U18s report: Walker-Smith's brace inspires comeback win over Southampton

Summary:

• Javier Alonso makes five changes from the Chelsea defeat, with Sean Somade returning from a lengthy injury, and Charlie Walker-Smith and Benji Casey coming in from the Under-21s.
• 9: Oliver Newman's effort flies over the near corner.
• 11: We scramble away a dangerous cut-back from the byline.
• 13: Casey flashes a dangerous low ball across the face of goal that evades everyone in white.
• 17: Judd’s diagonal finds Khyan Frazer-Williams, who controls well and sees his persistence almost pay off, sliding an effort just wide of the far post.
• 19: Jasper Judd strikes the bar from one of his trademark inswinging corners.
• 28 – SO CLOSE: David Angibeaud deceives the defender, before being denied one-on-one by Moody!
• 30 – GOAL: Southampton open the scoring through Korban McMullan.
• 35: Southampton survive wave after wave of Palace attack as Casey flashes a low drive across the face of goal, and Euan Danaher stings the palms of Moody from range.
• 38: Charlie Walker-Smith produces a crucial last-ditch sliding challenge to deny Hawe's close-range strike.
• 42: Casey beats his marker and looks to square across to the onrushing Jacob Fasida to stab home into the empty net, but the defender scrambles clear.
• 43: Walker-Smith heads wide from Judd’s inswinging corner.
• Three minutes added on…
• 45 (+3’): Euan Danaher miscues a first-time effort from distance that Casey tries to turn goalwards, sparking a series of pinball scrambles, but nobody in Eagle White can apply the finish.
• HT: Southampton U18s 1-0 Palace U18s
• 47: Lucca Benetton denies Max Little one-on-one.
• 53: Okoli fires over the bar from the right of the penalty area.
• 54 – GOAL: Judd swings in the corner and Walker-Smith sweeps home from close-range.
• 56: A double change follows the equaliser to manage workload and minutes.
• 60: There’s a pause to proceedings so a couple of Saints players can receive treatment.
• 70: Moses and Angibeaud combine for the former to almost squeeze past Moody one-on-one!
• 71 – GOAL: Donte Martin sees his low effort spilled before Angibeaud is alive to convert the follow-up.
• 76 – GOAL: Fasida whips in a pinpoint inswinging corner and Walker-Smith rises highest to head home and complete his brace.
• 86: Mylo Bernard strikes just wide on the swivel.
• 90: Southampton have the ball in the back of the net, but it is adjudged offside.
• Four minutes added on…
• FT: Southampton U18s 1-3 Palace U18s

A youthful Palace side were narrowly beaten 2–0 away at Chelsea last time out, bringing an end to a six-match unbeaten run across league and cup. The 16-man matchday squad featured eight Under-16 players alongside three first-year scholars.

Southampton arrived in confident form, sitting 10th in the table with 26 points from 19 matches. With games in hand over several rivals, the Saints remained well placed to climb the standings, having built momentum from a convincing 5–1 win over Ipswich Town at Staplewood Training Ground.

Javier Alonso made five changes to the side that faced Chelsea. Sean Somade returned from a lengthy injury lay-off to partner Charlie Walker-Smith in central defence, while Jacob Fasida came into the back line. Further forward, Raihaan Anderson and Benji Casey were also introduced.

Both Walker-Smith and Casey, regulars for the U21s, were drafted into the U18s due to a lighter fixture schedule, adding valuable experience to the young Eagles’ ranks.

Southampton enjoyed the majority of early possession, moving the ball with purpose. Alonso’s side remained compact and disciplined, looking to release Casey quickly after forcing the turnover.

The hosts created the first real chance on nine minutes when Oliver Newman threaded Luke Hawe into space down the right channel, but his effort flew over the near corner. Moments later, Palace scrambled to clear a dangerous cut-back from the byline, surviving another warning in a nervy opening spell.

