Olise leads the great escape for Hodgson

YOU DO not last 47 years in management without picking up some survival skills along the way.

And when Roy Hodgson needed them most, they kicked in for Crystal Palace’s veteran manager, who inspired the timeliest of victories from his side.

Eight games without a win had placed Hodgson (right) under growing pressure, with support dwindling among the Palace hierarchy and fanbase.

Palace had produced creditable displays in defeat against Liverpool and Chelsea and an even better one to earn a point at Manchester City. But it is performances against the league’s lesser lights which have contributed to increased scrutiny on Hodgson.

Losing at Luton and at home to Bournemouth. Failing to hold on to a lead against Brighton. Brentford’s visit was another game in that category.

And two of the big reasons Palace have struggled to get their season going ensured this one finally ended the way they wanted, surely meaning that their great survivor of a manager will fight another day.

The departure of Wilfried Zaha has left Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze as Palace’s two most important attacking players. But Hodgson has been denied both of them for much of this season due to injuries. This was only the third time that they had started the same game together.

But between them they got the goals that eased the pressure on Hodgson, earned a first home win since the start of September and condemned Brentford to a fifth successive defeat even though they took an early lead through Keane LewisPotter.

Palace’s response to the goal was positive and they were rewarded with a quick equaliser through Olise following good work from Jordan Ayew.

Shortly before half-time, a pass by Tyrick Mitchell’s ran through to Eze, who got to the ball ahead of Ethan Pinnock and fired across keeper Mark Flekken and into the far corner.

Olise curled home his secondjuist before the hour to the relief of the great survivor Hodgson.