Report & Highlights: Young Eagles trounce Seagulls on the south coast

Summary

• Quinn makes four changes to the side which beat Arsenal

• 1: Henry’s effort turned behind, after great work from Casey

• 7: Hill makes a great stop to deny Nti

• 20 - GOAL: Palace take the lead through Henry

• 45: Casey fires narrowly wide, following great work from Henry

• 45+2: Williams threads a great ball through to Casey and his shot is saved

• HT: Brighton 0-1 Palace

• 49: Silsby’s free-kick is easily held by Hill

• 59 - GOAL: Casey doubles the lead on the hour-mark

• 77: King is brought down inside the box, Osei’s penalty is just over the bar

• 81: Benamar has an effort that flashes across the face of goal

• FT: Brighton 0-2 Palace

A week on from the 2-0 win away at Arsenal in the Premier League Cup, Crystal Palace Under-18s were on the road once more - this time to the south coast to take on rivals Brighton & Hove Albion.

Head coach Rob Quinn made four changes to the side which faced the Gunners, with Charlie Walker-Smith, Benji Casey, Seb Williams and Zack Henry all coming in for Joshua Muwana, David Montjen, Jerome Osei and Jesse Derry.

Palace almost got off to the perfect start within the opening minute. Casey played it across the face of goal for Henry, and the No.11’s shot was just parried behind by Alfie Mansell in the Brighton goal.

Brighton’s best effort of the half came seven minutes in through Shane Nti, but Marcus Hill’s outstretched arm low down to his right managed to keep it out.

Twenty minutes into the half, Palace managed to take the lead. Excellent work from the returning Williams fed Dean Benamar, who in turn managed to play it across to Henry.

He was unmarked in the middle of the box and found the bottom left corner with a first-time effort, sending Mansell the wrong way, for his second goal in as many games.

The half continued to ebb and flow, with neither side mustering a clear-cut opportunity. Sean Somade dealt with Brighton’s only other half-chance on goal.

In the dying embers of the half, Casey had two chances to notch a second for Palace, though he fired just wide of the post and then saw another one saved.

Brighton had a chance early on in the second-half, with a free-kick from 20-yards out, however Tyler Silsby’s effort was easily held by Hill.

Just before the hour-mark, Palace managed to double their lead through Casey. Nti’s backwards header was in between the two Brighton centre-backs and Casey was quickest to react.

He pounced on the ball, drove into the box and clinically finished across into the far post to notch his fourth goal of the campaign.

After netting the second, Palace were in complete control and saw out the remaining 30 minutes of the half. With 75 minutes on the clock, George King was brought down in the box.

Jerome Osei, who came on as a substitute just minutes earlier, stepped up from 12-yards, however his effort from the spot was just over the bar.

In the final 10 minutes, Dean Benamar had Palace’s best chance of adding a third with an effort that just glanced across the face of goal.

The referee’s whistle brought an end to proceedings after five minutes of added time, capping off a successful afternoon on the south coast for the young Eagles.

The result means the side are up to eighth in the U18 Premier League South, level on points with Brighton, Chelsea and West Ham United.

Brighton: Mansell (GK), Hayden, Anah (Cullinane, 61), Mthunzi (Silsby, HT), Vickery, Mackley (Outen, 82), West, Nti, Belmont, Gorman (Ibrahim, 61), Oriola.

Sub not used: Ferdinand.

Palace: Hill (GK), King, Benamar, Adams-Collman, Somade, Walker-Smith (Fasida, 60), Whyte, Danaher, Casey (Drakes-Thomas, 63), Williams (Okoli, 60), Henry (Osei, 74).

Sub not used: Mason (GK).