Report & Highlights: Hammers stun 10-man Palace in second-half comeback

Summary

• Four changes to the side which faced Boro

• Sheridan clears a West Ham shot off the line 11 minutes in

• West Ham hit the bar through Marshall

• Wells-Morrison puts Palace ahead from the spot halfway through the first-half

• Umeh and Ola-Adebomi come close to adding a second as the half goes on

• HT: Palace 1-0 West Ham

• Casey levels for West Ham five minutes after the restart

• Marshall puts the Hammers ahead from the spot moments later

• Earthy adds a third just before the hour-mark

• Wells-Morrison is shown a straight red card 52 minutes in

• Coventry scores a stunning strike for West Ham’s fourth

• The visitors add a fifth in stoppage time through Kodua

• FT: Palace 1-5 West Ham

A week on from the defeat to Middlesbrough in the Premier League Cup, Crystal Palace Under-21s were in action for their final game of the calendar year against West Ham United.

Head coach Darren Powell made four changes to the side, with Joe Whitworth, Seán Grehan, Ademola Ola-Adebomi and Franco Umeh all returning in place of Jackson Izquierdo, Dylan Reid, Victor Akinwale and Jadan Raymond.

A strong crowd at the VBS Community Stadium were cheering the Eagles on, however the side found themselves on the back foot early on. West Ham’s Ollie Scarles looked as though he had given the hosts an early lead, though Joe Sheridan was there to clear the ball off the line.

Callum Marshall had a gilt-edged chance to give the visitors the lead 20 minutes in as he found himself through on goal, though his powerful shot inside the box cannoned back out off the bar.

Palace grew into the game and fashioned chances of their own, predominantly through Umeh and Ola-Adebomi. The latter was brought down inside the box halfway through the first-half the Eagles were awarded a penalty.

Jack Wells-Morrison stepped up from 12-yards and sent Jacob Knightbridge the wrong way, giving the south Londoners the lead.

Chances came and went as Palace pushed for a second. Umeh in particular did incredibly well as he turned his marker to race towards the byline and fashion an attempt at a narrow angle that was ultimately deflected out.

On the cusp of half-time, Ola-Adebomi - who won the Premier League 2 Player of the Month award for November - got on the end of a Roshaun Mathurin free-kick. His shot inside the box as the ball fell to him was blocked by a West Ham defender.

After the break, the Hammers drew level within five minutes. A dangerous corner towards the back post from Scarles found Kaelan Casey at the far post, who stooped to head in.

It went from bad to worse for the Eagles as the visitors were awarded a penalty just a few minutes later. Marshall stepped up from 12-yards and found the bottom corner, giving the east London outfit the lead.

Just two minutes after Marshall gave West Ham the lead, George Earthy got his name on the scoresheet to garner a two-goal cushion. His effort was struck hard and low, and though Whitworth got a hand to it - he couldn’t keep it out.

After conceding three in nine minutes, the misery was compounded for Palace as Wells-Morrison was shown a straight red card just past the hour-mark.

With the hosts two-goals and a man to the good, they effectively saw out the rest of the game. Palace’s chances were few and far between - the pick of which was a well worked move from full-back to full-back as Noah Watson found Danny Imray with a decisive through ball, though the latter’s shot was turned behind.

The Hammers added a fourth through a stunning Conor Coventry strike from 25-yards out and a fifth via Gideon Kodua in stoppage time.

The result means that Powell’s side now sit 13th in the Premier League 2, a point clear of Chelsea and two behind the likes of Manchester United.

Palace: Whitworth (GK), Imray, Sheridan, Grehan, Watson, Rodney, Wells-Morrison, Devenny, Mathurin (Marsh, 86), Ola-Adebomi (Raymond, 61), Umeh.

Subs not used: Izquierdo (GK), Francis, Mustapha.

West Ham: Knightbridge (GK), Moore (Robinson, 75), Luizão (Laing, 83), Coventry, Casey, Forbes, Kodua, Kelly (Orford, 45), Marshall, Earthy, Scarles (Clayton, 80).

Sub not used: Terry (GK).