Report & Highlights: Point apiece as young Eagles held by the Foxes

Summary

• Matteo Dashi came into the side in place of Hindolo Mustapha

• Seb Williams hits the post early on

• Cardines sees an effort stopped from 20-yards out

• Halfway through the first-half Jemide prevents Leicester from taking the lead

• Eastwood denies Jake Evans on the stroke of half-time

• HT: Palace 0-0 Leicester

• Derry threatened with multiple chances early on in the second-half

• Eastwood was called into action once more to deny the Foxes

• Lusale almost makes an instant impact off the bench

• Marsh puts Palace ahead after a goalmouth scramble in the 75th minute

• Leicester equalise through a Ononaye’s shot that deflects in

• The visitors fire over the bar deep into stoppage time

• FT: Palace 1-1 Leicester

Just four days on from the 5-0 thrashing of Hull City in the FA Youth Cup, Crystal Palace Under-18s were back in action as they welcomed Leicester City to Copers Cope.

Head coach Rob Quinn made a single change to the side which won at the MKM Stadium with Matteo Dashi coming in for Hindolo Mustapha.

Palace got off to a strong start early on, with Seb Williams hitting the post from inside the box. The ball was worked well down the left, with Dashi, Rio Cardines and Jesse Derry combining well, before it fell to Williams who struck the base of the post.

Cardines had an effort just minutes later from the edge of the box that was saved by Harry French, and a follow-up effort from Zach Marsh was blocked after Jake Grante won the ball back high up the pitch.

Leicester found themselves in behind on a counter-attack 15 minutes in, though George King did brilliantly to slide in and cut it out.

Indeed, the Foxes threatened on the counter as Palace enjoyed more of the ball for sustained periods of the game. Jake Evans was through on goal and managed to round Billy Eastwood, but Mofe Jemide on a recovery run managed to clear it away in the nick of time.

Both sides threatened as the half went on, but neither could muster a clear cut chance until first-half stoppage time. Eastwood did brilliantly to deny Jake Evans’ attempt on goal at one end, while right down the other end Joe Gibbard saw his shot from 25-yards out parried behind by French.

After the break, Palace came out with a spring in their step in search of breakthrough. Derry had two chances early on in the second-half: the first of which was blocked, while another effort from 25-yards out was just tipped behind by French in the Leicester goal.

Derry was the brightest spark for the young Eagles at the start of the second half and again came agonisingly close for the breakthrough. He took a shot on from a narrow angle, almost catching everyone by surprise, but French reacted just in time to tip it over the bar.

Leicester had chances of their own as they grew into the second-half through Toby Ononaye and Kirsten Otchere, but an excellent sliding challenge from Seb Williams and a follow up save from Eastwood kept them at bay.

With 20 minutes remaining, second-half substitute Samuel Lusale nearly made an instant impact off the bench. The forward went on a surging run into the box, though he couldn’t quite get the ball out from under his feet to get a shot away.

Palace did eventually find the breakthrough in the 75th minute and it came through none other than the in-form Zach Marsh. A dangerous corner floated in from Derry wasn’t dealt with by the Leicester defence inside the six-yard box, and, following a goalmouth scramble, Marsh got the decisive touch.

The young Eagles’ lead was short-lived, as the Foxes managed to equalise five minutes later. Cardines pulled off a fantastic last-ditch block on the line to deny Leicester, though the ball broke out to Toby Ononaye and his shot from distance took a wicked deflection to wrong-foot Eastwood and trickle into the net.

Leicester’s equaliser set up a grandstand final 10 minutes, though neither side could really capitalise. The best chance fell to the visitors in stoppage time, but second-half substitute Alfie Fisken fired over the bar from inside the six-yard box.

The points were shared after six minutes of time added on. Drawing with the Foxes sees Palace remain in sixth place in the U18 Premier League South, two points off of Fulham and Arsenal.

Palace: Eastwood (GK), G. King (Redhead, 87), Jemide, Grante, Cardines, S. Williams, Gibbard, Dashi, Agbinone, Marsh, Derry (Cowin, 87).

Subs not used: Hill (GK), Cowin, Adams-Collman, Lusale, Redhead.

Leicester: French (GK), Aluklo, Joseph, Neale, Khela, McAlinney, J. Evans, Ononaye, J. King (Fisken, 65), Donnelly (Dyke, 73), Otchere (R. Evans, 73).

Subs not used: Thomas, Donahue.