Premier League 2
Leeds United U21s 1 (Mills 10’)
Crystal Palace U21s 4 (Nascimento 22’, pen 32’, 51’; Kalembo 62’)
Leeds: Cook (GK), Lane, Lienou, Cresswell, Enahoro, Alker (Hodja 64’), Chadwick, Njinko (McDonald 64’), Pickless (C), Mills, Philpott. Subs not used: Ombang (GK), Egan-Riley, Matykiewicz.
Palace: Lee (GK), Kalembo (Kporha 63’), Somade, Okoli, King (C), Benamar, Danaher (Adams-Collins 84’), Nascimento (Angibeaud 63’), Williams, Gibbard (Martin 84’), Gozo (Whyte 90’). Subs not used: Hill, Fasida.
Venue: Thorp Arch | Referee: Niall Smith | Booked: Chadwick, Cresswell (Leeds), Gibbard, Gozo (Palace)| Sent-off: Okoli (Palace)
Despite an opening goal from Callumn Mills, an Adier Nascimento hat-trick and a second half goal from Nathanael Kalembo earned Cystal Palace Under-21s all three points at Thorp Arch.
Scott Gardner’s side looked for back-to-back wins in the Premier League 2 as his side in their all-white kit prepared to face the blue and red stripes of Palace.
Leeds settled after a cagey start and momentum begun to build. Mills was released down the left fank and found Sam Alker with a cut back pass. The midfielder looked to set up Mills for an opening gap on the left but Palace recovered and got numbers back.
The Whites kept the pressure on with an intense press from the front lead by Carrick Njinko who forced Harry Lee into misplacing a pass, falling into the path of Rhys Chadwick who fired narrowly over the upright.
Palace conceded to the pressure in the opening 10 minutes as skipper Ollie Pickles raced in behind the Palace defence, down the right flank. A low driven cross found Mills inside the penalty area who slotted the ball into the bottom corner.
The Eagles’ keeper was called into action to prevent a second as Pickles struck from the edge of the area. With the ball arrowing to the bottom right, an outstretched arm turned it around the post.
Just after the 20-minute mark, Palace found themselves level against the run of play as Nascimento picked the ball up in the centre of the United penalty area and fired home.
Despite the setback, Louie Philpott was close to restoring the home side’s lead as he got on the end of a Lane cross but his header floated the wrong side of the left-hand post.
Palace increased their intensity after the goal and Joe Gibbard won a penalty before the break which Nascimento converted, ensuring his side returned to the changing rooms in the lead.
HALF TIME: Leeds United U21 1-2 Crystal Palace U21
Leeds looked to find an early leveller but it was the away side who extended their lead six minutes after the restart. Sebastian Williams worked the angle for a low driven cross down the right flank. It was met on the penalty spot by Nascimento who completed his hat-trick.
Palace got a fourth 10 minutes later after a free-kick failed to beat the first man but the clearances fell to Kalembo on the edge of the area who produced a volley that sailed into the top corner.
Alker almost ignited a comeback for the Whites as he pinched the ball off the Palace back line, allowing him to unleash a strong driven shot towards goal but it was equally matched by Lee in the Palace goal.
Leeds remained spirited despite the score. Josh McDonlad raced towards goal causing Palace defender Chuks Okoli to bring down the Leeds attacker before being shown a red card.
Jayden Lienou stood over the resulting free-kick and produced a strong curling left-footed effort which rattled the underside of the bar and unfortunately bounced away from goal before the full-time whistle sounded, condemning United to just a second Premier League 2 defeat of the season.
FULL TIME: Leeds United U21 1-4 Crystal Palace U21
