U18s Report: Young Eagles’ valiant fightback falls just short against Villa

Summary:

• Under-18s head coach Javier Alonso makes five changes to the side that suffered defeat to West Brom at the weekend, with the U16 group in GCSE exams.
• 4: Khyan Frazer-Williams' outswinging corner is glanced over the bar by the head of Charlie Walker-Smith.
• 7: Villa forward Jack McGrath stings the palms of Jack Mason at his near post.
• 11: The inswinging corner is cleared but only as far as Dean Benamar who miscues the volley wide.
• 14: JDT is causing Villa's backline all kinds of problems as he beats his marker and delivers a teasing ball towards Benamar, who sees his strike blocked.
• 17: David Angibeaud comes agonisingly close to capitalising on a dangerous lofted pass in behind, but the onrushing 'keeper does just enough.
• 20: A quick give and go sees Finlay Bernard side-foot straight down Mason’s throat.
• 22 – GOAL: Markie Meade gives Villa the lead.
• 30 – GOAL: Jack McGrath's deflected effort doubles Villa's lead.
• 34: JDT beats his marker once more and lifts the cross towards Benamar at the far post, who sees his drilled effort cleared off the line.
• 45: There's an extensive pause to proceedings so Finlay Bernard can receive treatment for a challenge involving Anderson.
• HT: Palace U18s 0-2 Aston Villa U18s
• 47: Angibeaud sends Donte Martin clear away on goal, but he is denied by the 'keeper one on one.
• 48 – RED CARD: Drakes-Thomas is brandished a second yellow and subsequently sent off.
• 62: A crucial last-ditch challenge from Charlie Walker-Smith prevents Fletcher Boyd going through one on one with Mason.
• 64: Up the other end, Benamar arrows a low delivery across the face of goal, but nobody in white is there to turn home.
• 71: Daniel Owoade whips the cross into the path of Angibeaud, who gets in front of his marker, but stabs down the 'keepers throat.
• 73: Benamar can’t manufacture the shooting opportunity and the shot is charged down.
• 86 – GOAL: Angibeaud halves the deficit with some smart footwork and a neat finish!
• 88: Martin’s appeals for a penalty are waved away.
• Three minutes of additional time are indicated...
• FT: Palace U18s 1-2 Aston Villa U18s

Palace were looking to bounce back from Saturday’s defeat away at West Bromwich Albion, having previously recorded impressive back-to-back league victories over Arsenal and Ipswich Town.

With two matches remaining, the young Eagles remained in contention for a top-three finish in the U18 Premier League South, following a season that had already delivered U18 PL Cup success and a first Youth Cup semi-final appearance in almost 30 years.

Visitors Aston Villa arrived in South London as one of the division’s form sides, having won six of their previous seven league matches and continuing their push towards the top end of the table.

Javier Alonso made five changes from the side defeated at West Brom, with Jack Mason replacing Thiago Speroni in goal, while Dean Benamar and Charlie Walker-Smith came into the back line. Raihaan Anderson, Euan Danaher and Stuart Oduro also returned to the starting XI.

The bench was made up largely of first-year scholars, alongside U15 defender Nat Kalembo with the U16 group in GCSE exams.

Proceedings got underway at a sunlit Palace Academy, with both sides settling quickly into an evenly contested opening spell.

The first opportunity of the afternoon fell Palace’s way inside four minutes when Khyan Frazer-Williams’ outswinging corner was met by Charlie Walker-Smith, whose glancing header drifted over the crossbar.

Villa responded shortly afterwards through Jack McGrath, who cut inside with a clever step-over before forcing Mason into a sharp save at his near post.

The young Eagles continued to threaten from set-pieces in the early stages. Another dangerous delivery was only partially cleared into the path of Benamar, but the wing-back miscued the volley wide.

Palace were moving the ball confidently through midfield, with Joel Drakes-Thomas proving a constant outlet down the right flank. The forward repeatedly stretched Villa’s back line with his pace and delivered a teasing cross towards Benamar, whose effort was blocked inside the area.

Benamar was increasingly finding space in advanced positions, with Palace regularly switching play and lofting precise passes into the left channel to release the wing-back forward.

Approaching the midway point of the first half, Alonso’s side were enjoying their strongest spell of the contest.

Sustained possession pinned Villa deep inside their own half and Angibeaud almost capitalised on a dangerous ball over the top, only for ‘keeper Rhys Oakley to react quickly and do enough to put him off.

However, the momentum gradually shifted in Villa’s favour as the visitors began to grow into the game. Finlay Bernard went close after a quick interchange on the edge of the area, but his close-range effort was comfortably gathered by Mason.

The warning signs soon materialised into the opening goal. Against the run of Palace’s pressure, Markie Meade arrived to turn home a driven cross across the face of goal and hand Villa the lead.

