Crystal Palace’s U18s picked up another win on Saturday against Swansea, making it their sixth consecutive league win as they continue to hunt down the play-off places in their recent charge up the U18 Professional Development League 2 table.
It was a slow start for both teams in South Wales as they looked to consolidate on their recent form with Swansea winning their last two games and Palace taking the title of most in-form Under 18 League 2 side at the moment.
The Eagles were forced to make an early change in the game with top-scorer Michael Phillips limping off with an injury he sustained after creating a number of chances for the side early on, after the substitute though Palace rose to the challenge as Jacob Berkley-Agyepong and Elliot List seeing efforts saved with ease from the Swansea goalkeeper.
Corie Andrews opened the scoring for Crystal Palace just before half-time after a number of attempts shots on goal after returning from injury; it was created with passes between Ryan King-Elliot and Berkley-Agyepong swiftly finding the attacking player after an initial shot taken by the latter was parried away, where Andrews was waiting to tuck it into the net.
Hosts Swansea darted into life in the second half in attempt to protect their unbeatable home record this season and that was clear to see when an early free-kick within five minutes of the restart was converted by Ashleigh Harris before Brandon Griiffiths added another goal to make it 2-1 to Swansea a short while after after a scramble in the box.
Not willing to let their five game unbeaten run to end in Wales, Ken Gillard’s side began to fought back in similar fashion to the first team recently, as just after the 60 minute mark a run from Jason Akiotu ended with a shot on goal which was deflected into the back of the net by a Swansea defender to level the scoreline once more.
The Eagles weren’t going to settle for a draw either as the momentum got behind them, giving them a good chance of picking up another win; this was done in swift fashion as Andrews picked up his tenth goal of the season and second of the game as he fired a left-footed striker past an outstretching goalkeeper as the ball ended up in the bottom corner of the net.
Berkley-Agyepong who was involved in an earlier goal put the game to bed with another involvement because when another shot of his was prevented from finding the back of the net, Aaron Bissaka who drove forward with the attack continued running into the box, he put the rebounding shot past the goalkeeper to secure another victory for the Eagles.
The Under 18s will be looking to continue their run at Crystal Palace’s Beckenham Training Ground on Saturday where they host local rivals Millwall.
