By Mark Ritson at Selhurst Park
CRYSTAL Palace U21s managed to overcome Brentford U21s this evening at Selhurst Park thanks to a 3-1 victory.
Development Squad boss Gary Issott was able to call upon first team trio Dwight Gayle, Adlene Guedioura and Zeki Fryers to help his side against the Bees.
Kyle de Silva, Sullay Kaikai and Guedioura did the damage for Palace, who were completely dominant in the first half especially.
Gayle had a great chance early on when he cut out a square pass in the Brentford defence and burst towards goal.
Spotting goalkeeper Jack Bonham way off his line, the striker lifted the ball over the custodian but it went over the crossbar as well.
Mandela Egbo forced Bonham into his first save of the match after the right-back burst into the box after a fine run, and with Gayle lurking for the rebound the custodian turned the ball out for a corner.
Kaikai then drove a fierce shot way wide of the target from range, before the young Eagles made their early dominance count by taking the lead through Kyle De Silva.
The midfielder controlled well inside the box before spinning and poking the ball past Bonham into the bottom corner.
Egbo tried his luck with a stunning effort from way out on the right but it went narrowly over, and then Kaikai drove a low shot towards the bottom corner only for Bonham to get down and save well.
However, five minutes before the break and Kaikai found the back of the net superbly. After Gayle had been brought down just outside the box, the youngster curled the ball over the Brentford wall with power and precision to beat Bonham.
Palace goalkeeper Chris Kettings, a spectator in the first half, made a fantastic low save to his right from Montel Moore at the start of the second period.
Nick Proschwitz then got in front of Palace skipper Sam Magri to head wide after a decent delivery from the right, but they did find a way back in shortly after thanks to Louis Hutton.
Following a short corner, the ball found its way to the diminutive midfielder and his shot beat Kettings despite the shot-stopper getting a hand to the ball.
The visitors' tails were up and they were a different outfit to the one in the first half. Kaikai then had a chance against the run of play in front of the Holmesdale but saw his shot from a tight angel curl away from goal.
Brentford huffed and puffed but Palace managed to restore their two-goal lead when Guedioura curled home brilliantly from just inside the box in front of the Holmesdale Stand on 76 minutes.
And 3-1 was the way it stayed as the Eagles held on comfortably for three points in their league.
Palace U21s: Kettings, Egbo, Fryers, Croll, Magri ©, Boateng, De Silva (Dymond), Guedioura, Gray (Allassani), Kaikai, Gayle (Adaribioyo)
Subs Not Used: Pain, Black.
