Report & Highlights: Gunners run riot against young Eagles

Summary

• Five changes to the side, with Casey making his first start for the U18s

• Arsenal take the lead early on through Kamara

• Dudziak doubles the lead for Arsenal 10 minutes in

• Obi-Martin adds a third in the 18th minute

• Halfway through the first-half, Derry pulls one back for Palace

• Gibbard, Austin and Derry have chances to cut the deficit to one

• Obi-Martin adds another for Arsenal just before half-time

• HT: Arsenal 4-1 Palace

• Casey scores just four minutes into the second-half

• Arsenal add a fifth from the spot, via Obi-Martin

• Kamara nets a sixth shortly afterwards

• Just past the hour-mark, Derry scores from the spot

• Obi-Martin and Julienne add a seventh and eighth for Arsenal in the final moments

• FT: Arsenal 8-3 Palace

Following on from the narrow 1-0 defeat to Chelsea last weekend, Crystal Palace Under-18s travelled for another London derby against Arsenal.

There were five changes to the side, with Charlie Walker-Smith, Freddie Cowin, Joe Gibbard, Benji Casey and Hindolo Mustapha all returning in place of Rio Cardines, Seb Williams, Matteo Dashi, Asher Agbinone and Trialist.

Arsenal started the half brightly and tested Marcus Hill in the Palace goal early on. He made a good stop to deny Ismael Kabia low down at his near post in the opening minute.

The hosts took the lead in the eighth minute, making their early pressure pay off. Osman Kamara picked up a loose ball inside the box, swivelled and got a shot away which found the back of the net.

The young Gunners were quickly two goals up just a minute later as captain Harrison Dudziak doubled the scoring. Chido Obi-Martin struck the crossbar initially, though it fell kindly to Dudziak who slotted in inside the box.

Dudziak turned provider for Arsenal’s third as he picked up the ball in the middle of the park and played Obi-Martin in behind. The towering striker feinted one way and then the other as he finished on his left foot.

Palace pulled a goal back halfway through the first-half as the in-form Jesse Derry got his name on the scoresheet once more. His 15th goal of the season was bundled in from close range after his initial effort was saved by Jack Porter in the Arsenal goal.

Opportunities to reduce the deficit to one came and went for Palace as Joe Gibbard saw an overhead kick saved, and Cormac Austin’s long-range effort was blocked. Derry stung the palms of Porter once more, as he tipped an effort over the bar.

Five minutes before the break, Arsenal added a fourth through Obi-Martin. He won the ball back high up the pitch before racing towards goal and placing a clean strike right into the bottom corner.

After the interval, the south Londoners managed to pull one back. Benji Casey was slipped through by second-half substitute Matteo Dashi and the striker rounded Porter before slotting in his first ever goal at U18s level.

The three-goal cushion for the Gunners was quickly restored as Chido Obi-Martin secured his hat-trick from 12-yards, sending Hill the wrong way.

Osman Kamara quickly made it six for Arsenal from close range as he got on the rebound of Ayden Heaven’s corner.

Derry added his second and Palace’s third from the spot on the hour-mark, but the game was already out of reach for the young Eagles.

Austin fired a free-kick narrowly wide from 20-yards out, while Derry nearly dinked a chance over Porter from the edge of the box. Arsenal, on the other hand, had a plethora of chances to add more to their tally and duly did so in the latter stages of the game.

Obi-Martin netted a fourth as he was played in behind by substitute Theo Julienne. The striker opened his body onto his right foot and calmly slotted it home. A mazy run from Julienne in stoppage time saw him add an eighth for the Gunners to round off the day.

The result means Palace slip to seventh in the U18 Premier League South, level on points with rivals Brighton & Hove Albion.

Arsenal: Porter (GK), Nichols, Clarke, Heaven, Sweet (Copley, 81), Lewis-Skelly, Rosiak, Dudziak (Julienne, 72), Kabia (Akolbire, 86), Kamara, Obi-Martin.

Subs not used: Asemota (GK), Shuaib.

Palace: Hill (GK), Walker-Smith, King, Jemide, Cowin (S. Williams, 79), Austin, Gibbard (Grante, HT), Mustapha (Agbinone, HT), Marjoram (Dashi, HT), Casey (Redhead, 75), Derry.