Scannell seals victory for Palace

PAUL IFILL and Ireland U21 winger Sean Scannell fired Crystal Palace into the fourth round of the FA Cup at the expense of Leicester.

Transfer-listed winger Ifill struck with seven minutes of the first half remaining with a deflected effort. Teenage substitute Scannell, a former Irish Examiner Junior Sports Star winner, doubled their lead with his third goal of the season after the interval to secure Championship play-off hopefuls Palace a fourth-round trip to Watford and sent League One leaders Leicester tumbling out at the third-round stage for the third year running.

Palace got their first sight of goal 10 minutes in when Victor Moses played in Alan Lee, whose angled shot flew wide.

Lee came even closer to breaking the deadlock moments later when he met Danny Butterfield’s cross with a header which sailed narrowly over the crossbar.

Leicester were dealt a blow after 20 minutes when centre-half Aleksander Tunchev departed on a stretcher following an accidental collision, and Moses limped off 10 minutes later to be replaced by Scannell. Foxes striker Steve Howard squandered their best chance of the first half when he looped a header onto the roof of the net from Joe Mattock’s cross.

And it was Palace who went ahead in the 38th minute when Ifill turned his marker inside the area and saw his shot deflect off Andy King’s heel and send Foxes goalkeeper David Martin the wrong way.

The tie was all but settled 10 minutes after the break when Scannell was put through by Lee and showed the Leicester rearguard a clean pair of heels before coolly lifting the ball over Martin.

The visitors kept going, however, and Julian Speroni got down well to keep out Ashley Chambers’ fierce drive before skipper Matt Oakley prodded wide of an open goal.

And their endeavour was rewarded with the last kick of the game in stoppage time when Gradel swept home Chambers’ cross.

CRYSTAL PALACE: Speroni, Butterfield, Lawrence, Hill, Clyne, Derry, Carle, Danns, Moses (Scannell 31), Lee (Kuqi 64), Ifill (Andrew 78).

LEICESTER: Martin, Edworthy (Gilbert 76), Tunchev (Morrison 21), Hobbs, Mattock, Oakley, Andy King, Berner, Gradel, Howard, Dickov (Chambers 64).

Referee: Steve Tanner (Somerset).