Buoyed by the breakthrough, the visitors continued to threaten and almost doubled their advantage moments later, only for Meade to lose his footing at the crucial moment inside the box.

Villa were now enjoying the better of possession and territory, while Palace were forced into several important defensive interventions to halt quick transitions.

The visitors eventually doubled their lead in the closing stages of the half through McGrath. Drakes-Thomas appeared to be bundled over in the build-up, but play continued as McGrath drove towards the edge of the area before shifting onto his left foot and seeing his strike take a deflection beyond the diving Mason.

Palace nearly found an immediate route back into the contest before the break. Drakes-Thomas once again burst beyond Lennon Melhuish down the right and picked out Benamar inside the area, but the wing-back’s powerful low strike was brilliantly cleared off the line with Villa clinging onto their two-goal advantage.

Palace continued to push for a route back into the contest before the interval, but were unable to find the decisive final pass or finishing touch in the final third.

There was then a lengthy stoppage in play late in the half after Finlay Bernard went to ground following a challenge involving Raihaan Anderson. After receiving extensive treatment on the pitch, the Villa midfielder was stretchered off. Everyone at Crystal Palace wishes Finlay a speedy recovery.

Following the delay, the young Eagles headed into the half-time interval trailing by two goals.

Palace began the second half with renewed attacking intent and almost found an immediate route back into the contest.

Angibeaud showed excellent strength to hold up possession before threading a clever pass through to Martin, but the forward was denied one-on-one by Oakley.

Moments later, the young Eagles were reduced to 10 men. Drakes-Thomas drove infield and went to ground inside the penalty area, but instead of pointing to the spot, the referee issued the forward a second yellow card for simulation. Drakes-Thomas had previously been cautioned for dissent during the first half.

Approaching the hour mark, Villa were enjoying the majority of possession, while Palace remained disciplined and compact out of shape to frustrate the visitors’ attacking advances. Alonso’s side looked to break quickly whenever turnovers were forced, but despite the best efforts of the wing-backs, clear-cut openings proved difficult to create.

The visitors continued to probe for a third goal, but crucial last-ditch sliding challenges from Walker-Smith and Frazer-Williams prevented Villa attackers from racing through one-on-one against Mason. At the other end, Benamar flashed a dangerous delivery across the face of goal, but no Palace player was able to apply the finishing touch.

Owoade was beginning to emerge as Palace’s primary attacking outlet and, on 71 minutes, the young Eagles produced another impressive counter-attacking move.

Breaking quickly down the right flank, Owoade curled an inviting delivery into the path of the advancing Angibeaud, who did well to get across his marker but could only direct his effort straight at Oakley.

Moments later, Benamar drove purposefully towards the penalty area but was unable to sort his feet out in time to create a shooting opportunity before a recovering Villa challenge snuffed out the danger. As Palace continued to search for a route back into the contest, both wing-backs remained the hosts’ most threatening attacking outlets.

Villa applied sustained pressure entering the final 10 minutes, with the young Eagles camped deep inside their own half and defending resolutely. Mason was called into action on several occasions, producing a string of excellent saves to prevent the visitors from extending their advantage.

However, Palace found a lifeline in the closing stages through Angibeaud. The forward took matters into his own hands, weaving through a crowd of Villa defenders before calmly finding the far corner from close range to register his 16th goal of the season.

The goal immediately lifted the hosts and Palace nearly forced an equaliser moments after the restart when Martin went to ground inside the area under pressure, but the referee waved away the appeals.

Three minutes of additional time were indicated and the young Eagles pushed forward in search of a dramatic leveller. Owoade nearly latched onto a lofted ball in behind, but Oakley reacted sharply to race from his line and gather.

Despite a spirited late rally, Palace were unable to find the equalising goal as Villa held on to secure a narrow victory.

While the result condemned the young Eagles to back-to-back league defeats, Alonso’s side showed impressive character during an improved second-half display as they pushed the visitors all the way despite playing with 10 men for much of the contest.

The defeat leaves Palace sixth in the U18 Premier League South on 45 points heading into the final fixture of the season. The young Eagles will now look to finish the campaign strongly when they host Arsenal on Saturday morning (16th May, 11:00 BST).

Crystal Palace U18s: Mason, Frazer-Williams, Benamar (Lamidi, 81’), Walker-Smith, Shittu, Anderson, Drakes-Thomas, Danaher (Kalembo, 70’), Martin (McDonald, 81’), Oduro (Owoade, 52’), Angibeaud.

Subs not used: Okoli.

Aston Villa U18s: Oakley, Atkins, Pinnell, Burgess ©, Barnard (Addey, 45’ +10’), Melhuish, Bindley (Hayward, 70’), Quinn, Meade (Kellyman, 75’), Boyd (Smithen, 75’), McGrath.

Subs not used: Houston.