Report & Highlights: Marsh-inspired Palace overcome Fulham in nine-goal thriller

Summary

• Gibbard came in to the XI for his first start of the season

• Marsh puts Palace ahead five minutes in from the spot

• Palace withstand sustained Fulham pressure

• Derry doubles the lead with a clinical finish half an hour in

• Osmand pulls one back for Fulham in the 41st minute

• Josh King hits the bar moments later

• Loupalo-Bi levels for Fulham just over a minute later

• HT: Palace 2-2 Fulham

• Fulham take the lead from the spot shortly after the restart through Osmand

• Osmand completes his hat-trick in the 67th minute

• Palace pull one back from the spot through Marsh in the 77th minute

• Marsh levels for Palace a minute later with his fifth hat-trick of the season

• Mustapha strikes the crossbar in search of a winner

• George King wins it for Palace in the 94th minute

• FT: Palace 5-4 Fulham

• Palace progress to the knockout phase as winners of Group G

Just over a week on from the defeat away at Newcastle, Crystal Palace Under-18s hosted Fulham in the U18 Premier League Cup. This was their final game in Group G, knowing a win would almost guarantee their progression to the knockout phase.

There were three changes to the side, with Jake Grante, Joe Gibbard and Matteo Dash coming in for George King, Cormac Austin and Samuel Lusale. Gibbard was making his first start of the season.

The young Eagles got off to a flying start, taking the lead five minutes in. Gibbard was  brought down inside the box and captain Zach Marsh stepped up from 12-yards to send the ‘keeper the wrong way.

Though Palace were ahead, it was Fulham who enjoyed more of the ball and created a number of chances in the opening quarter of the game. None of their efforts were of any trouble to the Palace defence, nor Billy Eastwood in goal.

Jesse Derry notched his ninth goal of the season on the half-hour mark with a clinical strike inside the six-yard box. Marsh turned provider as he clipped it to him inside the box on the turn, and Derry quickly worked it onto his left foot before firing it in at the near post.

The Cottagers, who were top of the group coming into this fixture, now had it all to do if they were to progress to the knockout stage. Their comeback trail started five minutes before the half-time whistle as Callum Osmand was found inside the box by Josh King, halving the deficit.

Just over a minute later, Josh King hit the bar and then forced a corner. Lemar Gordon’s floated ball in was flicked on by Aaron Loupalo-Bi at the near post and in the blink of an eye the visitors drew level.

Palace found themselves going into the break level, knowing that only a win would be good enough to give themselves a chance of making it into the knockout phase.

At the start of the second-half, Fulham were in the ascendancy and managed to go in front from the spot. Chibby Nwoko was fouled inside the box and Osmand stepped up to secure his second from 12-yards.

Fulham went two-goals to the good after the hour-mark as Osmand completed his hat-trick. He ghosted in at the far post, finishing from close range, after a free-kick was floated in by Jonathan Esenga.

The young Eagles were staring down the barrel at a second successive defeat in the U18 Premier League Cup, which would’ve sent them out of the group, though they did not lose hope.

With 15 minutes of normal time remaining, Derry was brought down inside the box - offering Palace a lifeline from the spot. Marsh stepped up from 12-yards once more and though his effort was saved by Alfie McNally, he was on hand to tap in the rebound on the line.

Just a minute later, almost immediately after Fulham restarted from the centre-circle, Palace managed to draw level. Hindolo Mustapha picked up a loose ball and charged forward, slipping it forward to Marsh.

The Palace No. 9 held off a challenge, turned and took a touch into the box before firing across McNally and into the bottom corner for his fifth hat-trick of the season.

Quinn’s side knew a draw wasn’t good enough to get them through to the latter stages, so in the final 10 minutes they pushed for a winner. Mustapha did exceptionally well to pick up the ball on the halfway line and charge forward towards the edge of the box - his effort was tipped onto the crossbar by McNally.

It looked as though the points were going to be shared and Fulham were through to the next round, however in the fourth minute of stoppage time - Palace found a winner.

Mustapha was once again at the heart of the chance, keeping the ball alive in the second phase of a corner, skipping past two challenges on the byline before cutting it back across for second-half substitute George King to finish at the first time of asking inside the six-yard box.

Pandemonium ensued after George King’s winner, and the young Eagles saw out the remaining time added on to seal a crucial victory. The result sees them top Group G and progress into the knockout phase of the U18 Premier League Cup.

Palace: Eastwood (GK), Adams-Collman, Jemide, Grante, Cardines, Gibbard (Lusale, 45), S. Williams, Mustapha, Dashi (G. King, 68), Marsh, Derry.

Subs not used: Hill (GK), Omobolaji, Elliott.

Fulham: McNally (GK), de Jesus, Slade, Esenga, Tabares, Nwoko, J. King (Olyott, 75), Gofford (Quashie, 85), Loupalo-Bi, Osmand, Gordon.

Subs not used: Kaiser (GK), Nsasi, Ali-Wahid.