Crystal Palace Reserves stretched their unbeaten run to four games with a 2-0 win at home to Crawley Town Reserves thanks to goals either side of half time from Jerry Nnamani and Jack Holland .
Reserve Team Manager, Ronnie Jepson, fielded a side with just one change from the starting XI that beat Leyton Orient 4-0 last Tuesday, with Charlie Holness brought into the midfield to play alongside James Comley in place of Hakeem Adelakun.
A healthy attendance of just over 100 people attended the fixture after the club opened the training ground doors to the public free of charge for the first time this season, but unfortunately the first 45 turned out not to be one for the purist.
Crawley did their best to frustrate and disrupt Palace throughout the half, which lead to it being one of few chances and rare excitement.
On nine minutes Comley snatched at a shot from 25 yards after the ball was laid up enticingly by Jack Holland. It almost found its way through to Nathaniel Pinney on its way wide of the left post, but the Palace striker wasn't expecting it and it rolled off his toe and away for a goalkick.
A minute later Holness tried to catch the keeper unaware when, with his back to goal he turned and shot from the edge of the box but he dragged it just wide.
On 16 minutes Kieron Cadogan dropped deep to receive the ball from Holness before shrugging of his marker as he turned towards goal and fired an effort with plenty of pace straight into the chest of Simon Rayner in the Crawley goal.
The visitors only created one chance of note in the first half when Paul Rayner lined a free kick up 25 yards out, but his curling effort was brilliantly saved low down to his right by Charlie Mann.
The Academy goalkeeper managed to get his fingertips to it and push it wide before getting to his feet quickly as Mithun Neyee latched onto the free ball and played back into the danger area. Mann got a hand to his cross but pushed it into the path of Dominic Casicato whose shot was then blocked by his own player on the line.
Palace should have opened the scoring on 25 minutes when Mann's goalkick was allowed to run right through the Crawley defence.
Pinney chased it down and beat the advancing keeper to it, but his touch to take it away from Rayner was a flicked one, and as it bounced he tried to shoot early with his left foot. He didn't get enough purchase on it and the ball trickled wide of the post.
Two minutes later a cross in from the right found its way to Holland.
The centre half did well to take the ball under control before turning and hitting a left footed strike that looked destined for the top corner until it hit Pinney on the head and bounced clear.
The deadlock was eventually broken five minutes from the break when a corner in from the right found Nnamani who converted with a free header from eight yards.
Three minutes into the second half Palace should have doubled their lead when a fantastic cross field ball by Kieron Cadogan from within his own half to the far left wing found Kieran Djilali all alone.
The winger then cut into the box and onto his right foot but, attempting to curl it round Rayner, his shot was tame and the keeper made a simple save.
A period where neither side created chances then followed until the 67th minute when the Eagles did eventually double their lead, and again it was from a set piece.
This time the ball was met by Holland who glanced a header to the far post and it was deflected into his own net by a Crawley defender.
Four minutes later Crawley substitute Tyrone Cassius drew a comfortable save from Mann. The visiting striker did well to work himself some space on the edge of the box with a neat turn but his shot was at the right height for the Eagles keeper.
A corner on 83 minutes almost brought the third goal for Palace and it was again Jack Holland who was the danger man. This time he benefited from a header back across goal from Holness but he couldn't keep his effort down and it looped over the bar.
With three minutes to go Kieran Djilali almost rounded off a good display on the wing when he picked the ball up inside his own half, cut between two defenders and into the middle of the park before hitting a strike from 25 yards that was always rising.
The win stretches Palace's lead at the top of the Totesport.com Combination League to five points with Brighton not featuring this week due to a Surrey Senior Cup semi final tie against Hastings United.
Crystal Palace Reserves' next fixture is at home to Queens Park Rangers on Tuesday 20th April, while our postponed away fixture against Crawley Town has been rearranged for Thursday 22nd April.
For a full and up to date fixture list click here.
Teams
Subs: 14. Rhys Williamson-Murrell; 15. Jake Caprice; 17 Dan Pringle
Crawley Town: 1. Simon Rayner; 2. Gerald Akosa; 3. Darregh Ryan; 4. Paul Raynor; 5. Charles Dodd; 6. Dominic Casicato; 7. Lewis Hallford; 8. Tommy Brewer; 9. Mithun Nayee; 10. Gary Boyes; 11. Michael Amponsam
Subs: 12. Tyrone Cassius; 14. Ryan Fletcher; 15. Wade Eason; 16. Jauffrey Mahado; 22. Curt Bhullam
