U21s Report: Late Ola-Adebomi equaliser keeps Palace top of PL2

Summary

• Paddy McCarthy made three changes to the side which lost to Plymouth

• Chances were few and far between in the first-half

• David Omilabu put Palace ahead just past the half-hour mark

• Half-time: Manchester City 0-1 Crystal Palace

• City equalised in the 52nd minute, forcing an own goal

• Omilabu restored Palace’s lead from the spot just two minutes later

• Josh Adam equalised for City in the 57th minute

• Alex Robertson put the hosts ahead just after the hour mark

• In the fourth minute of stoppage time, Ademola Ola-Adebomi equalised for Palace

• Full-time: Manchester City 3-3 Crystal Palace

Just four days on from the last minute defeat to Plymouth Argyle in the Papa Johns Trophy, Palace Under-21s found themselves on the road once more as they travelled to face Manchester City in a top-of-the-table clash in the Premier League 2 Division 1.

Paddy McCarthy made three changes to the side which narrowly lost out at Home Park, with Owen Goodman, Tayo Adaramola and Fionn Mooney all coming in for Joe Whitworth, Kaden Rodney and Killian Phillips, with the latter featuring in the first-team squad against Everton.

Chances were few and far between for both sides in the first-half, with neither team managing to register a shot on target until the half-hour mark. City’s Josh Adam fired an effort on goal from 20-yards out, but Goodman was equal to it.

Palace quickly raced down the other end from this effort and won a corner. Skipper Jack Wells-Morrison picked out Seán Grehan with a cross following a short corner and the Irish centre-half headed it back across goal into the path of David Omilabu who tapped in from close range to give Palace the lead.

That proved to be the decisive effort of the half, with Adedire Mebude only testing Goodman from a narrow angle for the hosts. Palace went into the break ahead, and as it stood they were moving three points clear at the top of the league.

The game effectively turned on his head after the interval, opening up completely after the cagey first-half.

A succession of corners just seven minutes after the restart saw the Citizens draw level. Grehan was forced into an own goal under pressure from William Dickson and second-half substitute Alex Robertson.

The south Londoners looked to respond immediately after being pulled level and quickly raced down the other end of the pitch. Omilabu was brought down inside the box by Mikki van Sas after ghosting past him and the No. 7 picked himself up to take the spot kick.

Omilabu made no mistake from 12-yards, sending van Sas the wrong way as the notched his and Palace’s second goal of the game to restore the lead.

Palace’s joy was short-lived as the hosts managed to equalise once more just three minutes later. Goodman initially made a great save to deny Robertson’s effort from the edge of the box, however the rebound fell for Adam and he hit the roof of the net from inside the box.

Momentum swung in City’s favour as they managed to take the lead just after the hour mark. Josh Wilson-Esbrand’s run into the box saw him pick out Robertson inside the box and he managed to put the visitors ahead for the first time in the game with a side-footed finish.

The visitors now had a mountain to climb in the remaining half an hour. The game effectively reverted to the way the first-half was played, with the hosts setting up shop to defend their lead. Palace passed and probed to find a breakthrough, but it was becoming increasingly unlikely.

As the game trickled into the fourth of five minutes of time added on, Ademola Ola-Adebomi managed to level it for Palace. John-Kymani Gordon picked out Maliq Cadogan on a lung-bursting run out towards the right-hand side and the two substitutes combined as he put a first-time ball across the box for Ola-Adebomi to head home.

The referee brought an end to proceedings after a further two minutes of time added on ontop of the five originally announced and the result means that Paddy McCarthy’s side stay top of the Premier League 2 Division 1, ahead of the hosts City on goals scored.

Manchester City: van Sas, Carrington (Taylor, 45), Burns, Katongo (Robertson, 45), Wilson-Esbrand, Charles, Mebude (Smith, 75), Breckin, Dickson (Sodje, 75), Adam, Bobb

Sub not used: Grant.

Crystal Palace: Goodman, Imray (Rodney, 71), Grehan, Watson, Adaramola, Ozoh, Wells-Morrison, Mooney (Cadogan, 62), Omilabu, Akinwale (Ola-Adeombi, 71), Gordon (Raymond, 90+5).

Sub not used: Shala.