Highlights and Report: Spoils shared as young Eagles draw with Brighton

Summary

• Caleb Kporha came in for Rio Cardines, as the only change to the side

• Asher Agbinone put Palace ahead in the 7th minute

• Captain Freddie Bell fired just wide following a corner in the 20th minute

• Just before the half-hour mark, Agbinone had two chances to double the lead

• Brighton came close through their captain Ruairi McConville 10 minutes before the break

• Half-time: Crystal Palace 1-0 Brighton & Hove Albion

• Brighton levelled through Harry Mills shortly after the restart

• On the hour-mark, McConville put Brighton ahead

• David Obou won a penalty just five minutes later, but couldn’t convert it

• With 10 minutes remaining, Cormac Austin levelled for Palace from the spot

• A flurry of late chances from Austin, Kporha and Franco Umeh almost saw Palace claim all three points

• Full-time: Crystal Palace 2-2 Brighton & Hove Albion

Three weeks on from their 2-1 victory over Aston Villa, Crystal Palace Under-18s were back in U18 Premier League South action as they welcomed fierce rivals Brighton & Hove Albion to Copers Cope.

Manager Rob Quinn made a single change to the side: Caleb Kporha in for Rio Cardines, who is on international duty with Trinidad and Tobago.

Palace got off to a flying start, taking the lead in the seventh minute. A mix-up at the back saw the visitors concede an indirect free-kick on the edge of the six-yard box and the resulting set piece saw Asher Agbinone capitalise from close-range after a Zach Marsh lay off.

With an early goal, Palace had the wind in their sails and looked to find a way to double their lead. Skipper Freddie Bell fired just wide with a spectacular outside-of-the-foot effort from the edge of the box from a Palace corner, while Agbinone came close with two half-chances in quick succession before the half-hour mark.

Brighton’s best chance of the first-half came through their captain Ruairi McConville as he headed just wide from a corner. A follow-up effort shortly before the break saw Jackson Izquierdo comfortably save Sahil Bashir’s long-range effort.

After the interval, the Seagulls enjoyed more of the ball and started to grow into the game. Just 10 minutes into the half, they managed to level through Harry Mills. The left-back finished from close range after a Josh Duffus pass across the box.

Momentum swung in Brighton’s favour after they managed to draw level and they managed to take the lead on the hour-mark. McConville rose highest inside the box, following a corner, and managed to head in a strong effort.

Just five minutes later, Palace found themselves down the other end and were awarded a penalty. Second-half substitute David Obou, who was making his first appearance of the season after a lengthy hamstring injury, danced his way into the box and was brought down by McConville.

After a lengthy delay, he stepped from the spot, but his effort was saved and tipped onto the post by Tommy Reid in the Brighton goal.

Palace weren’t disheartened by the penalty miss, in fact they continued to press on in search of an equaliser and won another spot-kick. With just over 10 minutes remaining, Joe Gibbard was cynically brought down by a lunging McConville and fellow midfielder Cormac Austin had the ball on the spot.

The No. 4 drew a breath before emphatically thumping the ball in from 12-yards to level it for Palace, setting up a grandstand finish in the 10 minutes that remained.

A flurry of chances in the final moments of the game saw Kporha, Austin and new signing Franco Umeh come close to finding a winner, but none of them could find that decisive strike to claim all three points.

The draw means Palace slip to third place in the U18 Premier League South, behind Fulham on goal difference and a point clear of Chelsea and two clear of Tottenham Hotspur.

Crystal Palace: Izquierdo, Kporha, Grante, Jemide, Marjoram, Austin, Gibbard, Bell (Williams 45+5), Socoliche (Umeh, 52), Marsh, Agbinone (Obou, 59)

Subs not used: Eastwood, Dixon.

Brighton & Hove Albion: Reid, McConville, Mills, Penman, Ryan (Gulzar, 68), Knight, Tasker, Owusu, Smith, Bashir, Duffus.

Subs not used: Lee, Mansell, Hayden, Howell.