Match ends, Dover Athletic 0, Crystal Palace 4.
DoverDover Athletic0Crystal PalaceCrystal Palace4
- Pardew takes charge of Palace for the first time
- Defender Dann scores twice in the first half
- Forwards Gayle and Doyle wrap up the win
Alan Pardew avoided an FA Cup upset in his first game as Crystal Palace boss as the Premier League side beat non-league Dover to reach the fourth round.
Defender Scott Dann scored a first-half double, volleying in the opener before heading in a second.
Conference side Dover could not compete with Palace, failing to register a single shot on target.
Instead, a Dwight Gayle strike and Kevin Doyle's close-range goal secured Palace a first win since November.
Dover, 86 places below Palace in the league ladder, went into the game on the back of a 16-game unbeaten run and that form, coupled with an already impressive FA Cup campaign in which they had not conceded a goal in four games, meant there was more than a hint of a potential upset before kick-off.
However, Pardew - appointed on Saturday following his departure from Newcastle - was keen to avoid any embarrassment and fielded a strong side that included Wilfried Zaha, Dwight Gayle and Glenn Murray in a physical and pacey attack. The trio caused Dover's back five problems from the outset.
Murray saw a close-range header from Zaha batted away by Dover goalkeeper Andy Rafferty, before nodding another effort just wide.
But the pressure quickly became too much for Dover as Palace deservedly took the lead inside 10 minutes. Zaha delivered another cross into the area and home defender Tom Bonner succeeded only in helping it on to Dann, who volleyed home.
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Having been set up to defend, Dover's forays into the visitors' half were few and far between and Eagles keeper Wayne Hennessey was a virtual spectator throughout.
That allowed Palace to keep up the pressure and a second goal arrived before the break when Dann was allowed to ghost into the area unmarked and head in a corner.
The two-goal cushion effectively ended the Kent side's hopes and the second half played out as a forgettable affair.
However, Palace took advantage of the hosts' tiring players to add further gloss to the scoreline, Gayle firing in a low third before substitute Doyle was allowed to tap in Jerome Thomas's late cross.
Crystal Palace boss Alan Pardew:
"We applied ourselves well. We ticked all the attitude boxes you want to tick. We needed to show a bit of exuberance and a bit of class and the players used that instruction really well. We never looked in trouble really and at any level that is very difficult to achieve.
"We have really good honest players, their attitude, even before I arrived, was spot on, we just need to open our wings a bit and show we can play.
"I know the heartbeat of the team, I know how it works. The chairman and I are looking to improve things on all levels but the honesty of the players will hopefully see us through. This is Crystal Palace's day and I am pleased for the club. The fans showed one of the reasons why I have come here because their support was phenomenal."
Line-ups
Dover
Formation 5-3-2
- 30Rafferty
- 29EssamBooked at 45mins
- 5RaggettSubstituted forNanettiat 57'minutes
- 26Bonner
- 6Orlu
- 16Sterling
- 8BellamySubstituted forWynterat 70'minutes
- 11Cogan
- 17Deverdics
- 10MurphySubstituted forModesteat 82'minutes
- 14Payne
Substitutes
- 3Wynter
- 7Modeste
- 12Lock
- 15Francis
- 19Reid
- 20Nanetti
- 22Hook
Crystal Palace
Formation 4-3-3
- 13Hennessey
- 2Ward
- 6Dann
- 27Delaney
- 34Kelly
- 28LedleySubstituted forMariappaat 76'minutes
- 12O'Keefe
- 25Bannan
- 11Zaha
- 17MurraySubstituted forDoyleat 45'minutes
- 16GayleSubstituted forThomasat 73'minutes
Substitutes
- 3Mariappa
- 4Hangeland
- 8Guédioura
- 9Doyle
- 14Thomas
- 26Kettings
- 42Puncheon
- Referee:
- Andre Marriner
- Attendance:
- 5,645
Match Stats
Home TeamDoverAway TeamCrystal Palace
- Possession
- Home37%
- Away63%
- Shots
- Home1
- Away28
- Shots on Target
- Home0
- Away13
- Corners
- Home2
- Away7
- Fouls
- Home4
- Away13
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Dover Athletic 0, Crystal Palace 4.
Post update
Foul by Stuart O'Keefe (Crystal Palace).
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Connor Essam (Dover Athletic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Attempt saved. Stuart O'Keefe (Crystal Palace) header from very close range is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Kevin Doyle with a headed pass.
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Attempt missed. Barry Bannan (Crystal Palace) left footed shot from outside the box is too high from a direct free kick.
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Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by Tyrone Sterling (Dover Athletic).
Goal!
Goal! Dover Athletic 0, Crystal Palace 4. Kevin Doyle (Crystal Palace) right footed shot from very close range to the high centre of the goal. Assisted by Jerome Thomas.
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Offside, Crystal Palace. Barry Bannan tries a through ball, but Wilfried Zaha is caught offside.
Substitution
Substitution, Dover Athletic. Ricky Modeste replaces Tom Murphy.
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Foul by Martin Kelly (Crystal Palace).
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Christian Nanetti (Dover Athletic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Attempt blocked. Barry Bannan (Crystal Palace) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Jerome Thomas.
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Corner, Dover Athletic. Conceded by Adrian Mariappa.
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Attempt blocked. Tom Murphy (Dover Athletic) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Christian Nanetti.
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Foul by Joel Ward (Crystal Palace).
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Nicky Deverdics (Dover Athletic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Attempt missed. Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the right misses to the left following a corner.
Substitution
Substitution, Crystal Palace. Adrian Mariappa replaces Joe Ledley.
