U18s Report & Highlights: Young Eagles close gap on top two with crucial West Ham win

Summary:

• Javier Alonso makes six changes from Leicester, with Lucca Benetton returning from England duty, Hugo Bull making his first competitive U18 start, and Joel Drakes-Thomas starting for the first time since his injury last month.
• 5 – GOAL: David Angibeaud rounds the ‘keeper and converts into the empty net to open the scoring.
• 7: Lucca Benetton palms away a dangerous low cross.
• 9: Hugo Bull heads over Jasper Judd’s outswinging corner.
• 11: Donte Martin’s header at the back post fails to trouble Olanrewaju Awesu in goal.
• 13: Angibeaud’s swivelled effort grazes the ‘keepers bottom right corner.
• 14 – GOAL: Martin bundles over the line to double our lead.
• 26: Benetton makes a fine reaction stop from close-range.
• 35: Joel Drakes-Thomas rattles the outside of the post.
• 38 – GOAL: Jacob Fasida lashes a spectacular strike from 20 yards into the roof of the net.
• 40 – GOAL: West Ham pull one back through Chuk Obi.
• 43 – GOAL: Andre Dike grabs another for West Ham.
• 45: Raihaan Anderson is clear away on goal, but shoots wide.
• 45 (+2): A goalmouth scramble sees Angibeaud’s header cleared off the line.
• HT: Palace 3-2 West Ham
• 52: Benetton does well to push away Joel Kerr's effort!
• 59: We've been forced into plenty of defensive work early in the second half, but have successfully rode the pressure so far!
• 65: Despite their West Ham’s dominance, clear-cut chances remain at a premium.
• 70: Medine appeals for a penalty are waved away and he is booked for simulation…
• 76: Oduro is sent clear away, he rounds the 'keeper, delays, before seeing his low strike blocked on the line.
• 79: Owoade arrows a delivery across the face of goal, Awesu spills, but Angibeaud can't force it home.
• 83 – RED CARD: Tensions flair and West Ham's Lewis Beckford is sent off.
• We're into five minutes of stoppage time!
• 90 (+2): Chuks Okoli whips inches wide of the far post.
• FT: Palace 3-2 West Ham
• A crucial three points in our pursuit of the U18 title!

A narrow 1-0 defeat to Leicester City last time out ended Palace’s five-match unbeaten run.

Prior to that, the young Eagles had impressed in league and cup, reaching their first FA Youth Cup quarter-final in over 15 years with a 2-1 win at Stevenage and recording a dominant 5-0 league victory over Birmingham City. A 1-1 draw with Tottenham Hotspur, however, slowed their pursuit of leaders Chelsea.

West Ham, meanwhile, arrived in strong form despite a 2-1 defeat to Ipswich Town last weekend – their first league loss of the calendar year. Before that, the young Hammers had collected an impressive 24 points from nine matches to climb into the top four.

With both sides level on 28 points and chasing Spurs and Chelsea, there was plenty at stake.

Javier Alonso made six changes from the side that faced Leicester. Lucca Benetton returned from England U16 duty to start between the sticks in place of Jack Mason.

Elsewhere, captain Jasper Judd was restored to the line-up, Hugo Bull stepped up from the U16s to make his first U18 start, and Joel Drakes-Thomas made his first start since sustaining an injury in the warm-up against Newcastle last month.

It was a cold, crisp morning in Beckenham as the young Eagles made a flying start, taking the lead inside five minutes through David Angibeaud.

A loose clearance fell only as far as Jacob Fasida just inside the young Hammers’ half. He cleverly flicked the ball on to Raihaan Anderson, who teed up Donte Martin. Martin then threaded a perfectly weighted pass into the path of Angibeaud. Timing his run to perfection, the striker kept his composure, rounded the ‘keeper and calmly slotted into the empty net.

The visitors threatened an immediate response, but a fizzed low cross that was expertly palmed away by a diving Benetton. The young Eagles’ intense high press continued to cause problems, and from Judd’s outswinging corner, Bull rose highest but could only head over the bar.

The pendulum continued to swing in Palace’s favour as the young Eagles pressed to extend their advantage.

Martin’s header at the back post failed to trouble Olanrewaju Awesu in goal, before Angibeaud came within inches of a second, spinning sharply and sending an effort skimming agonisingly past the ‘keeper’s bottom-right corner. It was only a matter of time before the lead was doubled...

Patient, purposeful build-up play around West Ham’s penalty area saw Okoli attempt to slip Martin in behind.

