Crystal Palace’s under 18s leapfrogged Fulham in the league table after a thrilling 4-2 win in Beckenham this morning.
The hosts shared the goals amongst four different scorers in an enterprising display during an end-to-end encounter and registered an impressive three points despite Callum Osmand and Ollie Gofford finding the net for Fulham.
Ali Melloul opted to ring the changes for the London derby after the young Whites had demolished Swansea City in the FA Youth Cup on Wednesday night. Bradley Slade and Eddy Nsasi came into the back four, sixteen year-old Alfie White lined up in midfield whilst Ma’kel Bogle-Campbell, Jayden Quashie and Osmand made up the forward line.
The changes didn’t seem to affect Fulham’s rhythm in a lively opening. Bogle-Campbell, starting on the left wing, fed the rampaging full back Slade, whose low cross was clinically converted by Osmand. The Eaglies replied just before the quarter of an hour mark as Rio Cardines was first to follow up after Marco Underwood had saved a shot from Jesse Derry. The Fulham goalkeeper then made a magnificent save from a long-range effort by Seb Williams, before Osmand made Will Eastwood get his angles right late in the first half.
The hosts hit the front in added time when Matteo Dashi finished off Hindolo Mustapha’s cross at the far post and Palace quickly went in search of a third after the interval. Derry’s wild overhead kick was well off target but a more conventional curler from the winger merited a vital intervention from the fingertips of Underwood. Fulham’s first opening of the second half saw Slade supply a superb cross from the left which Nsasi headed fractionally over the bar. The contest was suddenly much more of an end-to-end affair and some over elaborate passing at the back presented a glorious opportunity to Derry, who smacked the crossbar from close range, before Underwood denied the wide man once more.
It was no surprise when Derry finally gave the Eagles some breathing space, darting in from the left flank and rifling a low effort into the far corner. The Whites didn’t through in the towel with Ollie Gofford scoring his first goal since signing a professional contract – heading in off the crossbar from another superb Slade definitely. Mullins’ men poured forward in search of a late leveller, but were finally killed off with eight minutes to go when striker Asher Agbinone swerved a superb fourth past Underwood from distance.
CRYSTAL PALACE UNDER 18s (4-3-3): Eastwood; Grante, Cardines, King, Jemide; Gibbard, Williams (Adams-Collman 84), Mustapha (Lusale 69); Dashi, Agbinone, Derry (Redhead 87′). Subs (not used): Hill, Cowin.
CRYSTAL PALACE UNDER 18s (4-3-3): Eastwood; Grante, Cardines, King, Jemide; Gibbard, Williams (Adams-Collman 84), Mustapha (Lusale 69); Dashi, Agbinone, Derry (Redhead 87′). Subs (not used): Hill, Cowin.
BOOKED: Mustapha.
GOALS: Cardines (14), Dashi (45+1), Derry (60), Agbinone (82).
FUHAM UNDER 18s (4-2-3-1): Underwood; de Jesus, Slade, Nsasi, Tabares; White, Gofford; Olyott, Quashie (Ali Wahid 45), Bogle-Campbell; Osmand. Subs (not used): Varney, Park, Picotto, Wingate.
GOALS: Osmand (8), Gofford (65).
