U18s Report: Young Eagles fall on opening day to Marshall hat-trick

Summary

• Rob Quinn named a strong side, featuring five new scholars

• Freddie Bell opened the scoring for the young Eagles in the 10th minute

• Junior Dixon added a second five minutes later

• West Ham created more chances after the water break

• Callum Marshall pulled one back for the visitors just before half-time

• Half-time: Crystal Palace 2-1 West Ham United

• Marshall drew West Ham level 10 minutes after the restart

• Dixon and Zach Marsh came close to putting Palace ahead near the hour-mark

• West Ham took the lead with five minutes remaining as Marshall completed his hat-trick

• Full-time: Crystal Palace 2-3 West Ham United

Following on from last season’s third place finish, the young Eagles welcomed West Ham United to Copers Cope as they kicked off their new campaign.

Rob Quinn named a strong side, with five of the thirteen new scholars taking to the pitch.

The visitors got off to a strong start, enjoying more of the ball and winning a free-kick in the eighth minute that went narrowly over the bar.

Though West Ham had the better start, the young Eagles took the lead 10 minutes in. Skipper Freddie Bell capitalised on lax defending from the Irons and calmly slotted home Palace’s first goal of the new 22/23 season from the edge of the box.

West Ham went straight down the other end from the restart and nearly equalised through Callum Marshall. The No. 7 pulled off a fierce shot inside the six-yard box, though Jackson Izquierdo in the Palace goal was equal to it - getting down low and reacting well to deny the forward.

Junior Dixon made it two for the young Eagles just five minutes later. The striker was slipped in by Zach Marsh and managed to find a finish inside the box - beating both ‘keeper and defender as the ball nestled in the bottom left corner.

Just as they did when they conceded the first goal, the Irons looked to find an instant response. Izquierdo did well once again to deny Oliver Scarles’ shot inside the box, and Mofe Jemide slid in well to deny Gideon Kouda.

The Hammers did manage to pull one back in first-half stoppage time. Marshall halved the deficit for the visitors from the penalty spot.

With the score finely poised at 2-1, the two sides returned from the interval and picked up where they had left off. Dixon came close once more for Palace - poking the ball just wide from the second phase of a corner almost straight after the restart.

Ten minutes into the second-half, West Ham found an equaliser. Marshall got his second of the game, sliding in at close range to get on the end of an Oliver Scarles cross.

On the hour-mark, Marsh won the ball back high up the pitch from a misplaced pass and came close to restoring Palace’s lead, though he and Dixon were denied by Mason Terry in the West Ham goal.

As the heat intensified, so did the tempo of the game after the second-half water break. With 10 minutes remaining, West Ham broke away towards Palace’s goal and found themselves in a two versus one situation.

An excellent sliding challenge from second-half substitute Caleb Kphora denied the counter-attack to help keep the scores level, however the visitors did claim the lead with five minutes left on the clock.

Marshall completed his hat-trick after being slipped in behind by George Earthy, finishing from close range.

Basilio Reino-Socoliche came agonisingly close to levelling it for Palace in the final moments of the game, but his sliced volley was parried behind by Terry. The referee’s whistle brought an end to the game and saw the young Eagles fall to defeat in their opening game.

Crystal Palace: Izquierdo, Barton (Mustapha, 72), Jemide, Grante, Williams, Austin (Kporha, 45), Bell (Reino-Socoliche, 72), Gibbard, Nascimento, Dixon, Marsh.

Subs not used: Eastwood, Cardines.

West Ham United: Terry, Battrum, Scarles, Orford, False, Casey, Marshall, Kelly, Kodua, Rigge, Earthy.

Subs not used: Jones, Herrick, Akpata, Mukasa, Fawunmi.