U18s Report: Foxes end young Eagles’ winning streak

Summary

• Rob Quinn made four changes to the side which beat Sheffield United

• Junior Dixon put Palace ahead five minutes in

• Vonnte Williams and Dixon had two chances to double the lead 20 minutes in

• The hosts levelled on the stroke of half-time through Reece Evans

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

• Leicester took the lead straight after the restart through Abdullah Javid

• Jayden Joseph added a third for Leicester on the hour mark

• With 15 minutes remaining, Freddie Cook scored the host’s fourth goal

• Logan Briggs added a fifth for the Foxes just before full-time

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

Two weeks on from the Cup victory away at Sheffield United, the young Eagles were on the road once more as they travelled to face Leicester City in the Under 18 Premier League South.

Rob Quinn made four changes to the side which beat the Blades, with Jackson Izquierdo, Vonnte Williams and Adler Nascimento returning in place of Laurie Shala, Trialist and Cormac Austin. Caleb Kporha also comes in for Jake Grante, who is on international duty with the Republic of Ireland U17s.

Inside the opening minute, the young Eagles raced towards the Leicester goal and looked to get their noses in front. Kporha went on a surging run from right-back, cutting inside and picking out Asher Agbinone, who recently signed his first professional contract, but the forward’s effort was saved by Dillon Addai in the Leicester goal.

Just a few minutes later, Palace were bearing down on goal once more. A surging run from Agbinone saw him beat two defenders down the right and he managed to put the ball across the box on a plate for Junior Dixon to score his ninth goal of the season from close range.

After conceding early, the hosts looked to draw level and nearly managed to do so a quarter of an hour in. Amani Richards forced Izquierdo into a smart stop low down at his near post after firing a fierce shot on goal from a tight angle.

Palace came close to doubling their lead just moments later as both Williams and Dixon saw their efforts saved and go narrowly wide respectively.

The hosts grew into the game as the half went on and managed to score an equaliser just before the interval. Richards raced towards the byline before cutting the ball back across the box for Reece Evans to finish from inside the six-yard box.

Leicester came racing out the blocks in the second-half and managed to take the lead early on in the second-half. Abdullah Javid fired home the first of four goals in the second-half for the hosts with a strong left-footed shot from a tight angle.

The young Eagles looked to respond immediately and nearly did so just two minutes later through Agbinone. Dixon did well to turn a ball in behind from midfield for Agbinone to latch on to, but his effort was parried away by Addai.

On the hour mark, the Foxes notched their third as left-back Jayden Joseph found space on the edge of the box to curl an effort in on his weaker foot.

With 15 minutes remaining, Leicester added a fourth from a corner. Jack Lewis floated in an inswinging ball and centre-back Freddie Cook rose highest to head home for the hosts.

Palace chances were few and far between in the second-half, though Kporha did see a curling effort inside the box cleared off the line and Dixon did come close to securing a brace, though his glancing header across the face of goal was saved.

Leicester scored their fifth and final goal in the 87th minute through Logan Briggs. The midfielder picked up the ball inside the box and struck a well placed effort on his left foot.

Two minutes of time were added on before the referee brought a halt to proceedings. The result means Quinn’s side remain second in the U18 Premier League South, three points behind West Ham United, though they now have a game in hand.

Leicester City: Addai, Grist, Joseph, Lewis, McAlinney, Cook, Javid (Amartey, 89), Briggs, Evans (Toure, 86), Fisken (Onanaye, 83), Richards.

Subs not used: Weeks, Loureiro.

Crystal Palace: Izquierdo, Kporha, Barton, Jemide, Williams, Bell, Gibbard (Marsh, 70), Socoliche, Nascimento (Mustapha, 70), Dixon, Agbinone.

Subs not used: Eastwood, Marroni, Austin.