U18s Report: Akinwale inspired Palace hit Villa for six

Summary

• Rob Quinn made two changes to the side, with Ademola Ola-Adebomi and Maliq Cadogan coming in for Freddie Bell and Fionn Mooney

• Victor Akinwale put Palace in front 12 minutes with a dinked effort

• Ola-Adebomi had the ball in the back of the net moments later, but it was ruled out for offside

• Akinwale won and converted a penalty halfway through the first-half

• Kobie Moore pulled one back for Villa from the spot in the 37th minute

• Half-time: Crystal Palace 2-1 Aston Villa

• Jadan Raymond notched Palace’s third in the 52nd minute

• Akinwale sealed his hat-trick four minutes later

• David Ozoh got Palace’s fifth just past the hour mark

• Ola-Adebomi added the sixth and final goal in the 85th minute

• Full-time: Crystal Palace 6-1 Aston Villa

Under-18s manager Rob Quinn made two changes to the side which won 3-0 away at West Brom, with Ademola Ola-Adebomi and Maliq Cadogan returning to the starting XI in place of Freddie Bell and Fionn Mooney.

The young Eagles were on top in the early exchanges, as Ola-Adebomi and leading goalscorer Victor Akinwale came close to opening the scoring.

With just over 10 minutes gone, Palace had their noses in front. A long ball over the top from new 'keeper Laurie Shala intended for Ola-Adebomi bounced into the path of Akinwale and he met it with a deft touch to flick it over and beyond Sam Lewis in the Villa goal.

Villa looked to respond immediately and came close through Charlie Pavey. His snap shot from about 20 yards out was well saved by Shala.

Halfway through the first half, following a flowing move down the Palace left, Akinwale was brought down inside the box. The No. 9 stepped up and dispatched the resulting penalty, putting Palace two goals to the good.

Following the penalty, Palace enjoyed more of the ball and fashioned even better chances. Ola-Adebomi almost immediately added the third with a side-footed effort inside the box, whilst Matty Vigor challenged Lewis from distance.

The visitors managed to pull one back through Kobei Moore 10 minutes from the break. The striker won and converted a penalty straight down the middle to hand Villa a route back into the game.

It looked as though Palace would take a single goal lead into the break, though David Ozoh came agonisingly close to adding a third as he miraculously hit the bar from inside the six yard box.

The Villains came racing out the blocks in the second half, pressing Palace back into their defensive third. Moore stung the palms of Shala early on with an effort on the edge of the box.

For all of Villa’s dominance early in the second half, it was Palace who had the ball in the back of the net once more; though it was ruled out for offside. A surging run from Jadan Raymond down the Palace left saw him pick out Ola-Adebomi - his scuffed effort fell right in the path of Akinwale, though his calm finish came ahead of the last line of the Villa defence.

The young Eagles pressed on after that goal was chalked off and managed to find a third to restore the two goal advantage just a few minutes later. Raymond found his way into the box and looked to pick out Ozoh, however the ball kindly fell back into Raymond’s path and he made now mistake from close range.

Palace were in the ascendancy after notching the third and in a blink of an eye they added another. A mere three minutes after Raymond found the back of the net, Akinwale found himself in the right place at the right time to head home Cadogan’s pinpoint cross to seal his hat-trick.

As the game trickled into the final half an hour, the young Eagles showed no sign of letting up. Vonte Williams picked out Ola-Adebomi after a surging run through the middle of the park and the Palace No. 11 put it on a plate for Ozoh inside the box. The midfielder scored his second of the season and Palace’s fifth of the match with a thumping finish.

Chances came and went as the young Eagles looked for a sixth. Second-half substitute Freddie Bell nearly made an instant impact after coming on in the 70th minute, though his effort was saved by Lewis. Ola-Adebomi headed narrowly wide, whilst Raymond saw his effort cleared off the line.

Ola-Adebomi put the icing on the cake for Palace five minutes from time as he latched on to a Raymond ball over the top and pushed towards the Villa goal. The Villa defence couldn’t keep up with his sheer pace and power and he finished with ease on his return to the starting XI.

The referee brought an end to proceedings moments after Bell came close to adding a seventh. The victory means the young Eagles remain in third place in the Under 18 Premier League South, six points behind first place West Ham United, though they have two games in hand.

Crystal Palace: Shala, Addae, Williams (Reino-Socoliche, 85), Ozoh (Bell, 70), Sheridan, Rodney, Cadogan, Vigor, Akinwale (Dixon, 80), Raymond, Ola-Adebomi.

Subs not used: Leonard, Eastwood.

Aston Villa: Lewis, Ealing, Rhoades, Duerden, O’Reilly, Alcock, Pavey, Munroe, Moore (Kellyman, 56), Afoka (Pierre, 65), Reddin (Burchall, 66).

Subs not used: Hammond.