After starting on the bench, Stuart Oduro was the player to make it six for the Young Eagles. A flowing Palace move saw Euan Danaher racing down the right-hand side, before cutting it back to the substitute, who swivelled and found the bottom corner from close range.
He relentlessly caused Birmingham issues on the Palace right, and shortly before the 90 minutes were up, Drakes-Thomas got himself on the score sheet. After winning the ball high up the pitch, some quick feet followed by a swift prod saw the ball find the back of the net.
Finally, moments before the referee blew for full-time, Oduro stole the ball away from an unsuspecting Birmingham defender, placing the ball into an empty net – the perfect end to the perfect start for Palace U18s this season, and new their Head Coach Javier Alonso.
Line-ups
Palace: Whitworth (GK), Judd (Greaves, 77), Fasida, Okoli, Somade, Walker-Smith, Drakes-Thomas, Danaher, Casey (Lamidi, 82), Martin (Angibeaud, 67), Bernard-Ferguson (Oduro, 67).
Subs not used: Speroni (GK).
Birmingham: Terenowicz (GK), Thompson-Jones, Bamba (Okpapi, 83), Brannigan, Campbell, Maddox, Ugorji (Nunes-Whickam, 83), Flavell (Martin-Moore, 63), McCusker, Rea, Guernier.
Subs not used: Smith (GK), Hawkeswood.
Next up
Having gone top of the early U18 Premier League South table, Palace U18s' first home match of the season is in a week's time, as we host Chelsea U18s on Saturday, 23rd August (11:00 BST) – LIVE on Palace TV+.
Report from Joe Edgar.