Report & Highlights: Umolu-inspired Palace smash five past Spurs

Summary

• Four changes to the side to face Spurs, with Izquierdo in goal

• 1: Izquierdo makes a good save, Umolu down the other end sees a shot stopped

• 15: Austin sees his free-kick deflect out for a corner

• 20 - GOAL: Umolu puts Palace in front

• 32: Izquierdo makes a good stop to deny Kyerematen

• 33: Straight down the other end Marjoram fires narrowly wide

• 40 - GOAL: Mustapha doubles the lead before half-time with a great finish

• HT: Palace 2-0 Spurs

• 46 - GOAL: Umolu nets 10 seconds after the restart

• 49 - GOAL: Spurs pull one back through Akhamrich

• 50 - GOAL: Hat-trick for Umolu immediately after Spurs score

• 67: Austin sees a side-footed effort saved

• 76 - GOAL: Grehan heads home the fifth following a corner

• FT: Palace 5-1 Spurs

A week on from the 2-0 win on the south coast against a strong Southampton side. Crystal Palace Under-21s returned to home soil as they welcomed London rivals Tottenham Hotspur to the VBS Community Stadium

Head coach Darren Powell made four changes to the side which beat the Saints, with Jackson Izquierdo, Rob Holding, Joe Gibbard and Cormac Austin all coming in for Louie Moulden, Kaden Rodney, Franco Umeh and Justin Devenny.

With the floodlights beaming down and fireworks in the distance, the game got off to an explosive start with chances for both sides in the first minute.

Izquierdo was forced into a save after a fierce effort from Spurs captain Callum Olusesi, while Palace went straight down the other end and the in-form Jemiah Umolu saw his attempt stopped by Aaron Maguire.

Both sides settled into a rhythm after the eccentric start, passing and probing to find an opener. Two free-kicks for Palace saw from Umolu and Austin were both blocked, despite being goal bound.

With 20 minutes on the clock, the south Londoners found the breakthrough. Excellent work from Luke Browne, playing in a defensive midfield role, saw Palace win the ball back and quickly break.

Zach Marsh was picked out by Mofe Jemide and he managed to pick out Umolu with an outstanding through ball. The No. 9 made no mistake to slot home past Maguire for the opener.

It was no more than Palace deserved, though Spurs were not out of the contest by any means. A searching effort from Rio Kyerematen almost caught Izquierdo out, but the shot-stopper managed to deal with his effort that was creeping in at the base of his post.

Finley Marjoram fired narrowly wide of the mark just moments after Kyeremarten’s effort. The wing-back carried the ball half the length of the pitch before his effort went just wide of Maguire's far post.

Palace eventually doubled their lead through Hindolo Mustapha five minutes before the break. An incredible through ball from Gibbard was weighted perfectly to split the Spurs defence, picking out Mustapha in the process.

The Sierra Leone international still had a lot to do, but a deft touch saw him beat the recovering Spurs defender before slotting it effortlessly in on his left foot as the fireworks intensified in the background.

The Eagles went into the break two goals to the good and were quickest out of the blocks in the second-half, with Umolu netting his second within 10 seconds of the restart. A simple long ball from Browne was headed on by Gibbard into the path of an onrushing Umolu.

Spurs’ Maeson King couldn’t properly clear it and it fell kindly to Umolu, who took it in his stride and calmly slotted in his second of the game and 10th for the season.

The visitors were quickly down the other end and managed to pull one back. Tyrese Hall’s cut back found Yusuf Akhamrich inside the box and he took a touch before finding the bottom corner.

Delight for the white side of North London lasted a mere minute, as Palace quickly restored their three-goal cushion. Gibbard and Mustapha combined well down the right, with the latter pushing forward and playing it to Umolu on the edge of the box.

With no one pressing him, he had time and space to line up an effort from 18-yards out which beat Maguire and saw him wheel away in celebration for his first Palace hat-trick.

The Eagles were firmly in control after netting a fourth, though they were still in search of more. Umolu was through once again, but was adjudged to be narrowly offside, while Marjoram and Austin also forced Maguire into action once more.

A fifth came from the second phase of a set-piece with just over a quarter of an hour on the clock. Second-half substitute Jesse Derry picked out captain Seán Grehan who saw his initial header saved and cleared out.

It was only cleared as far as Derry, and an even better ball in was met by Grehan for the second time and he made no mistake to find the back of the net.

Grehan’s first of the season effectively capped off the performance, as the side saw out the remainder of the game with relative ease. Three points against the reigning champions for Powell’s side sees them move up to seventh in the Premier League 2, a point behind Liverpool, West Ham and Arsenal.

Palace: Izquierdo (GK), Marjoram (Grante, 88), Jemide, Holding, Grehan, Browne, Gibbard, Austin, Umolu (Akinwale, 85), Mustapha (S. Williams, 88), Marsh (Derry, 64).

Sub not used: Eastwood (GK).

Spurs: Maguire (GK), Ashcroft, Kyerematen (Linton, 70), King (McKnight, 70), Cassanova, Olusesi, Akhamrich, Black, Hall, Ajayi (Irow, 77), J. Williams.

Subs not used: Robson, Archer (GK).