A Town U21 side featuring trialist Matthias Fanimo was defeated 1-0 by a more senior Crystal Palace team at Tooting and Mitcham’s KNK Stadium this afternoon.
Palace’s Connor Dymond headed home the game’s only goal from a corner in the 13th minute.
Kyle Hammond played the full 90 minutes as he continues his comeback from 10 months out with an anterior knee ligament injury, while Matt Clarke and Kundai Benyu again shone on what was a heavy pitch. Trialist Fanimo had a quiet game.
The pacey 21-year-old - reportedly the fastest footballer in the world - was recently released by West Ham following 15 years with the Hammers.
An England U16, U17 and U18 international, Fanimo spent time on loan at Tranmere earlier this season, making one brief sub appearance.
He was unable to break through into the first team during his time at West Ham but memorably scored four goals for their U21s in a 5-1 friendly victory over the Blues towards the end of last year.
The Palace side included striker Glenn Murray, who was linked with the Blues at the weekend, but not Jonny Williams, who is not yet back from the groin injury which curtailed his loan spell before Christmas.
Palace U21s: Kettings, Dymond, McCarthy, Croll, Mariappa, Gray, Boateng, Black (N’Diane 46), Allassani (Anderson 54), Murray (Adarabioyo 85), de Silva. Subs not used: Gregory, Magri.
Town U21s: Crowe, Hammond, Robinson, Clarke, Wyatt, Benyu, Guldbrandsen, Connolly (Blanchfield 74), McQueen, Stewart, Fanimo (Emmanuel 81). Unused: Hayes, C Smith, Ramadan.