Crystal Palace secured their place in the fifth round of the FA Cup after a solid 2-0 victory over Doncaster Rovers on Monday evening.
The Premier League side demonstrated their superiority over their League 2 opponents, setting up a thrilling home tie against Millwall in the next stage of the competition.
While Crystal Palace competes three divisions higher than Doncaster, the first goal did not come until the 31st minute.
The opening goal came to fruition when Daichi Kamada’s free kick was expertly passed along the ground to Jean-Philippe Mateta. Though Mateta’s shot struck the post, Daniel Muñoz was perfectly positioned to pounce on the rebound, giving Palace the lead.
Doncaster began the second half with renewed energy, threatening to mount a comeback.
However, their hopes were dashed in the 55th minute when Northern Ireland international Justin Devenny latched onto a perfectly weighted pass from Will Hughes and skillfully lobbed the ball over the onrushing goalkeeper to double Palace’s advantage.
Despite efforts from Doncaster to get back into the match, the difference in class was clear as Palace controlled the game until the final whistle.
The London club will now prepare for a matchup against Millwall, to be held over the weekend of March 1-2.
