Report & Highlights: Fulham hit five past Palace at Selhurst

Summary

• Grehan and Nascimento come in for Sheridan and Reid

• Fulham take the lead three minutes in through Tyrell Works

• Whitworth pulls off a strong save at the near post

• McCoy-Splatt wins a penalty, though Whitworth saves Dibley-Dias’ effort

• Godo adds a second for Fulham 26 minutes in

• Donnell makes it three for the visitors just before half-time

• Wells-Morrison pulls one back in first-half stoppage time

• HT: Palace 1-3 Fulham

• New signing Devenny hits the crossbar five minutes after the restart

• Tanton notches a fourth for Fulham just after the hour-mark

• Godo gets a brace a few minutes later

• Palace force an own goal in the 90th minute

• FT:  Palace 2-5 Fulham

Just over a week from defeat with 10-men against Reading, Crystal Palace Under-21s took the pitch at Selhurst Park for the first time in the new campaign as they welcomed Fulham.

Head coach Darren Powell made two changes to the side, with Seán Grehan and Adler Nascimento coming on for Joe Sheridan and Dylan Reid.

Fulham took the lead just three minutes in through Tyrell Works. A through ball from Martial Godo slipped the winger in and after checking back on his run he managed to slot home on his left foot.

Whitworth was called into action almost immediately to stop the visitors from doubling their lead, making a strong save at his near post and then saving a deflected free-kick from Godo shortly afterwards.

Just over 15 minutes in, Franco Umeh was adjudged to have handled the ball inside the box. Matt Dibley-Dias stepped up for Fulham from 12-yards, but Whitworth was equal to his effort to prevent Fulham from doubling their lead.

Though Whitworth denied Fulham from the spot, the Cottagers did manage to double their lead a few moments later. Godo found space inside the box and raced towards the byline, before just edging an effort past Whitworth at a narrow angle.

Fulham then went and added a third just before half-time. Chris Donnell rose highest and reacted quickest from a Dibley-Dias corner, heading in from inside the six-yard box.

With an extensive amount of time added on in the first-half, Palace managed to claw one back. After Caleb Kporha was brought down inside the box, captain Jack Wells-Morrison stepped up from 12-yards and made no mistake with a calm finish past Alex Borto.

Palace had it all to do after a lacklustre first-half display, and they came out after the interval fighting to reduce the deficit. Justin Devenny, on his first appearance in red and blue, came agonisingly close to putting Palace to within one goal of Fulham, though his effort on the edge of the box rattled the crossbar and bounced out of play.

The Cottagers then put Palace to the sword with two goals in the space of three minutes. Devan Tanton rifled an effort in on the half-volley after the ball sat up kindly for him, and Godo then secured his brace with an effort from 12-yards.

With a four-goal deficit to overcome and 20 minutes remaining, there wasn’t much left for Palace to play for, though they did chalk another goal up just before second-half stoppage time.

A corner from Wells-Morrison was kept alive and driven back across the box from the skipper. Chris Francis’ driven shot at goal was deflected in off both Borto and Harry Araujo, resulting in an own-goal.

The Eagles are now 18th in the Premier League 2 after that result, outside of the play-off places.

Palace: Whitworth (GK), Imray, Grehan, Francis, Kporha, Raymond, Wells-Morrison, Nascimento (Devenny, 15), Akinwale, Ola-Adebomi (Ebiowei, 72), Umeh (Mathurin, 66).

Subs not used: Izquierdo, Sheridan.

Fulham: Borto (GK), Tanton, Esenla, Araujo, de Fougerolles (de Jesus, 73), Dibley-Dias, Works (Sekularac, 65), McCoy-Splatt (Okkas, 34), McFarlane (Osman, 73) Donnell, Godo.

Sub not used: McNally (GK).