Freedman haunts Wolves

Crystal Palace 4 Wolves

Wayne Routledge inspired Crystal Palace to victory and condemned Wolves to their second defeat at Selhurst Park in two weeks. The 17-year-old announced himself in style with a first-minute goal on his full League debut and received a standing ovation when he was substituted in the second half.

Further goals from Dougie Freedman, twice on target against his former club, and Steven Thomson wrapped up Palace's first victory in the First Division since the opening day of the season.

Ivar Ingimarsson and Nathan Blake put the visitors on the scoresheet, but Routledge took the plaudits. He stole in unmarked at the far post to control a deep Danny Butterfield cross from the left and rifled home emphatically from 12 yards for the opener. Wolves' leaky defence was all over the place and Routledge found himself clean through two minutes later. Freedman played him in with an astute pass, but a tackle from Paul Butler cleared the danger as Palace appealed for a penalty.

Butterfield was guilty of a glaring miss on seven minutes, slicing over from eight yards after Andrew Johnson's low centre, and Wolves punished Palace's profligacy.

Dean Sturridge fired in a low right-wing cross which found Ingimarsson – who scored his first goal for Wolves at the same venue in their 3-2 defeat by Wimbledon two weeks ago – and his deflected shot looped over goalkeeper Alex Kolinko.

But Palace were back in front five minutes later when Butterfield's free-kick found Freedman, who headed past the Wolves goalkeeper Michael Oakes.

Johnson had a chance to extend the lead after being played through by Routledge, but Oakes saved with his legs, before Sturridge missed a chance to equalise for Wolves when his shot was weak and failed to trouble Kolinko. Oakes then gave away the 61st-minute penalty which allowed Freedman to net his third League goal of the season. Routledge fed Johnson down the right after shaking off Lee Naylor on a mazy run and Oakes pulled the Palace striker down. Freedman sent the Wolves goalkeeper the wrong way to earn Palace a two-goal cushion.

Blake gave some hope to the visitors on 70 minutes, nipping in to finish after Kolinko could only parry a fierce Paul Ince drive. But Palace hit back within a minute when Thomson fired home a Hayden Mullins cross with a spectacular right-foot volley on the turn.

The Wolves manager Dave Jones, whose side have now conceded nine goals in three games, admitted his disappointment at some woeful defending. "To come away from home and score two goals should be enough to get something," he said. "But we've not been tight enough. It's downright sloppiness. Too many performances are poor at the moment and we've got to shake ourselves out of it."