder manage to kill it dead by the dead ball line and he then tried to curl a fierce shot in at a tight angle and saw the ball go just past the far post.

Fernandinho had an effort for the home side as after another patience build up by the home side saw Silva dink a ball into Dzeko and the Brazilian then flicked it up over defender head then volleyed over the bar, for yet another wasteful chance to the Manchester side.

On the stroke of half time Fernanadinho had yet another attempt on goal, this time it brought a reaction save from Spironi in the Crystal Palace goals, to deny City the lead after a great ball in to the area by James Milner, which saw the midfielder header on target and see a great save by the goal keeper.

Second half saw Crystal Palace come far more into the game than the home side will have wanted them to have been. Jason Puncheon nearly gave the London side  the lead after he evaded a poor tackle from Javi Garcia outside the area and then his was saved by Joe Hart who made a good stop to tip it away for a corner. 

pics: Newstalk980

From the corner, Chamakh just got in front of Nastastic but his header was off target and saw it go out for a goal kick.

Pellegrini then made an odd change to his side, with him bringing off Fernandinho who was one of a handful of players that was performing well on the pitch and he substituted him for Samir Nasri, as well as bringing Alvaro Negredo on for Defender Dedryck Boyata, as City now went with two strikers up front in the match.

City fans were starting to get worried now as they have been used to seeing their side coasting to victories at the Etihad Stadium this year and some fans were probably thinking as well, would City score at all in this game as they were struggling.

Jason Puncheon caused City defenders more trouble with his runs as he had another effort that curled just wide of the far post and had the home fans panicking with the way their side was playing, as it was far below what they have seen from them.

Palace went close once again, this time through Jedinak had his hard driven shot tipped over by Hart as the home side looked all at sea, with Palace now looking to be in the ascendancy now, with Pulis`s men confidence growing and believing they could win the game now.

pic: eurosport

Then in the 65th minute, the breakthrough came for the home side.

City for all the play and possession they had over the game and were finally able to convert and much like he has done in the past, Dzeko popped up with an important goal and this could prove crucial come end of the season.

Jesus Navas then picked up a ball that was partially cleared in the Visitors penalty area and he then put a ball across the box and Edin Dzeko buried the ball in the corner for a 1-0 lead. 

The visitors almost responded straight away when Ward had a strike, that saw Hart just get a finger tip on the ball to push it out for a corner.

Edin Dzeko almost made it 2-0 for the home side before stoppage time, when a cross by Navas saw Dzeko header at the side of the net saw him see it just go over the bar for a goal kick.

 The win put City temporarily top of the league since the opening weekend of the season, as the other side’s around them in the league played the day after.

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Phoenix nearly spooked by Phantoms

MANCHESTER PHOENIX   6-4  PETERBOROUGH PHANTOMS

Hand, Kovar x2, Archer,
 Psurny, Schnabel                                                                  Piatak, Ferrara x2, Koulikov 

Manchester Phoenix remained top of the EPL table with a below par 6-4 win over the Peterborough Phantoms at the Altrincham Ice Dome. The game was far from an easy two points for the Manchester hockey club as the Phantoms shown they were far from pushovers in the contest .

Peterborough were coming off the back of a good victory down in their own barn against fellow strugglers, in the Telford Tigers the night before.

Phantoms have undergone a bit of a change in the last few weeks or so, as new head coach Slava Koulikov has swapped the uncertainty of troubled club Slough Jets, for a move across to the East of England in Peterborough and has brought a few of his men from Slough with him too, notably Lithuanian forward Darius Pliskauskas.

Ice dome v Phantoms

Another big crowd at the Altrincham Ice dome , saw the Manchester Phoenix from the opening face off dominate the first period of play, as they put the Phantoms under a good deal of pressure and got given an early powerplay opportunity with James Ferrara taking the trip to the box at 0-28 gone in the game for Cross Checking.

From that resulting powerplay the Phoenix scored the game opening goal after Tony Hand pass towards goal, saw the puck diverted in off Marcel Petran skate for a 1-0 lead at 1-16 as it beat Damien King in the Peterborough nets.

James Neil then sat for 2 minutes in the box over a bizarre Hooking call at 6-55, which saw the home side kill off the penalty and rejoin his team mates just before Robin Kovar skated into the Phantoms zone and fired high over King to make it 2-0 at 8-58.

Marc Levers then headed to the penalty box for the visitors after he got called for Cross Checking a Phoenix man into the board from behind, but was called Cross Checks nevertheless at 13:04.

Phoenix made it two from two on the powerplay, after James Archer strike at 13-15 saw Manchester score three unanswered goals and Peterborough were starting to look down the barrel of a big defeat coming their way.

Minutes later the visitor`s scored a well worked goal to get themselves on the scoreboard, as some quick passing between Darius Pliskauskas and Marcel Petran found Slovakian forward Erik Piatak at the side of the net, who then found the angle to score past Steve Fone for a 3-1 game at 14-26.

We then witnessed a scrap between Phoenix Jacob Corson-Heron and Phantoms player Will Wheldon, with the Peterborough man getting the better shots in and flipped the Manchester player over for the take down too. Heron picked up a extra 2 minute call from the officials for Slashing, as Peterborough were awarded a power play at 14-48.

Phoenix increased their lead through a shorthanded effort from Czech forward Michal Psurny, after Tony Hand intercepted a pass just outside the Phantoms zone and then fed Psurny who then waited for King to commit himself and at that point Psurny took the puck round the netminder and slotted home for a 4-1 lead at 16-48.

Harry Harley then went for Slashing at 16-58 and with that, no further action took place as the home side took a comfortable 4-1 lead into the first break.

