Sam Allardyce gets first league win as Crystal Palace ease past Bournemouth

Bournemouth 0 Crystal Palace 2: Dann and Benteke scored the goals for the visitors

It was Allardyce's first win as Eagles boss in the Premier League (Getty)

Sam Allardyce got the deadline day outcome the Crystal Palace manager wanted most. Six league games on since he took charge at Selhurst Park – and with just a solitary point earned from the previous five – the manager was finally able to celebrate winning three points thanks to goals from Scott Dann and Christian benteke.

A clean sheet came as a welcome bonus and while Palace’s plight means it will take more performances like this to ensure they succeed in their battle to avoid relegation, Allardyce will undoubtedly view this as a potential turning point.

The manager made it clear he was still unhappy at having to play onon deadline day and the sight of Palace chairman constantly checking his phone in the main stand was a reminder there was business to be done on and off the field.

Palace completed the £12.5 million signing of Olympiacos midfielder Luka Milivojevic and Allardyce confirmed Everton striker Arouna Kone and Liverpool centre-back Mamadou Sakho were also targets

But Dann’s goal immediately after half-time, combined with a more resolute defensive display and Benteke’s added time second, meant that as far as football matters were concerned, it was a case of job done.

Dann gave Palace the lead (Getty)

“It’s been a long time coming for me that,” said Allardyce. “But I think our work and our efforts on and off the field are what our recovery is all about.

“We’re asking the places to make some changes and listen to new ideas. The game plan today worked well. Cutting out those silly errors and clinical in front of goal.

“When you defend you do it as an 11 and the same in attack. The shift Wilf Zaha put in today was a key element. He got his rewards today."

But the win did not change the manager’s view on the fixture schedule. “The hard bit today has been the distraction,” he said. “I had a player today who asked me if he was being put up for sale. That’s what happens in this godforsaken window.”

Another defeat left Bournemouth with one win in seven league games and manager Eddie Howe admitted his concern.

“I believe in the squad of players I have,” said Howe. “We are going through a difficult period and the only way I know to get out of that is to find our touch again.

“It’s a setback we have to take. It’s not in the plan but we have to learn from this. We didn’t do enough in possession.

“It’s not ideal playing on the final day of the window but it is what it is. I’m not going to moan about. It’s been a difficult window. Anyone can spend money but we want to bring in players who can help with the team.”

Benteke doubled the lead with a powerful, late header (Getty)

Howe also confirmed the club attempted to re-sign Nathan Ake from Chelsea. ‘We had discussions with Chelsea,” he said. “We made an enquiry about bringing him back on loan or permanently, but that was denied.”

Palace’s wretched form has been the worst in the Premier League since Allardyce took charge and the manager admitted that a succession of bad results had sapped the confidence from his side.

Allardyce, though, insisted there have been signs of improvement in recent weeks and he once again lined up with the five-man defence that had looked more solid in the frustrating home defeat to Everton ten days previously.

On this occasion Patrick van Aanholt filled the left-back slot, making his first appearance for the club 24 hours after completing a £14 million move from Sunderland that reunited him with his former manager.

Palace were further strengthened by the return of Wilfried Zaha after the winger’s trip to the African Cup of Nations with Ivory Coast and it quickly became clear how important the 24-year-old is to his side’s hopes of turning things around when he created a chance out of nothing after just four minutes.

Receiving the ball in a crowded central area 20 yards from goal, Zaha, turned twice to make space before sending a low shot against the post.

The Ivorian was the game’s outstanding player during a first half that suggested Palace had the stomach for the fight, constantly testing the Bournemouth defence and attracting a number of fouls that allowed the visitors to increase the pressure from set-pieces.

(Getty (Getty)

Clear openings, however, proved hard to come by with Christian Benteke failing to make more of a difficult chance when he shot well wide on the turn. Palace began to lose their initial impetus and Bournemouth pair Josh King and Junior Stanislas both saw long range shots deflected narrowly wide of Wayne Hennessey’s goal.

It was Zaha, though, who again came close to making the breakthrough six minutes from the break when he eased his way past home left-back Brad Smith and fired a powerful shot at Artur Boruc from just ten yards but the keeper reacted well to beat the effort away.

Palace had finished the first half as they had started it, but they went one better after the interval, forcing the lead less than a minute of the restart with the goal owing more to the strength and presence of their centre-backs than the trickery of Zaha.

Yohan Cabaye swung in corner from the left that was unconvincingly dealt with by Boruc with the keeper’s punch falling to Van Aanholt 25 yards out. The left-back played the ball wide to Jason Puncheon whose cross was headed on by Damien Delaney at the near post and turned home by Dann at the far post.

It was precisely the lift Palace needed to maintain their belief but they should have added a second moments later when Van Aanholt skied a first time effort after more good work by Zaha. And fears that their well established defensive frailties may again be exposed rose in the 56th minute when King headed over from just six yards out.

Palace held out and added the second in added time when Benteke headed home from Andros Townsend’s cross.

Bournemouth (4-2-3-1): Boruc 7; A Smith 6, S Francis 7, S Cook 7, B Smith 5 (Arter 68 6); Surman 6, Wilshere 7; Stanislas 7 (Ibe 61 6), King 7, Fraser 6; Afobe 6 (C Wilson 61 6).

Subs: Gosling, Pugh, Allsop, Mings.

Crystal Palace (5-4-1): Hennessey 6; Ward 6, Tomkins 6, Dann 7, Delaney 7, Van Aanholt 7; Zaha 9, Cabaye 6 (Ledley 75, McArthur 7 (Townsend 75), Puncheon 7; C Benteke 6.

Subs: Speroni, Flamini, Remy, Campbell, Fryers

Referee: J Moss