Capítulo 18: FA Cup: Crystal Palace vs. Derby County II
The atmosphere inside Selhurst Park was electric as fans roared their support, scarves held high, and chants reverberated through the stands. Derby County's traveling supporters, outnumbered but defiant, tried to make their voices heard over the Palace faithful.
Crystal Palace kicked off, immediately showing their class. Luka Milivojević, the orchestrator in midfield, wasted no time taking control. Every pass was precise, every move deliberate, as if Palace intended to send a message: this was their house.
The first chance came early. James McCarthy broke up a Derby attack and released Max Meyer on the left. Meyer's quick feet sent Jayden Bogle the wrong way before delivering a curling cross into the box. Connor Wickham, towering above Curtis Davies, met the ball with a thunderous header. It grazed the top of the crossbar, eliciting gasps from the home crowd.
"Crystal Palace starting strong here," the commentator noted. "Derby's defense looks shaky already."
Trevor, the Derby superfan, groaned audibly from the away section. "This is going to be a bloodbath," he muttered, shaking his head.
Another wave of attack followed almost immediately. Palace's right-back Martin Kelly surged forward, linking up with Cheikhou Kouyaté. A one-two exchange left Derby's defense scrambling, but when the final ball came, Kelle Roos made a stunning reflex save to deny Palace an early lead.
"Fantastic save from Roos!"
For the next ten minutes, Derby clung on, their defense stretched to its limits. Mamadou Sakho stepped forward from the backline, cutting out a Derby pass and initiating yet another attack. This time, James Tomkins joined in, sending a searching ball over the top for Jairo Riedewald. His attempt was blocked, but the pressure mounted.
Selhurst Park buzzed with anticipation, the home fans sensing a goal was imminent.
But then, in the 32nd minute, everything changed.
Tom Huddlestone, calm amid the chaos, intercepted a stray pass from Meyer just outside Derby's penalty area. Without hesitation, he looked up and launched an ambitious long ball downfield. It seemed speculative, a desperate attempt to relieve pressure—but it wasn't.
The ball soared over Palace's defense who most had pushed forward, landing perfectly at the feet of David Jones.
The 16-year-old's first touch was exquisite, cushioning the ball as though it were drawn to him. Selhurst Park, noisy seconds before, fell into a stunned silence as everyone's attention locked onto the teenager.
"Jones on the ball!" the commentator shouted. "What can the young man do here?"
David didn't hesitate. He turned, his eyes scanning the field, and took off. His pace was breathtaking, leaving James Tomkins flat-footed.
Gary Cahill charged toward him, but David feinted right before darting left, leaving the towering defender in his wake.
"He's skipped past Sakho! Incredible composure from the youngster!"
Luka Milivojević tried to track back, but David's acceleration was too much. He stormed into the penalty area, now one-on-one with Wayne Hennessey.
The crowd roared in anticipation, Palace fans urging their keeper to stand tall, Derby fans praying for a miracle.
David slowed ever so slightly, as if toying with the moment. Then, with ice in his veins, he slotted the ball through Hennessey's legs—a nutmeg that sent it rolling into the net.
The stadium erupted. Cheers, groans, and gasps blended into a chaotic symphony.
David stood frozen for a moment, as if even he couldn't believe what had just happened. Then he turned and walked straight toward Luka Milivojević, the man who had dismissed him in the tunnel as a mere "kid."
David stopped inches from Luka's face, locking eyes with the Palace captain. He folded his arms, tilting his head slightly, and held the pose. The defiance in his stance was unmistakable.
"Look at this!" the commentator exclaimed. "Sixteen years old, and he's staring down a Premier League captain! This kid is fearless!"
"Arrogant more like it" The second commentator said
Milivojević didn't flinch, his jaw tightening as Derby players rushed to surround David, celebrating wildly.
In the away section, Trevor sat slack-jawed, his scarf hanging limply around his neck.
"Well?" his mate nudged him, grinning ear to ear. "Still think it's a fluke?"
Trevor muttered something unintelligible, but the begrudging respect in his eyes was clear.
Meanwhile, back in Southampton, Isaac Jones was on his feet, his fists pumping the air.
"YES! THAT'S MY BOY!" he shouted, his voice cracking with emotion.
Tabitha smiled, her hands clasped tightly as tears filled her eyes. "He's incredible," she said softly. "Our boy is incredible."
Isaac turned to her, his grin as wide as it could go. "I told you, didn't I? I told you he'd make us proud!"
On the pitch, David finally broke into a smile as his teammates clapped him on the back, their voices drowning in the noise of the crowd. The scoreboard showed:
Crystal Palace 0-1 Derby County (Jones, 32')
"David Jones," the commentator said, his tone a mix of awe and disbelief. "Just sixteen years old, and he's torn through Crystal Palace's defense like a veteran. What a moment for this young man!"
As the game restarted, the energy in the stadium was palpable. Crystal Palace, stung by the goal, pushed forward with renewed aggression, but Derby had found their rhythm. And at the heart of it all was a 16-year-old prodigy who had just announced himself to the world.
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