Under-18s stage second-half comeback to beat Palace

Having netted 20 times in our previous three Under-18 Premier League games – not to mention three more against Derby County in the cup – we added another four to our tally at Crystal Palace to complete a comeback after trailing 2-0 at half-time.

Despite being the better team for much of the first period, Donte Martin netted twice for the home side late in the half to leave us with work to do. But a 58th-minute penalty from Oliver Boast got the comeback rolling before three goals in nine minutes from Joel Vidal-Philbert, Toju Wellspring and a second from Boast completely the turned the game in our favour as we ran out 4-2 winners.

It took a little while for the match to spark into life in the south London sunshine, with Palace creating the first opening on 16 minutes. A ball into the box fell to Ajean-Ray Greaves who was off target with his shot although the ball came to Raihaan Anderson who brought a fine save out of Mikel Jack. Palace recycled the ball quickly, Greaves playing a one-two with Martin on the edge of the area and finding himself with just Jack to beat, but the 15-year-old goalkeeper made an excellent stop to deny him.

Our first real chance came a couple of minutes later as Boast got away down the left and picked out Conall Glancy who could only fire over the crossbar. Vidal-Philbert found the side-netting with a right-footed shot on the half-hour mark as we continued to dominate the attacking areas, however it was the hosts who grabbed the lead on 37 minutes. Greaves beat Vidal-Philbert to the byline and delivered a cross which Martin missed with a header only for the ball to land kindly for him to swivel and drill low past Jack.

And just four minutes later, Martin doubled Palace’s lead. Winning a penalty after being brought down by Cayon Hanson inside our area, he picked himself up and sent Jack the wrong way from the spot. We nearly pulled one back just before the interval when a great cross from the right by Oscar Sandiford was met with a good header by Boast but it was straight at Thiago Speroni.

Both sides had chances inside the opening minutes of the second period, half-time substitute Phoenix Offiah through on goal but denied by Speroni before, at the other end, Kayden Moses drilled wide under pressure from George Jobling. We were then awarded a penalty when Boast got on the end of deep cross to nod the ball back into the danger zone and collided with Speroni, who came off worst but the referee pointed to the spot. Boast stepped up and converted right-footed to halve the deficit.

Much of the game was being played in the Palace half at this stage as we searched for the equaliser and Boast in particular was lively having switched out to the left flank, sending in a regular flow of crosses. Just moments after Offiah headed wide from one of his deliveries, we levelled it up at 2-2 with 12 minutes left. Armend Muslika slipped a pass out to Boast and his low cross was turned in at the back post by Vidal-Philbert.

We were very much in the ascendency now and it was no surprise when we took the lead just two minutes later, a corner cleared to the edge of the area met with a clean strike by Wellspring into the bottom corner. Palace tried to respond, Toby Williams seeing one effort well blocked by Hanson and then dragging wide with another shortly after, before we secured victory with our fourth. Offiah showed great strength to power into the box only for his shot to hit the post but Boast was on hand to tap home the rebound and wrap up a fifth straight victory to open the season.

‘Delighted with the reaction in the second half’

Under-18s Coach Jamie Carr was impressed with the way his players responded to adversity to come back and win: “The most pleasing aspect of the game was the character and commitment of the players to keep going when it got tough in the first half,” he said. “After dominating the early stages we found it quite difficult at the back end of that period and conceded two goals, so I was delighted with the reaction in the second half and the desire to get an early goal. Once we got that, we built some momentum and looked like the dominant team.”

With 24 goals scored in our first four league games at this level, Jamie praised the players for their form in attack: “We’ve got Bradley Allen’s finishing sessions to thank for that – he’s been running them throughout pre-season and we’ve shown good quality in front of goal,” he said. “We probably could have scored a few more in this game if I’m being honest, but overall it’s been pleasing.”

Line-up

Spurs: Jack, Sandiford, Jobling (Agyekum 84), Olajide, Hanson (c), Wellspring, Salter (Offiah 46), Glancy (Coffi Smith 65), Boast, Muslika (Beckles 83), Vidal-Philbert (Evans 90+3). Substitutes (not used): Doran, Philogene-Bidace.