Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson has revealed that his side spent more than five hours stuck on a train in the build-up to their game with West Bromwich Albion this afternoon.
The Eagles moved off the foot of the Premier League table courtesy of a goalless draw against Hodgson's former side, a result that also extended their unbeaten streak to four league games.
Speaking after the result, the former England boss admitted that he was relieved to come away with a point from The Hawthorns after a series of 'bad omens' earlier in the day.
"Overnight we lose Scott Dann to a problem he's had with a virus infection, then in the warm-up we lose Wayne Hennessey," Hodgson told reporters.
"Probably the worst thing that happened to us was leaving Euston station in the sunshine, congratulating ourselves on going by train as it was only an hour and a quarter's journey in front of us. It actually took five and a half hours and three of that was spent in a cold, black situation on the train with no lights, no toilet facilities, nothing at all.
"So to be honest this game, the omens couldn't have been any worse. But luckily the players put that behind them and that's a credit to them. We could have found excuses, we didn't need it."
Next up for Palace are back-to-back home games against Bournemouth and Watford.
Neil Wilkes
