Palace display disappoints Dowie

DOWIE'S VIEW Crystal Palace 0-0 Blackburn

Crystal Palace manager Iain Dowie described his team's performance in their goalless draw at home to Blackburn as "very poor".

"What I can take out of it is a clean sheet and a point, outside that there's very little to take of a positive note which is unlike me," Dowie said.

"It was the worst we've played this season - we weren't at the races.

"But for an outstanding performance by Gabor (Kiraly) we would have been out of the game."

Dowie conceded his team have work to do ahead of their next game - a trip to Old Trafford.

"It was a competitive game and Blackburn played hard, but for me it was disappointing in terms of our movement and creation.

"We looked nervous on the ball, didn't pass it with any zip, some of the decision making was rash, and there were poor defensive decisions in the first half when Gabor kept us in it.

"There was a core of poor passing throughout the game and although the second half was much more even we've got a lot of work to do.

"We've got a nice simple game at Manchester United coming up and they'll pose a whole different raft of problems."

Substitute Sandor Torghelle was at the centre of an ill-tempered finish during which Rovers midfielder David Thompson was sent off.

"It's a shame that anyone was sent off but it was probably the only bit of spark in the game.

"If there was play-acting from Sandor I'll look at it. I don't condone it and it won't be part of my team. He should know better than that - it's absolutely wrong."