David Angibeaud set the tone early, pressing high to force a turnover before dinking the ball over the ‘keeper inside six minutes to give the young Eagles the perfect start.
Southampton responded with sustained possession, but Palace continued to create the more dangerous openings, with Makai Bernard-Ferguson and Benji Casey both going close.
The Saints eventually levelled before the break following Harry Gathercole’s arrowed strike, sending the sides in all square at half-time.
Palace wasted little time in reasserting themselves after the restart. Bernard-Ferguson restored the lead with a superb solo effort, before Casey drilled home from Angibeaud’s perfectly weighted pass to make it 3–1. Sean Somade then added a close-range fourth as Palace tightened their grip on the contest.
Southampton pulled one back late on, but Jack Mason and the Palace back line held firm amid a spell of late pressure, securing an impressive and hard-earned 4–2 victory.
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