Report & Highlights: Palace retain top spot with dominant display against Hammers

Summary

• One change as Drakes-Thomas returns in place of Whyte

• 10: Williams’ driven free-kick is saved

• 13 - GOAL: Casey fires Palace in front with a great strike

• 15: Osei comes close to making it two

• 25: Palace work it well from a corner and Osei hits the side netting

• 33: Hill makes a great stop to deny West Ham and they hit the bar

• 42 - GOAL: Landers equalises for West Ham just before the break

• HT: Palace 1-1 West Ham

• 48 - GOAL: Casey reclaims the lead for Palace with a close-range finish

• 53: Williams sees an effort inside the box saved

• 63: Hargan misses from inside the box for West Ham

• 68: Adams-Collman’s shot from distance is turned behind

• 75: West Ham nearly capitalise from a Palace mistake

• 90+3 - GOAL: Martin seals all three points for the young Eagles

• FT: Palace 3-1 West Ham

A week on from the 2-0 win away at Fulham, Crystal Palace Under-18s began their U18 Premier League South run-in as they welcomed London rivals West Ham to Copers Cope.

There was a single change to the squad, with Joel Drakes-Thomas returning in place of Tyler Whyte who dropped to the bench. Drakes-Thomas was on international duty with England Under-16s in a UEFA Development Tournament.

New signing Rylan Brownlie was also in the matchday squad after joining the club a day prior to this clash as a free agent.

There were two set pieces for either side early on. West Ham threatened from a corner inside the first five minutes, though they couldn’t get a shot away, while captain Seb Williams saw a free-kick on the edge of the box turned behind.

Palace did take the lead with just under a quarter of an hour gone on the clock. The ball was kept alive in the second phase of a free-kick and it broke to Benji Casey in the box. The No. 9 chested it and struck a brilliant effort in on the volley to give Palace the lead.

Within a minute of going ahead, Jerome Osei was in behind for a second. Marcus Hill played an excellent ball over the top and Osei broke beyond the West Ham line, but his effort was saved by Finley Hooper in the visitor’s goal.

Osei had another chance to get on the scoresheet halfway through the first-half following a well-worked corner routine, though he struck the side netting.

West Ham started to grow into the game and managed to force Hill into a strong save to deny Elisha Sowumni with just over half an hour on the clock. They then struck the bar shortly afterwards.

The visitors did eventually manage to level just before half-time, with Joshua Landers finishing from inside the box.

With the scores level, it was all to play for in the second-half and Palace came out with a spring in their step. Osei saw an initial effort turned behind, following great work in the build up from Jacob Fasida, before Casey netted a second three minutes after the restart.

He was in the right place at the right time, inside the six yard box, to meet Jasper Judd’s ball across the box to finish from close range.

After reclaiming the lead it was still all-Palace as they pressed for another. Williams saw an effort on the edge of the box saved and a follow-up from Dean Benamar was headed over.

Kai-Reece Adams-Collman also saw an effort saved from distance, while Drakes-Thomas’ cut back across the box couldn’t quite pick out a Palace player.

West Ham’s Riley Hargan missed from inside the box, with arguably their best chance of the half. The visitors almost capitalised on a Hill error, though the Palace ‘keeper recovered in time to deny them.

Palace continued to press on for another, despite the West Ham advances. Williams cut a ball back for new signing Brownlie, who came on in the second-half, though the Australian’s effort was blocked. Whyte also struck an effort over the bar after being picked out inside the box.

In the final few seconds of stoppage time, Palace added a well-deserved third to seal the points. Brownlie was picked out on the breakaway and led the charge, only to see his attempt for a debut goal palmed away by Hooper.

It broke perfectly for late substitute Donte Martin who was alongside Brownlie on the breakaway and he calmly slotted into an empty net to seal all three points.

Victory for Palace means they stay top of the U18 Premier League South, a point clear of Southampton and five ahead of Chelsea. The other teams around the young Eagles do have multiple games in hand, however.

Palace: Hill (GK), Judd, Benamar, Danaher, Somade, Fasida, Drakes-Thomas (Martin, 82), Adams-Collman, Casey (Whyte, 82), Williams, Osei (Brownlie, 63).

Subs not used: Whitworth (GK), Okoli.

West Ham: Hooper (GK), Ebho, Scanlon (Balogun, 70), Medine, Oyebade, Kamara, Hargan (Beckford, 79), Nwosu, Landers, Sowunmi, Dike.

Subs not used: Chigwada, Nightingale (GK), Unwin.