A stoppage time Crystal Palace winner condemned our Under-18s to a 5-4 defeat in the Premier League Cup. As a result, our lads finish second on goal difference and subsequently fail to secure progression into the knockout stages.
Our 18s fought back from two goals down to take a 4-2 lead, before the hosts produced an inspired comeback of their own to take all the points. Callum Osmand netted a hat-trick, with Aaron Loupalo-Bi scoring the other.
Ali Melloul was able to name a strong side in south London. Lemar Gordon, Loupalo-Bi and Josh King formed a dangerous front three, with Osmand featuring just behind them.
Bradley Slade and Bradley De Jesus were the preferred duo as wing-backs, and Jonathan Esenga and Samuel Tabares were the two centre-backs.
The hosts started stronger and won themselves a penalty five minutes in after a kick in the area brought down a Palace man. Captain Zach Marsh stepped up and slotted home.
The young Whites responded brilliantly, with King using his quick feet to leave a Palace defender on the deck. Our lads appealed for a hand ball in the area, but the referee waved play on.
Both sides looked full of quality and Alfie McNally made a brilliant save for us just moments later. Hindolo Mustapha curled a right-footed effort from the left towards goal, but our stopper palmed clear.
Mustapha came even closer a few minutes later, drilling inches wide of the far post after McNally did well to push Jesse Derry’s initial effort away from goal. Our 18s were having to cope with a period of Palace pressure.
Osmand thought he got us back level on 20 minutes, when his header back across goal was heading in, if not for a heroic clearance by a Palace defender.
We were beginning to enjoy the lion’s share of possession as we searched for the equaliser. King played a searching ball down the right to Osmand, whose decent cross was too far in front of Loupalo-Bi.
For all our forward efforts, Palace grabbed themselves a second on the 29-minute mark. Winger Derry wrong-footed a couple of defenders before firing low and hard into the far corner.
We got what we were looking for five minutes before the break, with Osmand latching onto a King low cross before cleverly finding the far bottom corner. Our games at Palace are often dramatic, and you got the sense that this one would be no different.
King was despreately unlucky not to score what would have been one of the goals of the season seconds later. After flicking the ball over a defender, he rifled a left-footed volley against the crossbar. A corner followed, which led to a rapid second goal for our lads.
Loupalo-Bi climbed the highest to head home and get us level despite being two goals down a matter of minutes before.
A dramatic opening half came to end with the two sides tied at 2-2.
King found himself through a few minutes after the restart, but an excellent challenge stopped him in his tracks before he could pull the trigger.
We won ourselves a penalty of our own on 51 minutes after Chibby Nwoko was brought down in the box. Osmand's spot kick was perfect, putting us ahead for the first time in the game.
We continued to create opportunities and Osmand secured his hat-trick to put us 4-2 ahead and provide some temporary breathing space. Esenga's free-kick fell perfectly to the forward, who smashed home from close-range.
It was made to be a nervous end, with the young Eagles grabbing one back on the 76-minute mark. Derry was scythed down in the area and Marsh was able to tap home from the rebound after his initial spot kick was saved.
Then, just a couple of minutes later Palace grabbed a fourth to level things. It was Marsh again, who matched Osmand to complete his hat-trick after providing a low finish from the centre of our area.
It was to be a heartbreaking end for the lads, who conceded in the dying moments to go behind. Substitute George King was on hand to slam home after a low cross was fired across the six-yard box.