The play was completely turned on it`s head from the Second period onwards, with the Peterborough Coach Slava Koulikov certainly given his men a stern talking to during the period break, as they came out a much different side from that of the first.

Peterborough seemed to camped in the Phoenix end for a majority of the Second period with Phoenix thankful of Steve Fone between the pipes, as without him the home side would have been in deep trouble as he pulled off some very important saves.

If trying to contend with the Phantoms attack wasn`t enough for the home side,  then they were also getting into penalty trouble with Phoenix seemingly getting the rough end of some of the calls, as some calls not being called against their opponents was and a couple on Phoenix were dubious at times.

Kovar cracks on over the post

Joe Graham was the first Phoenix man to make the trip to the box as the ex Peterborough man was called for Holding at 24-32 in the game. Declan Balmer then picked up a penalty for the away side, after he Slashed a Phoenix player in the Phoenix zone and saw Manchester gain the extra man advantage.


On that powerplay a blast on goal was stopped by Damien King`s Helmet, as the crack of the puck on the helmet saw it break and then we then had a delay, with King trying to sort the problem out, before borrowing his team mates helmet for the rest of the game.

Peterborough then made the game 4-2 as player-coach Slava Koulikov scored to give the Phantoms a deserved goal for all their good play as Levers and Pliskauskas saw Koulikov score for the visitors at 31:40.

Ben Wood picked up another call for the home side this time for a dubious Hooking call at 32-13, that was followed a couple of minutes later by a 5 on 3 advantage to the Phantoms. When Messer`s Hand & Kovar was called for Tripping and Hooking, with the Kovar penalty Levers went down in stages while glancing at the referee and angered the crowd as it looked a dive to draw the extra man.

Everyone expected Manchester to come out and play better in the final twenty of the game, after their poor second period display. However for the home side, it never really got going at all with the home side seemingly to be stuck in 2nd gear and never got to the standard of the first period.

Peterborough got a bench penalty called against them, for an Icing Infringement at 43-32 and it saw Phoenix score on the powerplay through Robin Kovar, as the Czech forward saw his shot fly in the net after good work by fellow Czech line mate, Michal Psurny and player coach Tony Hand at 43-26. 

Richard Bentham a former-Phantom then got called for Hooking at 44-15 with the visitors looking to try and find a goal back on the man advantage. Not long after he came out, Bentham was quickly back in the penalty box this time, he was called for Boarding by the referee at the far end of the rink.

Though the young forward hit on his opponent seemed to be a good clean hit, but not in the officials eyes.

Manchester then made it 6-2 at 50-16, with Rob Schnabel one timing a blast from the left circle that saw the puck bulge the net and seemed to have killed the game off now.

Peterborough though, can certainly say they were unlucky with bounces going their way, as they struck both posts and the cross bar on numerous occasions in the final period. The sound of the puck pinging off the pipe work was a godsend by Phoenix and seemed like the worst noise in the world for those donning the red shirts of Peterborough.

Phantoms was certainly hitting the Phoenix goals, sadly for them it was hitting the metal work once again and seemed like Manchester`s net was living a charmed life to say the least.

Phoenix attack

Rob Schnabel then picked up a Tripping call at 55-27, when it looked like a Phantoms player skated round Schnabel and then as he tried to turn with the puck, seemed to lose his edge with the Czech defenseman turning to face the player and the referee called him for a "Phantom call" (pardon the pun). 

Peterborough cut the arrears to just three goals then, as James Ferrara made it 6-3 to Phoenix as he put home around the Phoenix nets after a scramble, with Luke Boothroyd trying to stop the Peterborough man from scoring and couldn`t, then saw Ferrara and Boothroyd have a little coming together after the play.

With Boothroyd slightly losing his cool after the way Ferrara celebrated the goal in front of him, assists on the powerplay goal went to Darius Pliskauskas and Erik Piatak coming at 56-35.

The visitors made it a bit more closer with 25 remaining in the match with James Ferrara grabbed his second goal of the night, as a lapse at the back saw Peterborough punish Phoenix with a Pliskauskas pass going across the front of the net and past back up netminder Paul Maudsley in the Phoenix nets, with Ferrara making it 6-4 at 59-35.

The win saw Phoenix consolidate top spot in the table and with them playing closing out 2013 away tomorrow night (Monday) against Milton Keynes Lightning it means 2013 will end with the Manchester side top of the EPL no matter what.

In the new year, they have a tough weekend ahead where they face joint leaders, the Basingstoke Bison down in Hampshire before returning home on the Sunday to face Stevie Lyle and his Swindon Wildcats.

Phoenix also as off Monday morning have drafted in Former Bracknell and in recent weeks ex-Peterborough player Jaroslav Cesky to help out the Phoenix, as he comes in to replace fellow Czech Repulic forward Frantisek Bakrlik who is currently injured. The Czech forward will hope to make his debut tonight in Milton Keynes for the traveling Phoenix.

  

  

English Premier League		GP	W	OTW	OTL	L	GF	GA	Pts
1	Manchester Phoenix	28	19	3	2	2	135	71	46
2	Basingstoke Bison	31	18	4	2	7	123	86	46
3	Guildford Flames	32	20	1	3	8	141	103	45
4	Milton Keynes Lightning	30	15	4	0	11	121	103	38
5	Sheffield Steeldogs	32	10	2	5	15	110	140	29
6	Bracknell Bees	31	9	3	3	16	98	123	27
7	Slough Jets	29	12	1	1	15	104	118	27
8	Swindon Wildcats	28	8	3	1	16	86	105	23
9	Telford Tigers	30	9	2	0	19	91	122	22
10	Peterborough Phantoms	31	8	0	6	17	103	141	22

  Table taken from:  www.Manchester Phoenix.co.uk