When it comes to booking train travel to away games, my Dad likes to channel his inner Steve Parish and save as much cash as possible, so we ended up taking the most convoluted, time-consuming route to the Liberty Stadium known to man.

The six-hour expedition to South Wales saw us stop off at just about every train station imaginable as we experienced the idyllic journey along the Cotswold Line up to Hereford, before stops in Mordor, Chernobyl and The Lands of Always Winter Beyond the Wall allowed us a final experience of civilisation prior to arriving in the derelict wasteland known as Swansea.

It would have probably been quicker to walk but at least it was warm, while we had plenty of time to have a drink in order to help us cope with another inevitable defeat.

For a long time it looked like we were going to have to wait another week for our first point of 2016, but a dominant ten minute spell in the second half was all we needed to keep the scores level, as Scott Dann continued to single-handedly attempt to put an end to our goal scoring crisis.

It’s a shame for Dann that Harry Kane and Jamie Vardy have been in such good form this season, otherwise Hodgson would undoubtedly have him pencilled in to start up front in the summer.

This Is Local London:

It was a much needed point that felt as good as a win considering our recent form, as well as squad limitations due to injuries and suspensions.

The boost that a hard earned result like that can have on a team’s morale is phenomenal and with Wickham returning and Cabaye gifted another week to shake off his knocks, there’s no reason why we can’t build on this and go on a run, if only to rescue the fingernails of the eternal pessimists among us who have already resigned themselves to Championship football next season.

The familiar comforts of Selhurst Park beckon as we look to return to the promised land of the top ten, hoping to do the double over our old friends Odion Ighalo FC.

They say there’s no place for loyalty in football, but Troy Deeney has been an ever-present in my Fantasy League team this year as he remains the only player I’ve kept in since day one. I’ve wanted Palace to sign him for ages and after Watford were promoted, I really thought he was going to be the English striker we see every year that has no trouble adapting and scores for fun – see Andy Johnson, Rickie Lambert, Charlie Austin etc.

He’s really let me down and although he’s knocked in a few penalties and got some assists, he’s allowed his little mate Ighalo to take all the credit, whilst my stubbornness to keep him in my team has seen me slide down the league table faster than John Carver’s Newcastle.

A Palace win on Saturday would be wonderful, not only to get back to winning ways but also to save my own personal embarrassment.

I play football with a (part-time) Watford fan and after we beat them in September, I bombarded him with photos of Kevin Phillips’ penalty and Alan Pardew’s big smiley face, while he sat crying into his half and half Chelsea scarf and researching Leicester’s season ticket availability.

No doubt he’ll be looking for revenge this weekend and I could probably do without having my phone’s memory invaded by (more) pictures of Troy Deeney and Elton John.

Follow us on Twitter @NewsShopperSprt