A strong Town U21 side conceded two second-half goals and fell to a 2-0 defeat against Crystal Palace at Tooting and Mitcham United’s KNK Stadium on Monday afternoon.
Both sides named experienced line-ups in front of watching managers Mick McCarthy and Tony Pulis; Town fielding Scott Loach in goal, Freddie Veseli and Anthony Wordsworth in central midfield, loanee Jordan Graham wide right and Paul Taylor - back from his shoulder injury and then illness - up front, whilst the Eagles includes former Blue Lewis Price, Dwight Gayle and Jonny Williams.
The home side made a bright start and Kyle De Silva struck Loach's near post inside a couple of minutes after getting the better of Tyrone Mings.
Graham fired a low cross across the face of goal which Jordan Adekunle latched onto, but his close-range effort was kept out by Price.
Byron Lawrence hit his 25-yard effort just wide before Gayle broke through the Town backline, only to be forced wide by the advancing Loach and see his shot blocked by the keeper.
Gayle squandered an even better chance to give Palace the lead ten minutes before the break when he slid in to meet Sullay Kaikai's right-wing cross, but the frontman lifted his shot over the bar from inside the six-yard box.
Taylor fired straight at Price midway through the second half before Jose Campana's freekick was parried away by Loach at the other end.
However, Loach was beaten on 73 when Kaikai's 25-yarder took a slight deflection off Matt Clarke and flew into the net.
And the Eagles wrapped up the win with three minutes remaining when Gayle fired a fine freekick past the diving Loach after the striker had been hauled down by Clarke.
Despite the hard work of Taylor and the impressive wing play of Graham, Town once more failed to create enough clear-cut opportunities. Trialist Eoin Wearen again impressed at centre-half along youngster Clarke.
U21s: Loach, Hammond, Mings, Veseli, M Clarke, Wearen, Graham, Lawrence (Timlin 78), Taylor, Wordsworth, Adekunle. Unused: Marsden, Robinson, Doherty, Berkane.