U18s Report: Hat-trick hero Casey leads Palace to emphatic win over Ipswich

SUMMARY

• Three changes from the side that edged Spurs 3-2.
• 1 – GOAL: Benji Casey opens the scoring from the spot.
• 6 – GOAL: Donte Martin whips a superb strike in off the post to double Palace’s lead.
• 36: Casey denied at the back post brilliantly by Wreford.
• 39 – GOAL: Martin curls a stunning strike into the top corner.
• 41 – GOAL: Stuart Oduro flicks the ball over the defender, rounds the keeper, and stabs into the empty net.
• 45 (+1): Casey has the ball in the net, but it’s ruled out for offside.
• HT: Palace 4-0 Ipswich
• 47 – GOAL: Makai Bernard-Ferguson’s sweet half volley finds the far corner.
• 58 – GOAL: Bernard-Ferguson gets his second, burying a low-driven shot.
• 72 - GOAL: Casey fires into the roof of the net close-range to make it 7-0.
• 94 – GOAL: Back-to-back hat-tricks for Casey cap off a tremendous performance.
• FT: Palace 8-0 Ipswich.
• Palace close the gap between them and Premier League South toppers Arsenal to one point.

Palace U18s returned to Premier League South action full of momentum after a dramatic 3-2 away win at Spurs, their second victory in three games. That result had left the Eagles second in the table, just behind leaders Arsenal.

Ipswich, newly promoted to Category One Academy status, came into the game still searching for a first win, having suffered two heavy defeats and a draw.

Javier Alonso made three changes to the side that edged Spurs, with Harry Whitworth replacing Marcus Hill in goal, Khyan Frazer-Williams coming in for Jacob Fasida, and Donte Martin leading the line in place of David Angibeaud.

Despite challenging, blustery conditions at Copers Cope, Palace wasted no time taking control, scoring inside the opening minute.

Captain Jasper Judd picked out Martin with a perfectly weighted ball in behind. The initial danger was cleared, but Makai Bernard-Ferguson picked up the loose ball down the right channel, drove into the area, and was brought down. Benji Casey stepped up and calmly rolled the penalty under the ‘keeper for his eighth of the season.

Minutes later, Martin was denied one-on-one by Ruben Wreford, but Palace didn’t have to wait long for a second. In the seventh minute, Stuart Oduro surged down the left and slipped Martin through brilliantly. The forward curled a superb finish in off the post to double the Eagles lead.

Palace were dominant - sharp in possession, aggressive off the ball, and constantly threatening. Ipswich, meanwhile, had a rare chance on 11 minutes, but the shot flew high over Whitworth’s bar.

Alonso’s side continued to impress with their pace and movement. That said, Judd had to produce an excellent sliding challenge to prevent Jayden Adetiba from cutting inside and testing Whitworth, showcasing Palace's composure at the back.

Euan Danaher proceeded to test Wreford with a driven effort from distance midway through the half, while Sean Somade reacted sharply at the other end, narrowing the angle and forcing Adetiba to misfire following a swift Ipswich break from a Palace corner.

At 2-0, the hosts remained relentless. A pinball-like scramble in their own box ended with a rapid counter led by Oduro, who flashed a ball across goal. Casey met it at the back post but was denied by a strong save – the pace at which Palace turned defence to attack was something special.

Palace’s third came five minutes before half-time. Defender Charlie Walker-Smith went on a marauding run through midfield and slipped in Martin, who shifted the ball onto his stronger right and curled a stunning effort into the top corner. The keeper stood no chance — a brace for the striker and a commanding 3-0 lead.

Moments later, Walker-Smith was involved again. After combining with Martin, Bernard-Ferguson slid the ball to Oduro, who flicked it over a defender, rounded the keeper, and tapped into the empty net — his fourth goal of the campaign.

Palace were flying forward with pace and purpose, winning second balls and overwhelming Ipswich in transition. In added time, Casey had the ball in the net again, but the flag was raised for offside.

Leading 4-0 at the break, the Eagles started the second half just as explosively. Two minutes after the restart, Frazer-Williams launched a long throw into the box, Martin flicked it on, and Bernard-Ferguson met it sweetly on the edge of the area, smashing a half-volley into the top corner. Wreford was again left with no chance.

Ipswich responded with their best spell of the match. Brouwers showed smart footwork to evade his marker and chipped a ball into the box that just evaded Adetiba darting towards the back post.

Soon after, a misplaced pass from Wreford landed at Danaher’s feet, and his ricocheted effort looped over the stranded keeper — only for O’Sullivan to clear off the line.

Despite the scoreline, Alonso and his coaching team remained vocal, encouraging focus, discipline, and for the team to learn from their mistakes. The message was received. Palace’s sixth came on the hour: Danaher switched play to Bernard-Ferguson, who beat his man and fired a low shot into the far corner for his second of the match.

Ipswich tried to counter with pace but struggled to hold possession under sustained pressure. Around the 70-minute mark, Oduro forced a save from a tight angle before Lamidi fizzed a ball across the box that Angibeaud fired over.

Palace’s seventh came in the 72nd minute. Casey smashed a strike into the roof of the net to complete his brace and bring his season tally to nine — another standout performance from the forward.

Ipswich substitute Nelson Eze, quiet for much of the match, curled a left-footed effort just wide of Whitworth’s far post, but chances remained few and far between for the visitors.

Palace weren’t done. Judd, playing high up despite his defensive role, nearly added his name to the scoresheet, and Oduro again came close with a one-on-one chance that Wreford managed to keep out.

In the closing minutes, Angibeaud fired inches wide, and it looked as though Palace might fall just short of replicating their 8-0 win over Birmingham on opening day.

But there was one final moment of brilliance. After four minutes of added time were indicated, Casey completed his second consecutive hat-trick, firing home his 10th goal of the season to cap off a remarkable team display.

The win marked Palace’s first clean sheet since the opening day, and their first home victory of the Premier League South season. The result keeps Alonso’s side in second place, but they’ve now closed the gap to Arsenal at the top to just one point.

There will be hopes that the young Eagles can carry forward the momentum into next week's league clash with Reading at home.

Palace: Whitworth (GK), Judd, Frazer-Williams (Lamidi, 63), Danaher, Somade (Greaves, 73), Walker-Smith, Oduro, Okoli (Angibeaud, 62), Casey, Martin (Bonsu-Amako, 62), Bernard-Ferguson.

Subs not used: Mason (GK).

Ipswich: Wreford (GK), Brouwers (Brown, 74), Mandey, Thompson, O’Sullivan, Sains (Longwe, 45), Albashir, Wood, Undike (Burton-Yurevich, 60), Eze, Adetiba (Pedder, 60).

Subs not used: Twyman.