TOM Ince has backed team-mate Glenn Murray to continue finding the back of the net for Crystal Palace after the striker scored his first Premier League goal on Sunday.
The Championship's top scorer from last season placed an impressive penalty into the top corner against Swansea City with several minutes remaining – and he very nearly bagged the winner right at the end.
But Ince, who was substituted at half-time, praised Murray for his willingness to beat Swans goalkeeper Michel Vorm to the ball as the keeper came rushing out to clear, before being hauled down for the spot-kick.
Ince told the Advertiser: "That's the hunger he's got. If he had not been brought down he would have put it in the back of the net.
"It showed Glenn has still got that willingness. A lot of players would have turned away and allowed the keeper to kick it but he thought 'I wanted to get a goal and there's an opportunity for me to get one here'.
"For Glenn to step up to take the penalty, it was fantastic for him. The gaffer and the lads are proud and over the moon for him.
"For Glenn's second chance (at the end), I said to him 'were you close?', and he said 'yeah, I should have scored, mate', so that's Glenn for you.
"Whatever chance he gets he feels he'll score, and you wouldn't want Glenn to not having any chances because he'd get frustrated.
"But if we keep giving him those type of chances and those type of positions in the box, sooner or later with the full fitness and the full confidence, Glenn will be putting them in the back of the net for us."
Murray certainly does his talking on the pitch, and some of his team-mates have not been shy to talk about his moaning in the past – just ask Peter Ramage.
Ince has only known the 30-year-old for four weeks since joining Palace and joked that Murray does like to make a complaint now and then about something.
"He sort of comes into training and you don't really hear from him and then he's always moaning about something," said Ince.
"I'm thinking 'give it a rest, Glenn, mate'. He is always moaning about something, whether it's a big detail or small, but that's Glenn – he expects the best of himself.
"But if he steps up and puts ball in the back of the net, you don't mind the moaning half a bit."
