Colchester United U18s fell to defeat on Saturday but ended up with a scoreline that failed to reflect how tight the game was.
For 75% of this match the U’s were in this game as both teams had to battle the elements on what was a very windy morning at the Florence Park ground.
As the two sides traded chances in the first half, the defences ensured that the game was goalless at the half time interval.
Siddick clear away for a corner. Cameron Jessup getting down the right saw him go past Kazeem, but he then ovehit his cross in. As the half came to an end, a good ball in from the left, Kazeem saw him bringing the ball down, before he was clearing the danger and it was all square at the break and a 0-0 scoreline.
After the interval, the U’s had to defend into the wind but they were still creating good chances.
Sam Cornish crossed a dangerous ball in from the right and it was nearly stabbed in at the near post by Stagg.
A superb run down the left by the trialist then saw his cut back find Cornish, but there was a good block on his shot which took the ball away for a corner.
More good home football, just before the hour mark, saw the ball moved on to Freitas-Gouveia but although he failed to get the shot away, a slipped pass by Cornish to his left found Kazeem and he drilled in a ferocious shot which beat the visiting keeper Jacob Russell, but hit his left hand post and came out again.
The first goal of the game came midway through the second half and it was Palace who took the lead as the shot by Aveiro bounced back off the chest of the home keeper into the path of Street who put the rebound away.
Ajayi was the provider for Palace's second goal, as his shot from the left was well saved, but ran out to the ever alert Street to tuck home on 73 minutes.
With ten minutes to go, Palace took the game further away from the U's, as Russell set Ajayi away and he curled home a low shot to make it three.
The goalscorers combined at the death to complete the scoring, with Ajayi setting up Street to complete his hat-trick.
Colchester United: Chandler Hallett, Namory Kane, Billy Cracknell, Frankie Kent, Al-Amin Kazeem, Sam Cornish, Diogo Freitas-Gouveia, Gene Kennedy, Donell Thomas, Trialist and Tom Stagg
Used subs: Samson Tovide and Harvey Sayer and unused subs: Ted Collins, Kacy Parish and Darnell Asare-Williams