Match Report from the offical Bentford FC Website
This game was enjoyed for two reason on and off the pitch. It's great ot see such young, enthusiastic and talented players running up and down in front of me but sitting alongside photograpgher Mark Fuller watching and trying not to distract him from his job i felt honored to be here. A true insight into how fast the game is played now and how my finger eye co-ordination has to be just as quick to keep up with the play. This and what it is like to mirror an experianced photographer who has been all over the county following Brentford taking the first teams pictures weekly.
Jon De Souza's Youth Team picked up a point as Josh Bohui's second-half penalty earned them a point at home to Crystal Palace at Jersey Road this lunchtime in the U18 Professional Development League Two South.
The team – made up primarily of first year scholars did well to hold their own in the first half, but went behind just before half-time when Andre Coker was allowed time to pick his spot and fire in the opener.
Brentford continued to dominate the game and were rewarded twenty minutes from time when Ian Carlo Poveda was brought down and Bohui swept in a timely equaliser.
With a number of the regular starters ruled out, Jon De Souza was forced to field a young starting XI that featured U16 defender David Titov, with three U16s on the bench.
Despite this, Brentford started on the front foot and Titov was impressive from the offset, neutralising several early attacks from Levi Lumeka to keep the scores level.
Tony Guppy went close after eight minutes when he connected with Bohui’s low cross, whilst Poveda’s pinpoint shot from distance caught the wind and flew over; a dip might have seen it fly past Oliver Pain.
Julius Fenn-Evans was then fouled by Emmanuel Yeboah; Poveda’s free-kick was met by the towering head of Zach Birse who nodded onto the base of the post.
Brentford had improved greatly from their Charlton thrashing and were continuing to dominate possession at the expense of their London counterparts; Juan Pablo Gonzalez Velasco tested Pain’s mettle with a 30 yard stinging drive whilst Greaves was hardly tested in the first-half.
Palace had their first real chance when Andre Coker dashed up the left-wing, wrong-footed Sean Bird and chipped in a cross, but when the tall presence of Jalen Jones was needed, he wasn’t on hand to head in.
But just before half-time, Coker took the chance himself when he found time and space on the edge of the Brentford box and took a shot that beat Greaves at the far post.
The second-half began like the first had been played; Kingsley Eshun latched onto Gonzalez Velasco’s defence splitting pass but was caught offside in a perfect position for an equaliser.
The wind was wreaking havoc on the play but yet again, Brentford had an opportunity to level up proceedings when Bohui pushed forward and squared for Poveda, but his shot was well palmed away at close range by Pain.
Seven minutes later, Brentford finally got their just reward for their dominance: Poveda made a great run into the box and was tripped by Callum Sturgess. Bohui stepped up and, despite the wind made no mistake in hitting a shot out of the reach of Pain for his sixth of the season.
It was end to end stuff in the final minutes; Ross McMahon replaced the injured Fenn-Evans with George Harmes moving into a central midfield position and the ante was well and truly upped, but neither side could take advantage of the tension and the game ended level.
Brentford: Cameron Greaves, David Titov, Sean Bird, Zach Birse, George Harmes, Tony Guppy (Teymar Fleary 46), Juan Pablo Gonzalez Velasco, Ian Carlo Poveda, Julius Fenn-Evans (Ross McMahon 86), Josh Bohui, Kingsley Eshun
Subs (not used): Jordan Carey, Dawson Ernesto
Crystal Palace: Oliver Pain, Bryce Hosannah, Callum Sturgess, Dan Hogan, Jalen Jones, Sam Woods, Joseph Hungbo, Emmanuel Yeboah, Andre Coker, Kian Flanagan, Levi Lumeka (James Daly 46)
Subs (not used): Colm McCaden, Emmanuel Aurore, Nathan Linton, Jason Akiotu