Under-18s held by 10-man Palace

Our Under-18s were held to a 1-1 draw away to 10-man Crystal Palace on Saturday afternoon in the Under-18 Premier League.

After difficult beginnings in south London where our hosts controlled the early proceedings and got ahead through Asher Agibonne on 11 minutes, we produced a much more balanced performance after the interval, although we struggled to produce clear-cut opportunities.

However, the game turned in our favour on 72 minutes as, after Eagles skipper Joe Gibbard saw red for two bookable offences, we began to control play and got ourselves back on terms with four minutes remaining as Cormac Austin flicked into his own net from Leo Black's corner. Despite our numerical advantage in Beckenham though, we weren't able to make that count on the score line as Palace defended well in the final stages to see a share of the spoils.

While our hosts did ultimately dominate the first 45 minutes at their Academy training ground south of the water, a different script could have been written with just five minutes on the clock as Yusuf Akhamrich was afforded a gilt-edged opportunity when he was the lone man in the box to meet Maeson King's cross from the left, but the forward couldn't keep his effort from six yards down, volleying high over the crossbar.

That let off for the hosts seemed to ignite them into life as Agbinone began to find room out on the left. The forward, who was always looking to cut inside and shoot, first made his threat known on nine minutes as he drilled as shot low and down goalkeeper Elliot Krasniqi's throat. It was perhaps a wasteful effort given the time and space he had but, just a minute later, he found himself in a very similar position and this time made no mistake as he curled inside the near post to give his side an early lead.

Agbinone could have then had a second just two minutes later as, from a much tighter angle and inside the box this time, he stung the palms of Krasniqi as Palace continued to flex their muscles. Despite their clear dominance in the opening stages though, we still carried a threat, especially the break and, on 17 minutes, Akhamrich had a chance to amend for his earlier missed opportunity with another from almost the exact same position. However, the result was the same as before with the Morocco youth international firing over from close range.

Those Akhamrich efforts though were our only two of note in a first-half where Palace will feel they should have made their control of the play count for much more than a one-goal lead at the break, especially after that they had also seen two efforts cleared off the line, first from King and then from Baptiste on the stroke of half-time.

With time at the break, Coach Stuart Lewis had the opportunity to refocus his players and his words were certainly noticeable after the restart with the direction of the game shifting once play was back under way. Within 10 minutes of the restart, captain Black showed on his own that their was renewed boldness and drive as his surging run into the area of 55 minutes caught Palace off guard and saw us really test goalkeeper William Eastwood for the first time.

Damola Ajayi then began to have his say on match with the influential midfielder first stinging the palms of Eastwood from 25 yards out before he saw an effort from close range diverted away for a corner.

We were knocking on the door but ultimately it was the ill discipline of our hosts which saw us get our break - Eagles skipper Joe Gibbard see red after he picked up a rather needless second booking on 72 minutes after he blocked a quick free-kick next to our corner flag.

With the numerical advantage, we stepped up a gear in our attack an almost forced a leveller on 80 minutes when Callum Olusesi wriggled past his man on the corner of the six yard box however, from a tight angle, he couldn't find away past the on-running Eastwood. Six minutes later though, we did find a way past the shot stopper and past a resolute and well organised Palace side as Black's corner from the left was flicked on by substitute Austin into his own net.

Back on terms, we sensed a winner but, in truth, we were unable to really create any opportunity of note in the 14 minutes that ultimately remained. King came close in the fourth minute of added time when he struck just over the crossbar from the edge of the are before Ajayi matched that three minutes later but it was not to be for us in south London as we were forced to take a point.

Match data

Goals: Palace - Agbinone 10; Spurs - Austin (og) 86

Yellow cards: Palace - Browne 39, King 51, Gibbard 55, 72, Agbinone 60; Spurs - Baptiste 29, Adewole 90+9.

Red card: Palace - Gibbard 72.

Venue: Crystal Palace Academy training centre.

Weather: Partly cloudy, nine degrees.