Crystal Palace prospect earned the right to be on bench for Arsenal match

BY ANDREW MCSTEEN

Roy Hodgson gave the 6,500 returning Crystal Palace fans a glimpse into the future last night when he named talented U18  Jesurun Rak-Sakyi as a substitute for the home clash against Arsenal.

Going into the last 10 minutes of the game, Hodgson still had a substitution left to take, but with the game poised at 1-1 and the home side in the ascendancy looking for a winner, the youngster remained on the bench to witness two late goals in added on time for the visitors, who took a 3-1 victory at Selhurst Park.

“Far from it,” said Hodgson to the South London Press when asked if he was tempted to give the youngster his professional debut in those closing moments.

“It was never a question of just putting someone on to give them a game. We wanted to get that result, and wanted at least a 1-1, or even, possibly, a 2-1.

“We were very much in line to get that result. I wanted the players on the field who could help us get that result and we got so close.”

“It was a reward for his performances,” added Hodgson about Rak-Sakyi’s place amongst the nine substitutes. “It shows that we believe in him.”