London's calling
Doncaster 0 Crystal Palace 2: Eagles set up FA Cup fifth-round clash vs Millwall as Chilwell finally returns off bench
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JUSTIN DEVENNY went from zero to hero for Crystal Palace and ended brave Doncaster Rovers’ FA Cup run.
The Northern Ireland international produced one of the misses of the season only to bounce back and seal the 2-0 win and secure a home tie with Millwall.
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Daniel Munoz gave the Eagles a first-half advantage before the 21-year-old’s blooper from six yards out with the goal gaping.
Though he showed brilliant composure just moments later to lob home and seal a fifth-round South London derby.
There were 58 places between the Premier League side and the lowest-ranked club left in the competition.
Though it was Oliver Glasner’s men adopting tactics more accustomed to League Two in the early exchanges.
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And if you’ve got a weapon like Chris Richards’ long-throw then nobody should be worried what modern day football snobs think.
Three times the American defender hurled it into the box in a row but Teddy Sharman-Lowe managed to clear the danger away from the lurking Jean-Philippe Mateta with a strong punch.
The tin foil cups were out in force around the jam-packed Eco-Power Stadium, and they were being waved with a bit more belief after Donny carved out the first real opportunity.
Good work down the left found veteran Billy Sharp, and he laid it off for on-loan Manchester United winger Ethan Ennis to tamely fire straight at Matt Turner.
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Palace continued to have most of the ball but they were finding the defence a tough nut to crack, with every clearance, block or tackle producing a roar from the home crowd.
But for all of that resilience, they eventually came unstuck after being caught out by an impressive set-piece routine - although the unfortunate Sharp was left cursing his luck.
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Daichi Kamada looked set to try a curling effort from 25 yards but instead hit it low into the feet of Mateta.
The striker controlled, spun and shot only to see his strike bounce back off the post.
Sharp desperately turned to try and clear, only for the ball to hit his right shin and land perfectly for Munoz to tap home from close-range.
Luke Molyneux, looking to take his Doncaster goal tally to 14 this term, cut in from wide on the right but his thumping strike whizzed narrowly wide.
It could, and should, have been game over moments after half-time but Devenny was left red-faced.
Mateta put it on a plate for him to tap home from six yards out but he got his connection all wrong as his shot nearly went out for a throw.
Joseph Olowu blocked Mateta as Palace’s quickfire start continued but you could feel a second was coming and this time Devenny made no mistake.
Will Hughes delivered a perfect floating pass just over George Broadent’s head that Devenny expertly lobbed past Sharman-Lowe.
Doncaster threw on forward Joe Ironside, who fired Cambridge United to a famous win at Newcastle three years ago, but he could not rekindle any magic although Owen Bailey did force Turner into action late on.
It’s back to the promotion push for Grant McCann’s side with a trip to Grimsby Town on Saturday while Glasner can continue to dream of Wembley.
Glasner said afterwards: “Pleased with the win today. Difficult circumstances with the pitch and the players did well most of the time. We scored nice goals.”
On Devenny's goal, he said: “You miss a chance, next one will come. He stayed positive and scored an amazing one.”
And with Millwall up next, Glasner added: “I am told it will be a big derby. But it is good playing at home and it will be a great game for our fans.
“They will be very aggressive but playing at home to a Championship side means we have to win.
“I want to go to Wembley.”
Opposite number McCann said: “It was always going to be tough.
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“This gave a flavour of what this club is about. We ultimately feel this club is a Championship club and it is our job to move us through the leagues.”
Meanhwile Ben Chilwell made his return to action as a half-time substitute having not played since coming off the bench for Chelsea against Barrow in the Carabao Cup in September.
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