WIL POWERS WAY TO BE A FANS’ HERO
HODGSON LOVES DROP FIGHT
ROY HODGSON is still enjoying life as Crystal Palace boss – despite the club’s seventh game without a win.
The 70-year-old also insisted his Eagles will fight to the finish with Wilfried Zaha back from injury, Ruben Loftus-Cheek fit again and Mamadou Sakho set to join them. Palace have lost five of their last seven and sit in the bottom three.
But Hodgson (right) said: “They are going to have to bash us over the head to get us down - we’re not going to surrender in any way.
“I’m enjoying the fact I’m working with such a good group.” AT the age of 38, much-travelled Aaron Wilbraham is no stranger to an end-of-season battle.
The Bolton striker (above) came off the bench with six minutes to go and headed a stoppage-time equaliser to salvage a point.
After starting his career at Stockport in the late 1990s and playing almost 550 matches, it’s fair to say he has seen it all.
Wilbraham’s latest goal – No.123 in a career spanning 11 clubs – saw the Trotters move six points clear of the drop zone.
And, having been a bit-part player under Phil Parkinson so far, he is finally pleased to show the fans what he is capable of.
Wilbraham said: “At every club I have been at, I have never been the most popular at first... but I have always ended up that way.
“To hear the crowd singing my name at the end was a real buzz for me because I have not had that relationship with the fans because I have not played many games.
“Even when I came back out for the warm-down they were still cheering. That was class.”
Wednesday got their noses in front when George Boyd showed composure to drill home into the far corner 12 minutes from time – but they switched off and failed to see the game out.
Boyd said: “We probably need just one more win to be safe.
“Luckily, there’s worse teams than us at the minute.
“When you look at the record, two wins in 21, it’s nowhere near good enough for this football club.
“It will be our fault if we do get dragged into the bottom three, that’s for sure. We have still got teams around us to play.”