Crystal Palace 3 (Imray 15, 66, Mathurin 82) Wolves 0
Wolves under-21s exited the Premier League International Cup at the quarter-final stage following defeat on the road at Crystal Palace.
In a cagey opening period, both sides had sightings on goal as Justin Devenny curled a free-kick over the crossbar before Leon Chiwome was denied by Joe Whitworth at the other end with the goalkeeper quickly out to thwart the striker.
Palace broke the deadlock on the 15-minute mark as Whitworth started a counter-attack which set Jack Wells-Morrison on his way. He played it to Roshaun Mathurin down the left who in turn crossed into an area where Danny Imray had got in front of his man to control and poke past Zach Jeacock.
Wolves looked to respond and after winning a free-kick in a dangerous position on the edge, Ty Barnett stepped up and forced Whitworth to save.
Palace almost doubled their advantage following a flurry of corners as Craig Farquhar rose highest to meet Mathurin’s delivery, but the defender was denied by the underside of the crossbar.
Alfie Pond then headed narrowly wide from a Wolves corner, as the visitors found it tough to conjure up any clear-cut openings at the VBS Community Stadium.
Half-time | Crystal Palace 1-0 Wolves
The Old Gold were the brighter of the two sides early into the second period, with Marvin Kaleta finding room on the right-hand side before his cross found Aaron Keto-Diyawa who volleyed over. Justin Hubner then advanced into a dangerous position on the left and flashed a ball across the box, however there were no takers in the middle.
And Palace doubled their advantage on 66 minutes as Well-Morrison played a searching ball over the top for Imray to chase. Jeacock had committed and came some 20 yards out of his goal, but it was the Palace man who got there first to lob the ball over the top of the goalkeeper and into the net.
At two, the visitors still had a glimmer of hope in the tie and came close following some positive work from Kaleta before he teed up Harvey Griffiths to shoot, but the midfielder dragged his effort wide from the edge of the area.
The Eagles wrapped up the game with eight minutes of the tie remaining as they broke through Imray who spotted Mathurin in space on the left. He took the ball into the box, shifted onto his left boot and fired past Jeacock for three.
Full-time | Crystal Palace 3-0 Wolves
COMING UP
Wolves under-21s host Newcastle United in a Premier League 2 fixture at Aggborough next Monday.
NEXT FIVE
- 04/03 Newcastle United (H)
- 11/03 Derby (A)
- 15/03 Everton (A)
- 08/04 Sunderland (H)
- 15/04 Tottenham (A)
TEAMS
Crystal Palace | Whitworth, Imray (V. Williams 90), Watson, Grante, Farquhar, Reid, Devenny, Wells-Morrison, Akinwale (Nascimento 71) (Francis 90), Mathurin, Raymond (Trialist 83).
Subs not used | Izquierdo, S. Williams, Agbinone.
Wolves | Jeacock, Kaleta, Hubner, Griffiths, Ojinnaka (Tipton 75), Pond, Esen (Holman 70), Whittingham, Chiwome, Barnett, Keto-Diyawa.
Subs not used | Mabete, Amos, Rees, Ashworth, Edozie.