The pendulum swung in the 15th minute as the young Eagles grew in confidence. Casey, from the right side of the box, flashed a low ball across the face of goal that evaded everyone in Eagle White. Khyan Frazer-Williams then lifted a cross towards the far post, which was comfortably claimed.

A few minutes later, Jasper Judd’s diagonal picked out Frazer-Williams down the left channel, who controlled well before sliding an effort narrowly wide of the far post. Judd then went close himself, striking the bar with one of his trademark inswinging corners as pressure built. The young Eagles were beginning to turn the screw.

Midway through, play paused for Judd to receive some treatment. It had been a cagey contest so far, with neither ‘keeper seriously tested, but Palace were the team in the ascendancy.

Approaching the final third, Frazer-Williams drove towards the area before slipping in Angibeaud down the left. He wrong-footed the defender but was denied one-on-one by Moody, who saved his tight-angled effort.

However, the Saints took the lead against the run of play, Korban McMullan’s 25-yard strike crashing in off the bar.

Towards the latter stages, Southampton were forced to withstand sustained Palace pressure, with Casey firing across the face of goal and Danaher drawing a strong save from Moody with a strike from range.

With five minutes until the break, momentum swung back towards the Saints, and Palace were forced to defend as Walker-Smith produced a crucial last-ditch block to deny Hawe from close range.

On the stroke of half-time, Casey beat his marker and drove into the box, looking to square for the onrushing Fasida, but a defender scrambled clear. Walker-Smith then rose highest but headed agonisingly wide from Judd’s resulting inswinging corner.

In three minutes of added time, Danaher miscued a first-time effort from distance that Casey tried to turn goalwards, sparking a series of pinball scrambles, but nobody in Eagle White could apply the finish.

Southampton began the second half with renewed intent, as Hawe fired straight at Lucca Benetton before Max Little was sent through, only for Benetton to race off his line and make the save.

At the other end, a golden opportunity fell to Chuks Okoli, who controlled the ball but blazed over from a few yards out.

The young Eagles were eventually rewarded on 55 minutes when Walker-Smith levelled the contest, Judd swinging in another dangerous corner for him to maintain his composure and sweep home.

Alonso then made a double change, with Casey and Judd withdrawn to manage minutes and workload.

Palace’s momentum was briefly stalled on the hour mark as a couple of Southampton players received treatment, but once play resumed they continued to probe, with the hosts surviving a series of shots and crosses midway through.

Approaching the 70th minute, Palace were launching wave after wave of attack. Kayden Moses and Angibeaud combined, with the former almost squeezing past Moody one-on-one, before Donte Martin scuffed a low effort into the defender.

Palace then took the lead moments later through Angibeaud, as Martin’s low strike from outside the area was spilled by Moody and Angibeaud reacted quickest to convert the rebound.

Angibeaud almost had a second when he battled through a crowd of yellow and blue shirts and looked to force the ball over the line, but Southampton’s defensive resolve held firm.

It mattered little, as Palace soon extended their advantage. With Judd off the pitch, Fasida took over corner duties and delivered a delicious inswinging ball for Walker-Smith to power home his second.

Four minutes of added time were indicated, and the referee’s whistle confirmed a 3–1 win and a return to winning ways for Palace in the U18 Premier League South.

With a crucial run-in ahead, including the FA Youth Cup semi-final on Friday (17th April) and the Premier League Cup Final at Selhurst Park on Wednesday (22nd April), it's a significant result that will give the squad real momentum.

Palace remain third in the U18 Premier League South, above rivals Brighton & Hove Albion, with the win moving us onto 39 points.

Palace: Benetton, Judd (Moses, 56’), Frazer-Williams, Walker-Smith, Somade (Bull, 45’), Okoli, Anderson, Fasida (Owoade, 85’), Casey (Martin, 56’), Danaher, Angibeaud (Bernard, 78’).

Southampton: Moody, Salisbury (Wells, 86’), Day, Anderson (Vallance, 62’), Sewell, Lovatt, Newman (Lemon, 62’), McMullan ©, Hawe (Kuzanga, 75’), Bailey (Daniels, 62’), Little.