The Spurs keeper was visibly growing in confidence, producing an excellent stop from Browne’s close-range header. The hosts made a double substitution and changed shape in a bid to wrestle back control. For a while it appeared to work.
Tyrell Ashcroft forced a decent stop from Lee with a curling effort, before the lively Irow saw another effort well blocked.
But Marsh wasn’t done yet. With 17 minutes left to play, the young forward produced a wonderful natural finish into the far corner, with his left foot. It restored Palace’s two-goal lead and seal yet another hat-trick at this level, having hit six in the 2023/24 season before his campaign was cut short by injury.
Williams Barnett went close to getting Spurs back into an entertaining contest, but headed off-target from a few yards out. But they did set up a slightly nervy finish when Irow eventually got his goal in the dying minutes twisting and turning in the penalty area before finding the net.
Thankfully, the young Eagles saw out seven minutes of injury time without further fuss, sealing a welcome first three points of the season for Powell’s side on opening night.
#### **Line-ups**
**Palace:** Lee (GK), Jemide, Browne, Grante, Benamar (Whyte, 89), Rodney (Gibbard, 83), Reid, Cardines (Drakes-Thomas, 45), Agbinone, Nascimento, Marsh.
**Subs not used:** Izquierdo (GK)
**Tottenham:** Gunter (GK), Rowswell, Arganese-McDermott (Hardy, 78), Byfield (Russell-Denny, 56), Ashcroft, Kyerematen (Logan, 78), Olusesi, Williams-Barnett, Akhamrich, Elliott-Parris (Thompson, 56), Irow.
**Subs not used:** Cassanova.
#### **Next up**
The Under-21s return to Premier League 2 action next Friday with a trip to the midlands to face West Bromwich Albion.
Elsewhere, Crystal Palace U18s' first home match of the season is on Saturday morning, as we host Chelsea U18s **(11:00 BST),** looking to build on an incredible start – an 8-0 win away on the opening day at Birmingham – [**LIVE on Palace TV+**](https://www.cpfc.co.uk/supporters/palace-tv-plus/)**.**