U21s report: Arsenal 1-1 Crystal Palace

Our under-21s opened their Premier League 2 campaign with a 1-1 draw against Crystal Palace at the Mangata Developments Stadium.

Following a tight first half, summer signing Zavier Gozo opened the scoring for the Eagles before Andre Harriman-Annous latched onto Max Dowman's through ball to level the scores.

We pushed for a winner, with Dowman and Marli Salmon coming close but ultimately had to settle for a point.

FIRST HALF

Having been on the bench during our men's opening match of the season against Coventry on Friday night, Max Dowman was starting for our under-21s in our PL2 opener.

The winger picked out a superb pass to split the defence and almost found Harriman-Annous, who clipped goalkeeper Harry Lee as he cleared the ball, causing referee Dan Blades to dish out the first yellow card of the game.

We continued to dominate the ball and almost opened the scoring through Archie Stevens. Good play in the middle saw Dowman find Stevens with space down the wing. He drove into the box before flashing his low drive just wide.

The right hand side continued to be our biggest area of threat. A clipped ball over the top from Salmon found Dowman in time and space, and he cut the ball back to Ife Ibrahim, who couldn't keep his effort down.

The Eagles looked to put their counter-attacks to good use and came close to opening the scoring in the 35th minute. Quick play after winning the ball back saw Joel Drakes-Thomas find space down the right and fire his effort just wide. Minutes later, Palace turned over possession again, working it well to the onrushing full-back Caleb Kporha, who poked his effort narrowly past Jack Porter's far post.

The Eagles were growing in confidence; another quick counter gave Gozo, who joined from the MLS this summer, the chance as Porter got out well to the attack to block the effort away for a corner.

Harriman-Annous came closest to opening finding the net just before half-time. Good play from Ceadach O'Neill to create space before picking out the winger in space. Harriman-Annous then cut inside as his effort was deflected just over the bar.

SECOND HALF

The Eagles made the better start and were rewarded with an opening ball. A clipped ball over the top found Adler Nascimento, who took the ball down well before squaring to Gozo to tap into an empty net.

Palace sensed another and almost had it through a sensational free-kick from Nascimento, who clipped the post from range.

Coach David Horseman then made a change, moving Harriman-Annous inside to striker; it had an immediate impact.

A slick ball through from Dowman found Harriman-Annous one-on-one, and despite a pull back from a Palace defender, he was able to dink the ball superbly over Lee and into the net.

We'd grown in confidence as we sensed a winner. A weaving Dowman run saw him felled but the ball fell to Ceadach O'Neill who curled just wide. Marli Salmon was next to have a go, forcing a good save from Lee as the ball fell to our captain inside the box.

Dowman was next to have a go. The winger drifted with the ball inside before unleashing his effort which had to be tipped over.

Our final chance came in the 93rd minute. An inswinging corner from O'Neill found Salmon, who flicked his header on target but found Lee in the way as we were forced to settle for a point.

WHAT IT MEANS

The result means we kick off our Premier League 2 campaign with a draw and put our first point on the board.

WHAT'S NEXT

We're next in action in nine days' time with a trip to Brighton & Hove Albion on Monday, August 31, at 7pm to round off the month.

LINE-UPS

Arsenal XI: Proter, Julienne (Sampang 78'), Salmon, Upson (Clarke 45'), Ogunnaike (Washington 67'), Ibrahim, Stevens, O'Neill, Dowman, Mooney (Zecevic John 64'), Harriman-Annous

Subs: Ranson, Agustien

Crystal Palace XI: Lee, Kporha (Somade 62'), Whyte, King, Okoli, Benamar, Doucoure (Danaher 66'), Williams, Nascimento (Bernard-Ferguson 72'), Drakes-Thomas, Gozo (Casey 72'),

Subs: Hill, Judd