Report & Highlights: Five-star Palace dispatch The Foxes

Summary

• James Leonard was handed his first start of the season after returning from injury

• Zach Marsh put Palace ahead from the spot seven minutes in

• Palace doubled the lead through David Obou just four minutes later

• Leicester pulled one back in the 16th minute through Joshua King

• Obou nearly picked out the top corner with a curling effort halfway through the first-half

• Billy Eastwood was called into action to keep Palace ahead

• Half-time: Crystal Palace 2-1 Leicester City

• Marsh hit the bar on the hour-mark, before converting a second penalty shortly after

• Obou got his second with 15 minutes to go

• Junior Dixon completed the scoring in the 83rd minute

• Full-time: Crystal Palace 5-1 Leicester City

A week on from the comeback in a seven-goal thriller over Arsenal, Crystal Palace Under-18s welcomed Leicester City to Copers Cope as they looked to consolidate second place.

Manager Rob Quinn made four changes to the side with James Leonard being handed his first start of the season, in place of Kaden Rodney, after a lengthy spell on the sidelines due to injury.

Freddie Bell returned to captain the side in place of the in-form Cormac Austin, while last week’s winning goalscorer David Obou came in for Franco Umeh.

Vonnte Williams replaced Rio Cardines, while goalkeeper Billy Eastwood retained his place in the starting XI as Jackson Izquierdo kept a clean sheet for the Under-21s in a 2-0 victory over Arsenal the day prior.

Palace got off to the best possible start, taking the lead in the seventh minute. Obou drew a foul from Leicester’s Freddie Cook inside the box, before Marsh stepped up from the spot and sent Dillon Addai the wrong way.

The young Eagles were a goal to the good early on and managed to add another just four minutes later. A surging run from Hindolo Mustapha in the middle of the park saw him pick out Marsh, who in turn fed an on rushing Obou to poke home.

Leicester looked for a way back into the game and managed to halve the deficit five minutes after Obou’s first goal. Joshua King, played in by a long hopeful ball over the top by Jayden Joseph, managed to break in behind the Palace defence and side-foot a goal back for the visitors.

With three goals coming in the opening quarter of an hour, the rest of the half was rather tame in comparison. Both sides had a number of chances, Palace couldn’t convert theirs, while Eastwood and the defence stood firm to keep efforts from King and Joseph away.

After the interval, the young Eagles came racing out the blocks and managed to restore the two-goal cushion on the hour-mark. Much like the first goal, Obou was brought down inside the box and Marsh stepped up 12-yards to send Addai the wrong way once again.

Obou and Marsh were running the show and the former secured his brace with 15 minutes to play. Finley Marjoram went on a barnstorming run down the right flank, beating three Leicester players before cutting the ball back across the box into the path of Marsh.

The Palace No.9 saw his effort saved by a combination of ‘keeper and defence, but Obou was there to capitalise from the resulting scramble to score his second and Palace’s fourth.

Second-half substitute Junior Dixon completed the scoring to cap off a five-star display from the young Eagles in the dying embers of the game. A ball from Dylan Reid picked out fellow midfielder Bell inside the box and his shot across the face of goal fell to Dixon - who couldn’t miss from point-blank range.

Palace saw out the remainder of the game to secure another three points, keeping them in second place in the U18 Premier League South, three clear of Fulham and 15 behind champions-elect West Ham United.

Crystal Palace: Eastwood (GK), Marjoram (Cardines, 84), Leonard, Jemide, Williams, Bell, Reid, Mustapha (Austin, 63), Obou (Dixon, 77), Marsh, Agbinone (Umeh, 63).

Subs not used: Hill (GK).

Leicester City: Addai (GK), Cook, Ali, Lewis, Grist, Gray, Joseph, Briggs (Fisken, 68), King (Otchere, 73), Nyoni (Ononaye, 73), Richards.

Subs not used: French (GK), Thomas.