U21s Exit PL Cup Following Narrow Palace Defeat
Having played Palace in their last Premier League 2 fixtures at LCFC Training Ground, which ended in a 1-1 draw courtesy of Will Alves' goal, the two sides met for a second encounter in two weeks, this time for a place in the quarter-finals of the PL Cup.
There were three changes made to the City side coached by Ben Petty from that stalemate, with goalkeeper Brad Young returning between the sticks and chances for Kian Pennant and Logan Briggs to impress in attack.
It was the hosts who got off to the better start at Crystal Palace Training Ground, breaking the deadlock through Craig Farquhar's close-range header inside the opening quarter of an hour. The lead was doubled 30 minutes in, courtesy of an unfortunate Ben Grist own goal, heading Jadan Raymond's cross past Young.
City had chances of their own in the first half, most notably just before the break when Joe Wormleighton was denied by a superb Joe Whitworth save, but the visiting Foxes would earn their reward shortly after the interval.
Substitute Amani Richards made an instant impact, halving the deficit less than two minutes into the second period. However, Danny Imray soon re-established Palace's two-goal cushion, via another header, effectively putting the game beyond Leicester.
To their credit, the away side continued to battle away and made the last 10 minutes nervy for the Eagles when Brandon Cover set up substitute Chris Popov to convert. Despite throwing everything at it in the closing stages, it wasn't to be and the Foxes youngsters bowed out of the competition.
Next in action on Monday evening, attention turns back to PL2 and a meeting with Leeds United at LCFC Training Ground (7pm GMT kick-off).
The details...
City: Young; Cover, Grist (Popov 71'), Godsmark-Ford, Wormleighton (c); Raikhy, Cartwright, Ewing; Briggs (Ali 77'), Thomas, Pennant (Richards 46').
Unused subs: Doherty, Amartey.
Goals: Richards 47', Popov 80'.
Photo credit: CPFC.