Benji Casey and Jerome Osei scored either side of half time as Crystal Palace cruised to an impressive 2-0 win over Fulham’s under 18s at Motspur Park this lunchtime.
The visitors were in control from almost the first whistle and quickly asked questions of the home defence. Tyler Whyte burst clear down the right flank and crossed for Kai-Reece Adams-Collman but his goalbound shot was blocked. The young Eagles were sharper and more combative than their Fulham counterparts and took the lead just after the quarter hour mark as Casey climbed highest to head home a brilliant ball from Euan Danaher.
Fulham laboured for much of the first half and hardly laid a glove on the Eagles’ well-drilled defence. Their only opening came courtesy of Macauley Zepa, who cut in dangerously from the left flank but got his shot all wrong as it flew high and wide of the Palace goal. The visitors could have doubled their lead just before the break but skipper Seb Williams dragged a shot wide having been played through by the influential Osei.
Dino Kaiser kept Fulham in the contest after the interval making a smart save from Williams before Danaher had a shot blocked at source from the ensuing corner. The Bosnian goalkeeper did well to get fingertips to a rising drive from Osei on the hour mark, but was helpless ten minutes later when the forward fired into the net from an even more acute angle following fabulous work from Jasper Judd.
Palace could have scored a third with Osei’s arcing his back to direct a header under Kaiser’s crossbar, only for the goalkeeper to tip it behind for a corner. Fulham threatened belatedly with Aiden Evans going close on two occasions but the Eagles were very good value for an impressive victory that solidifies their grip on top spot in the Premier League South.
FULHAM UNDER 18s: Kaiser; Walters, Picotto, Cooke, Schutter, Slade, Zepa (Grant 76), Chingwaro, Dair (Lubega 76), Evans, Ali Wahid. Subs (not used): Khan, Hall, Taylor.
CRYSTAL PALACE UNDER 18s: Hill; Judd, Benamar, Danaher, Somade, Fasida, Whyte, Adams-Collman, Casey, Williams, Osei (Martin 85). Subs (not used): Muwana, Mason, Henry, Okoli.
GOALS: Casey (16), Osei (72).
