Report & Highlights: Marjoram fires Palace past 10-man Villa

Summary

• One change to the side which faced Spurs, with Walker-Smith coming in at the back

• Walker-Smith heads over from a corner early on

• Burrowes fires narrowly wide for Aston Villa five minutes in

• Eastwood makes a strong save to deny Mulley in the 20th minute

• Villa have a succession of corners, but can't capitalise

• Agbinone sees a double effort saved

• Goalkeeper Proctor is sent off for Villa in the 40th minute

• Agbinone and Marjoram threaten late on in the half, but can't find a way through

• HT: Villa 0-0 Palace

• Marjoram puts Palace ahead four minutes into the second-half

• Lusale almost doubles the lead after coming on off the bench after the hour-mark

• Mulley had Villa’s best attempt of the half

• Casey, King, Lusale and Marjoram were all close to adding a second

• FT: Villa 0-1 Palace

In their penultimate away game of the season, Crystal Palace Under-18s travelled to face Aston Villa at Bodymoor Heath.

Head coach Rob Quinn made one change to the side which drew with Spurs last weekend, with Charlie Walker-Smith coming in for Jake Grante at the heart of the defence.

Walker-Smith, who has recently been called up to the Wales Under-17s side for the 2024 UEFA European Championship finals nearly made an impact right from the off, though he headed just over the bar in the opening minutes.

Villa threatened early on too, through Bradley Burrowes, though he fired just wide of the mark. This laid the tone as Villa continued to enjoy more of the ball and fashion a number of chances.

Billy Eastwood was called into action 20 minutes in as he managed to save an effort from Trai-varn Mulley inside the box. A succession of Villa corners followed, though none of them were an issue for Palace shot stopper.

Just over half an hour in, Asher Agbinone stung the palms of Sam Proctor in the Villa goal with two attempts at goal in quick succession. Proctor was then shown a straight red card a few minutes later for violent conduct.

With Villa down to 10 men, Palace were keen to make the advantage count in the time that remained in the half. Agbinone and Finley Marjoram tested Alex Hammond who was now in the goal, but they couldn’t find a way through before the interval.

After a quick turnaround, the young Eagles found the breakthrough. Marjoram, pushing forward from right-back, got on the end of a ball from captain Joe Gibbard and managed to finish inside the box just four minutes into the second-half.

Play was broken up intermittently as the half went on, with Palace pushing for another and Villa looking to equalise. Samuel Lusale, coming on off the bench, nearly made an instant impact, however his effort from a narrow angle was the wrong side of the post.

Villa’s best chance of the half arguably came through Mulley, but the No. 10 fired wide of the mark. Meanwhile, the south Londoners were testing Hammond as Lusale, Benji Casey and Geroge King all saw efforts saved.

Quinn’s side saw out the remainder of the game, for a fifth win in six games. The result means they stay in sixth place - a point behind Spurs and three behind Fulham with two games remaining.

Villa: Proctor (GK), McWilliams (Simpson, 80), Fertes, Timson, Carroll, Edwards (Moreland, 58), Mulley, Hemmings, Burrowes (Hammond (GK), 41), Lynch (Lott, 88), Brannigan.

Subs not used: Simpson, Quinn.

Palace: Eastwood (GK), Marjoram, Browne, Walker-Smith, Cowin, King, Gibbard (Lusale, 63), S. Williams, Dashi, Casey, Agbinone.

Subs not used: Hill (GK), Austin, Adams-Collman, Redhead.