U18s Report: Palace storm The Cottagers in four-goal triumph

Summary

• Rob Quinn made three changes to the side

• Zach Marsh had a chance early on to put Palace ahead

• Jackson Izquierdo pulled off a fingertip save to deny a looping effort from Lemar Gordon 15 minutes in

• Palace took the lead through Basilio Socoliche in the 34th minute

• Joe Gibbard added a second for Palace just two minutes later

• Half-time: Fulham 0-2 Crystal Palace

• Socoliche netted his second and Palace’s third three minutes after the restart

• On the hour-mark, Rio Cardines secured a fourth for Palace

• Palace saw out the rest of the half with ease, with Zach Marsh, Asher Agbinone and Socoliche coming close to adding a fifth

• Full-time: Fulham 0-4 Crystal Palace

A week on from the defeat to league leaders West Ham United, Palace Under-18s found themselves travelling across London once more to face Fulham.

Manager Rob Quinn made three changes to the side, with Rio Cardines, Freddie Bell and Asher Agbinone all returning to the fold. Kalani Barton and Hindolo Mustapha dropped to the bench, while Caleb Kporha is away on international duty with England Under-17s.

Palace got off to a strong start early on. Zach Marsh came close to opening the scoring in the first minute of the match, however his effort was parried away by Michael Allen in the Fulham goal.

Jackson Izquierdo was forced into action a quarter of an hour into the game, getting fingertips to a looping long-range effort from Fulham’s Lemar Gordon. That chance proved to be Fulham’s best of the game as Palace began to take control.

Just after the half-hour mark, Palace took the lead. Excellent pressing from the front by Marsh saw him win the ball off Allen inside the Fulham box - the striker then picked out an onrushing Basilio Socoliche who finished from close-range inside the six-yard box.

Two minutes later, the young Eagles managed to get a second. Joe Gibbard picked up the ball inside the Fulham half and went on a surging run through the middle of the park. He picked his spot on the edge of the 18-yard box and managed to curl it beyond both defender and Allen to give Palace a two-goal cushion.

Palace were almost in for a third just before half-time, though Asher Agbinone saw his goalbound shot unfortunately and unintentionally blocked by Marsh inside the six-yard box.

After going in two-goals to the good at half-time, the young south Londoners came racing out the blocks in search of more. Just three minutes after the restart, Socoliche secured his brace and Palace’s third.

The winger found space inside the box to get on the end of a cross from Cardines and headed back across the face of goal, seeing the ball nestle in the bottom corner past a helpless Allen.

Fulham had it all to do after conceding a third after the interval and after going in search of a route back into the game, they found themselves four down. On a breakaway down the Palace right, Marsh cut the ball back across into the path of Agbinone - he saw his shot blocked, but the rebound fell to Cardines who rifled it into the bottom corner from 20-yards out.

With just over half-an-hour remaining after netting the fourth, Palace comfortably saw out the rest of the game. Efforts from Socoliche to find his hat-trick came and went from two set-pieces, while Fulham’s Thomas Olylott fired just over the bar in stoppage time.

The result means Quinn’s side moved up to second place in the Under 18 Premier League South, a point ahead of Chelsea; two clear of Spurs and three clear of hosts Fulham.

Fulham: Allen, Gofford (De-Jesus, 54), Slade, Amissah (Nsasi, 64), Park, King (Parker 54), Works (Nwoko, 75), McCoy-Splatt (Olyott, 75), Loupalo-Bi, Osmano, Gordon.

Crystal Palace: Izquierdo, Cardines, Grante, Jemide, Williams (Barton, 24), Austin, Gibbard, Bell, Socoliche, Marsh (Trialist, 85), Agbinone (Marjoram, 85).

Subs not used: Shala, Mustapha.