Crystal Palace USA's unbeaten start to the season came to an abrupt end at the weekend with a 3-0 defeat to Charlotte Eagles also marking the first time they have failed to get on the score sheet. A first half goal from Jonah Long and second half conversions from Ross Ssejjemba and Jeff Bilyk rounded off a torrid afternoon for the Baltimore side.

Many fans were still taking their seats when Charlotte took the lead, Long expertly volleying home from a Josh Rife free-kick in the second minute. The goal shocked Palace, which resonated in their first 45 minutes as they struggled to make any sort of impression in the early stages. The away side kept the Eagles on the back foot for much of the first period but failed to turn superiority into goals.

Crystal Palace could only carve out one decent chance when they caught Charlotte on a counter attack in the 12^th minute. The ball was eventually played into the path of Sergio Flores, 25 yards out from goal. His shot seemed to be dipping under the bar but he was denied by a tremendous save from Charlotte keeper Terry Boss.

Then, in the 30^th minute, a moment of controversy. Palace keeper Matt Nelson felled Ssejjemba after the forward had been put through one-on-one. Nelson came out quickly and took the away player out just outside the area but the referee deemed it just a yellow card offence.

At half-time the Palace coaches made two changes in an attempt to try and get a foot hold in the game. Cecil Lewis was replaced by Kevin King and Harold Urquijo was taken off for Pat Healey.

The changes seemed to work and the fresh legs saw Palace taking the game to Charlotte. However, a combination of post, cross bar and excellent goalkeeping thwarted Palace's efforts.

But Charlotte still looked dangerous and, on 49 minutes, they counter-attacked with deadly effect. Ssejjemba took advantage of some miscommunication between Mike Lookingland and Nelson to double Charlotte's lead. Then, a quarter-of-an-hour, later Bilyk made it 3-0 when he fired home the loose ball after Worteh Sampson had struck the post from a Jorge Herrera cross.

Palace though, refused to roll-over completely and they continued to push in the search for a way back into the game. Sergio Flores was denied twice from two long distant shots by Boss before King shot just wide with a powerful, curling effort that flew just wide of the top left corner.

Matthew Mbuta came close too as his looping header bounced back off the cross bar into the path of Healey, but it bounced awkwardly and he could not contort his body to match its strange bounce and tried to force it in with his body. Boss had it covered and pushed it to safety.

With the final whistle soon following and sealing their first defeat of the season, CPFC USA slip down to second spot with a game in hand. But Eagles co-manager, Pete Medd, saw it as a vital learning curve for his side:

"This was a good wake-up call for us. We've gotten away with a few things the last couple of matches - giving away possession, losing our defensive shape, perhaps getting a little too comfortable"

Medd continued:

"The better team on the night won. They won the battle of the midfield and they converted their chances, simple as that."

CPFC USA's next fixture will see them return to Western Mass on June 6^th at 7.30pm.