Report & Highlights: Corke hat-trick sinks Palace

Summary

• Two changes to the side which drew with Reading, with Okoli and Osei coming in

• 1 - GOAL: Norwich take the lead early on via Tree

• 8 - GOAL: Palace level with a well-taken header from Casey

• 11 - GOAL: Corke puts the hosts back in front

• 23: Danaher sees a free-kick turned behind

• 36: Casey fires narrowly over the bar after great work from Danaher

• 37: Okoli forces a save from the Norwich Trialist ‘keeper

• 44: Osei’s effort is deflected and tipped over the bar

• HT: Norwich 2-1 Palace

• 58: Whyte’s strike is scuffed and held by Trialist

• 60: Benamar’s goalbound free-kick is saved

• 63 - GOAL: Corke nets another for Norwich

• 67: Mason makes a diving stop to deny Domeracki

• 84: Tree hits the woodwork with a long-range effort

• 90+2 - GOAL: Corke completes his hat-trick

• FT: Norwich 4-1 Palace

Following on from making it 10 games unbeaten in the Under 18 Premier League South with a draw against Reading, Crystal Palace U18s headed to Norfolk to take on Norwich City.

There were two changes to the side which drew with the Royals, with Chuks Okoli and Jerome Osei coming in for Joel Drakes-Thomas and Zack Henry.

Palace found themselves on the backfoot almost immediately, as the hosts took the lead in the opening minute of the game. Ben Tree managed to find space inside the box to finish on his right foot to give the Canaries a lead.

Norwich’s lead was short-lived, however, as the young Eagles hit back seven minutes later. Benji Casey netted his sixth of the campaign with a header from close range.

Okoli’s looping ball into the box bewildered the Norwich defence and Casey was there to head it goalbound past the onrushing Trialist in goal for Norwich.

In the blink of an eye, Norwich reclaimed the lead, as striker Finlay Corke netted a well-taken strike off the post from the edge of the box.

Palace had it all to do once again after going behind so quickly after levelling, though the Norwich defence were hard to break down.

Euan Danaher saw a well-struck free-kick on the edge of the box turned behind, while Casey fired narrowly over the bar in search of a second.

Further efforts from Okoli and Osei in the latter stages of the first-half were dealt with by Trialist in goal for Norwich, while Kai-Reece Adams-Collman defended superbly for the young Eagles as the last defender on a late Norwich breakaway.

Palace continued their push for another equaliser after the interval, but it was Norwich who started the half brightly - forcing Mason into a save.

Two chances came and went for the young Eagles on the hour-mark, with Tyler Whyte not quite getting a clean connection on a shot inside the box and Dean Benamar seeing a goalbound free-kick saved.

The south Londoners were made to rue their missed chances, as Corke headed home his second and Norwich’s third from close range. Alan Domeracki almost netted a fourth for the hosts, though Mason dived low down to his left to deny his strike from distance.

Another long-range effort from Tree struck the woodwork late on, before Corke completed his hat-trick with an effort from the spot in stoppage time.

Defeat to Norwich means Palace remain in second place in the U18 Premier League South, level on points with leaders Aston Villa who have five games in hand.

Norwich: Trialist (GK), Oligbo, Owen, Gwanzura, Keita, Domeracki (Ofori-Manteaw, 70), Daley (Tavares, HT), Bracking, Corke, Chilvers, Tree.

Subs not used: Northover, Ruddy (GK), Valencia-Gomez.

Palace: Mason (GK), King, Benamar, Okoli, Somade, Fasida, Whyte (Martin, 70), Danaher, Casey, Adams-Collman (Drakes-Thomas, HT), Osei (Henry, 84).

Subs not used: Whitworth (GK), Judd.