Warnock realises scale of challenge at Palace

Neil Warnock is beginning to realise the extent of the challenge he has taken on at Crystal Palace following Tuesday night's 3-1 defeat by Stoke City in his first home game in charge.

Richard Cresswell struck twice and Ryan Shawcross added a third – although Jon Parkin also claimed the goal – as Stoke grabbed their first Championship away win since the opening day of the season and turned Warnock's big day into a damp squib.

"It was very disappointing, but it's made me realise just what a great challenge this is, especially at this stage of my career. I couldn't ask for a better one," Warnock said.

"It's disappointing for me, but the crowd were superb under the circumstances. They were bad goals to concede. They shouldn't be scoring goals at this level from those positions. But I can't fault the players for effort – perhaps one or two are trying too hard. The occasion got to some of them."

After a low-key first half, the floodgates opened four minutes into the second when Dominic Matteo swung over a free-kick and Cresswell headed the ball past Julian Speroni at the far post for his first league goal of the season.

But the hosts were level within two minutes when James Scowcroft's reverse pass sent Dougie Freedman into the area. The veteran striker still had plenty to do, but he expertly toyed with Stoke defender Carl Dickinson, made himself a yard of space and guided the ball past Steve Simonsen with the outside of his right boot.

"At 1-1, I thought we would go on and win it, but instead they picked us off," added Warnock. "There is an expectation about playing at home and some of the players need to ask themselves whether they can do it. You learn more about a team when they are 3-1 down at home. You have to stand up and be counted and some did. I need winners in the team, but I'm not asking anyone to do anything they haven't done before."

Cresswell, who infuriated Warnock two years ago when he opted to join Leeds instead of Sheffield United on transfer deadline day, doubled Stoke's advantage in the 59th minute. Liam Lawrence's shot rebounded off Speroni's right-hand post and into the path of the striker, who made no mistake from 12 yards.

Stoke went three up in the 74th minute when Rory Delap thumped a 30-yard drive on to the crossbar and on-loan Manchester United defender Shawcross headed the rebound against the underside of the bar and downwards, before turning away to celebrate his fifth goal of the season.

Parkin made sure by putting the ball into the back of the net, but the Stoke manager, Tony Pulis, did not care who got the final touch as his team moved into the play-off places.

"They're arguing about it but all I care about is it was a Stoke City player who scored it," he said. "It makes no difference to me," he said. "I thought we needed a response after Saturday's defeat by Sheffield Wednesday. We knew it would be difficult with it being Neil's first game, and we knew the supporters would get behind the team.

"The oldest player in our back four is 22, and Palace had a good spell when we were creaking a bit but they came through it and over the 90 minutes I thought we deserved the win."