Crystal Palace 3

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Notts County 1 

 


The FA Youth Cup Fourth Round
Thursday 6th February 2003 

The tackling was fierce in the opening minutes. Palace's Adam Hay got a kick on the shin that left him limping and two of the home side were cautioned after a County player seemed to be trampled on near the halfway line. The visitors were bright and breezy in attack but their exuberance often got the better of them as they continually strayed offside.

The pace was relentless in the first half, with shots at both ends, and it was County who finally made the breakthrough on 39 minutes. A free-kick hit Palace's "wall" and deflected across the face of the goal. Three or four County players had moved forward in anticipation and any one of them could have got a touch. It turned out to be the big No.10, Leon Best.

Tariq Nabil, who had replaced the stricken Hay at half-time, swept in a perfect Wayne Routledge cross from the right to equalise seven minutes into the second period. Routledge, the boy with the dancing feet, had kept three defenders busy throughout with his trickery. This time the England Under-19 international raced clear of his markers and a goal was almost inevitable.

Shaun Harrad had three good efforts for County and Cronin made a brilliant leaping save to deny the third of these, surely destined for the top corner. There was a definite sense that the players on both sides were tiring towards the end of the 90 minutes. Extra-time would have been cruel - but they were spared that because the Young Eagles grabbed two late goals.

Gary Prigent, a Palace substitute who had only entered the action about a minute earlier, had his shirtsleeve pulled as he burst between two defenders into the box and Ben Watson scored confidently from the spot. Then, on 89 minutes, Nabil ran from the centre circle to beat the advancing Greg Smith for 3-1. He looked very pleased with himself.

David Barber