Although it initially appeared that Joe Scanlon had dealt with the danger, his backpass to Awesu was quickly closed down by the alert Martin. The striker’s persistence paid off as the attempted clearance cannoned off him and trickled into the net, rewarding Palace’s relentless pressure.

Midway through the half, the young Hammers began to grow in confidence and test**** Benetton. The England youth international produced a sharp reaction stop from close range before safely gathering a driven low free-kick from just outside the penalty area.

Having weathered that spell of pressure, Palace offered a reminder of their attacking threat at the other end. Drakes-Thomas burst into the box and rattled the outside of the post, a warning that the young Eagles were still hunting for more.

With Palace back in the ascendancy, the third goal soon followed. Martin sparked it with an aggressive press down the left flank, forcing a turnover before picking out Fasida in acres of space. Fasida took a touch to set himself just outside the area and then unleashed a superb strike beyond the diving Awesu and into the roof of the net.

On the stroke of half-time, West Ham reduced the deficit through Chuk Obi. A flat delivery flashed dangerously across the face of goal, narrowly evading Bull, and Obi was on hand to stab home from close range.

The visitors capitalised on that momentum moments later. Obi again proved influential, weaving his way through a sea of red and blue shirts before squaring for Andre Dike, who applied the simplest of finishes past Benetton.

It was a breathless end to the half. Raihaan Anderson raced clean through on goal but dragged his one-on-one effort narrowly wide of the far post. In the additional time, Angibeaud saw a header cleared off the line before Awesu was forced to tip Fasida’s follow-up over the crossbar, capping a thrilling first 45 minutes.

Alonso’s first change came at the break, with Drakes-Thomas making way for Stuart Oduro.

The young Hammers started the second half on the front foot, building sustained pressure through a succession of deliveries and set-pieces into the box.

The first clear opportunity after the interval fell to the visitors. Joel Kerr drove into the area from the left channel and unleashed a powerful effort towards the far corner, but Benetton was equal to it, getting down well to push the strike away from danger.

Palace were forced into plenty of defensive work in the early stages of the second half, with West Ham enjoying the lion’s share of territory as they searched for an equaliser.

Despite their territorial dominance, West Ham struggled to truly test Benetton as the game passed the hour mark – a testament to the discipline and organisation of the Palace backline that was being expertly marshalled by Judd.

While much of the play during that period was confined to the young Eagles’ half, clear-cut chances remained at a premium, with Palace standing firm.

There was a heart-in-mouth moment on 70 minutes when Medine latched onto a through ball in behind and went down under pressure from the onrushing Benetton.

Appeals rang out from the visitors, but the referee judged that the Palace ‘keeper had done just enough to put the striker off without committing a foul. Medine was subsequently shown a yellow card for simulation, much to the relief of the home side. Fortunately, our defensive resolve paid dividends and we secured the victory!

At the other end, Oduro was sent racing clean through on goal and looked certain to restore Palace’s cushion. He attempted to round Awesu, showed quick feet to stand the goalkeeper up and beat him, but his low effort was dramatically hooked off the line by a recovering defender.

Moments later, substitute Daniel Owoade whipped a dangerous delivery across the face of goal. Awesu could only spill the ball into a crowded area, yet Angibeaud was unable to apply the finishing touch, nudging his effort agonisingly wide as the chance went begging.

As the game edged towards its conclusion, tensions flared and a coming-together between the players resulted in further drama. Lewis Beckford was shown a second yellow card and subsequently dismissed, reducing the visitors to ten men as they continued their push for a last-gasp leveller.

The win keeps Palace in third place, now on 31 points, narrowing the gap to just five points behind second-placed Chelsea. Meanwhile, Leicester’s victory sees them sit just one point behind the young Eagles in fourth, keeping the race for the top spots intensely competitive.

There will be hopes that we can carry this momentum forward into our Premier League Cup semi-final against Tottenham on Wednesday (4th March, 12:00 GMT) at Hotspur Way.

Palace: Benetton, Judd ©, Frazer-Williams, Bull, Monk, Okoli, Drakes-Thomas (Oduro, 45'), Fasida, Martin, Anderson (Owoade, 67'), Angibeaud.

Subs not used: McDonald, Lee, Bernard.

West Ham: Awesu, Montague, Scanlon, Jonyla, Smith, Agyemang, Dike, Brooks, Obi (Medine, 67'), Beckford (Red Card, 83'), Kerr.

Subs not used: Healy-Matthews, Tomlin, Omotoya, Balogun.

Red Card: Lewis Beckford (83').