Crystal Palace Under-21s fell to a 5-2 defeat against Southampton in Premier League Two at Sutton’s 360 Engage Stadium on Monday evening.
Southampton took control through Princewill Ehibhatiomhan’s first-half brace, but Joe Gibbard’s header on the stroke of half-time gave Palace hope.
Aston Daley and Sulfiana Dibaga struck within 10 minutes of the restart to extend the Saints’ lead, before Ehibhatiomhan completed his hat-trick.
David Angibeaud pulled one back for Palace with a fine finish into the roof of the net – opening his U21s account – but the Young Eagles could not close the gap despite a late push.
After three straight defeats, Palace returned to winning ways in style last time out, beating Leeds United 4-1 with Adler Nascimento scoring a hat-trick before 15-year-old Nat Kalembo sealed the victory with a sensational strike.
Darren Powell made four changes, with Charlie Walker-Smith returning from a lengthy injury lay-off and Caleb Kporha replacing the suspended Chuks Okoli and Sean Somade in the back five. Kai-Reece Adams-Colman and Angibeaud also made their first U21s starts, with the injured Euan Danaher and first-team star Zavier Gozo making way.
Jasper Judd and Makai Bernard-Ferguson returned to the bench after a spell on the sidelines, while Taha Majni remained suspended and Amaari Sealey missed out through injury.
It was a lively start at Sutton, with Angibeaud forcing Dylan Moody into an early save with his first touch straight from kick-off, before Southampton thought they had opened the scoring at the other end, only for the effort to be ruled out for offside.
The visitors enjoyed more of the possession, but Palace looked dangerous on the break. Gibbard seized on a loose pass down the right and flashed the ball across the face of goal, only for it to evade everyone in the area.
Southampton issued a warning of their own when Ehibhatiomhan fired narrowly wide of the right-hand post, but Angibeaud continued to trouble the visitors’ defence. After Dean Benamar drove towards the area and laid the ball into his path, the striker unleashed a fierce effort that flashed just wide of the far corner.
As the game approached the 20-minute mark, the Young Eagles began to grow into the contest, moving the ball around with greater confidence.
Their patient build-up almost paid off when Adler Nascimento lifted a delivery towards the far post, where Angibeaud came within inches of stretching out a boot to turn it home.
Southampton, though, remained a threat. Calum Anderson’s cross took a deflection and looped onto the crossbar, leaving Harry Lee scrambling, before the Palace ‘keeper did well to keep out Sufiana Sillah’s effort moments later.
The rebound, however, fell kindly for Ehibhatiomhan, who made no mistake from close range to put the visitors ahead on 26 minutes.
The goal shifted the momentum firmly in the Saints’ favour. The visitors seized control as the half wore on, pinning Palace back and piling on the pressure in search of a second.
Their dominance told on 36 minutes, when Lee raced off his line to deny Sillah in a one-on-one, only for Ehibhatiomhan to pounce on the loose ball and crash it in off the crossbar for his second of the afternoon.
Palace needed a response before the break, and Gibbard provided it on the stroke of half-time. Rising highest to meet a Walker-Smith's, the midfielder powered a superb downward header into the net to give the Young Eagles a lifeline.
Powell’s side pushed for an equaliser in the closing moments of the half but could not find one, leaving Palace trailing at the interval with the contest still finely poised.
Southampton dealt Palace a blow just five minutes into the second half, with Daley reacting quickest after Lee got a hand to Romeo Akachukwu’s strike to restore the visitors’ two-goal advantage.
The Young Eagles looked for an immediate response, and came close when a delivery from the right found Benamar, whose tame volley flashed narrowly wide.
But Southampton struck again two minutes later, Dibaga racing through on goal before calmly slotting past Lee to leave Powell’s side with a mountain to climb.
Palace began to find their feet again midway through the half, with Gibbard’s cross falling to Nascimento on the edge of the area. The forward shifted the ball onto his right foot and forced Moody into a diving save, before Benamar blazed the rebound over.
Southampton, though, soon added a fifth, Ehibhatiomhan completing his hat-trick. Palace needed a response, and it arrived almost immediately.
Williams won possession and drove forward before slipping Angibeaud through on goal. The imposing striker fashioned the ball onto his left foot and lashed a finish into the roof of the net to register his first U21s goal.
That gave the Young Eagles renewed impetus, and Nascimento almost made it more interesting a few minutes later. His superb free-kick cleared the wall and looked destined for the top corner, only for Moody to spring across and tip it around the post.
Palace continued to push in the closing stages, Benamar driving into the area before pulling the ball back without finding a team-mate, then Angibeaud laying off for Nascimento to fire over first-time. Tyler Whyte also flashed a dangerous ball across the face of goal, but nobody could turn it home.
Lee made another fine save late on before the final whistle confirmed a frustrating afternoon for Powell’s side. Having gone into the break with the contest still in the balance, Palace were unable to build on Gibbard’s goal as Southampton took control after the restart.
The result leaves the Young Eagles 17th in Premier League Two on seven points. Attention now turns to next Tuesday’s must-win EFL Trophy group-stage finale against Newport County (3rd November), as Palace look to get back to winning ways...
Palace U21s XI: Lee (GK); Benamar, Walker-Smith (Somade, 45), King, Kalembo, Kporha (Whyte, 69); Adams-Collman, Williams; Nascimento, Angibeaud, Gibbard.
Subs not used: Hill, Judd, Fasida, Martin, Bernard-Ferguson.
Southampton U18s XI: Moody, Adjei-Afriyie (Sewell, 79), Anderson (Whittaker, 79), Day, Sanda, Daley, Akachukwu, Williams (Kakay, 60), Ehibhatiomhan (Little, 68), Dibaga (Charles, 79), Gathercole.
Subs not used: Gbajumo, Bailey, Sewell.