Report & Highlights: King brace sees Palace into FA Youth Cup fourth round

Summary

• King returned as the only change to the side

• He headed Palace ahead inside the opening 10 minutes

• Palace had a succession of chances to double their lead

• Plymouth equalised on the stroke of half-time through Roberts

• HT: Plymouth 1-1 Palace

• Both sides were passing and probing to find a way in front

• Eastwood made a strong stop to deny Plymouth, while Marsh saw a shot blocked

• King headed Palace ahead once more with 10 minutes remaining

• Eastwood tipped Hatch’s header onto the crossbar

• Palace withstood late Plymouth pressure in stoppage time

• FT: Plymouth 1-2 Palace

• Palace progress to the fourth round of the FA Youth Cup

Almost two weeks on from the chaotic nine-goal thriller against Fulham in the Under 18 Premier League Cup, the young Eagles were back in action as they travelled to the south west to face Plymouth Argyle in the third round of the FA Youth Cup.

There was a single change to the side which progressed against Fulham, with George King returning in place of Seb Williams who dropped to the bench.

Palace got off to a strong start, enjoying more of the ball in the Plymouth half and creating a number of half-chances. Jesse Derry, on set piece duty, whipped in a corner towards the edge of the six-yard box and picked out King.

The centre-back found himself unmarked after making a run towards the ball and flicked on Derry’s corner into the side netting at the far post.

With the young Eagles a goal to the good, they dialled up the pressure in search of a quickfire second. Mustapha saw an effort blocked, while Derry had two chances which came and went - the first a shot that was deflected away following him skipping past three defenders, and the second was a snatched chance in space inside the box.

Matteo Dashi also came close to adding a second for Palace half an hour in, though he headed over the bar after great build up play from Derry and Mustapha.

Palace were left to rue their missed chances as the hosts grew into the game and started to create chances of their own. Tegan Finn forced Billy Eastwood into his first real save of the game, while Caleb Roberts managed to draw Plymouth level on the stroke of half-time.

Freddie Issaka drove towards goal on a break from a Palace attack in first-half stoppage time and threaded it across to Roberts, who finished on his right foot at the first time of asking.

Both sides were looking to get their noses in front as they returned to action in the second-half, though neither could quite fashion a clear cut opportunity up until the hour-mark.

Issaka was through on goal and looked destined to score, though Palace ‘keeper Eastwood rushed out and got a crucial hand to his effort to keep the scores level.

Captain Zach Marsh saw a chance blocked after being slipped in by Mustapha, while Plymouth’s Finley Wilkes stung the palms of Eastwood.

It looked as though the game would head towards extra-time, however King had other ideas. Following a short corner, second-half substitute picked up the ball and drove towards the byline past two defenders.

He dug out a cross towards the six-yard box and found King, who guided his header past a helpless Dan Holman in the Plymouth goal to give Palace the lead once more.

A barrage of chances followed after the young Eagles got their noses in front, but Eastwood in the Palace goal kept them at bay. He got a fingertip to a Finn free-kick and then did ever so well to tip Joe Hatch’s header from the resulting corner onto the crossbar.

Right at the death, in the seventh minute of time added on, Eastwood again made a crucial late save, denying a header from Jack Matthews.

Quinn’s side held on into 10 minutes of time added on and managed to come away from the south west with a victory. They will play either AFC Fylde or Hull City away in the fourth round proper in January 2024.

Plymouth: Holman (GK), Colwell, Wilkes, Fisher (Lord, 74), Ireland (Donovan, 88), Matthews, Issaka, Roberts, Hatch, Finn, Bernard.

Subs not used: Flower (GK), Gibbings, Haley, Dean, Burch.

Palace: Eastwood (GK), Grante, Jemide, King, Cardines, Adams-Collman, Gibbard (Agbinone, 61), Mustapha, Dashi (S. Williams, 77), Marsh, Derry.

Subs not used: Hill (GK), Omobolaji, Elliott, Cowin, Kyremeh.