U18s Report: Palace return to winning ways with comfortable win to top Premier League Cup group

SUMMARY:

• 13: Aaron Reid’s low drive is denied by Harry Whitworth.
• 19: Riley McLachlan’s shot is well saved by Whitworth.
• 27 – GOAL: Makai Bernard-Ferguson whips a scintillating effort into the far corner to give Palace the lead.
• 30: Oduro’s curling effort is parried by United ‘keeper Venners.
• 43: Angibeaud headers narrowly wide.
• HT: Sheffield United 0-1 Palace Under-18s
• 46: Angibeud squares up his marker and stings Venners' palms at his near post.
• 52 – GOAL: Chuks Okoli volleys home close-range to double the lead.
• 58 – GOAL: Sam Colechin halves the deficit for Sheffield.
• 70: Casey is bundled over trying to latch onto a lofted pass in-behind.
• 80: Casey’s sliding effort is saved one-on-one, before the ball is crucially scrambled clear with Danaher ready to pounce.
• 84 – GOAL: Judd’s inswinging corner sees Casey shoulder into the net.
• FT: Sheffield United Under-18s 1-3 Palace Under-18s

Palace U18s stepped away from league action this week as attention turned to the Premier League Cup, with Group D wide open and everything still to play for.

The young Eagles last outing in the competition produced a thrilling 3-3 draw with Manchester City.

With all four sides – Palace, Chelsea, City and Sheffield United – level on one point, the clash loomed as a crucial opportunity to seize control in a finely balanced group.

Javier Alonso made just one change from the side that suffered a 3-1 league defeat to Aston Villa last week, David Angibeaud replaced Donte Martin out wide.

With rain lashing down, wind swirling, and autumn leaves dancing across the pitch, Palace were met with truly testing conditions in South Yorkshire – a proper English welcome for Alonso, a far cry from the sunshine of Madrid.

After a relatively quiet opening 15 minutes, it was the hosts who registered the first effort on target.

Sheffield’s Aaron Reid fired a low, driven effort towards goal, but Harry Whitworth got down smartly to make a sharp save.

Moments later, Whitworth was called into action again, producing another fine stop to deny Riley McLachlan – the Palace ‘keeper showing his class as Sheffield briefly adapted quicker to the stormy conditions.

Despite the young Blades enjoying a spell of attacking pressure, Alonso’s side held firm with impressive defensive concentration, showing maturity and resilience at the back in the face of swirling wind and rain.

It was from this solid foundation that Palace began to build. A slick move from deep began with some strong hold-up play from Stuart Oduro, who showed great power to swivel away from pressure and carry the ball forward.

He found Benji Casey in space, who picked the perfect pass to release Makai Bernard-Ferguson down the right channel.

The winger cut inside onto his favoured left foot and whipped a superb strike into the far corner – leaving Alfie Venners with no chance. That made it four goals for Bernard-Ferguson this campaign, and it was a beauty.

With the breakthrough secured, momentum shifted decisively. Oduro almost doubled the lead minutes later from a near-identical position, his curling effort forcing Venners into a save to push it behind for a corner.

As the match entered its final third, Alonso’s young Eagles turned the screw. With confidence flowing, they began to find joy with lofted balls in behind and dangerous deliveries into the box, looking to make their dominance count in the closing stages.

Having survived a plethora of threatening crosses, Sheffield found themselves under real pressure as Charlie Walker-Smith’s long throw caused chaos, sparking a series of pinball-like scrambles as Palace pushed for a second.

On the stroke of half-time, the young Eagles carved out two excellent chances.

Slick, incisive passing saw the ball worked sharply from left to right around the edge of the box, before captain Jasper Judd skipped past a defender and drove into the area, arrowing a low ball across the face of goal that was desperately cleared.

Moments later, David Angibeaud rose well to meet a cross, directing his header just wide of the bottom-left corner. Going into the break, it was Bernard-Ferguson’s goal that separated the two sides.

The second half kicked off in breathless, end-to-end fashion – and it was Palace who struck first. Angibeaud set the tone early, isolating his marker on the flank, driving into the box, and unleashing a fierce strike that stung the palms of Venners at his near post.

A crucial last-ditch tackle from Khyan Frazer-Williams inside his own box proceeded to spark a rapid counter-attack. A flowing move followed, ending with Oduro's pull back winning the corner.

From the resulting delivery, Judd’s inswinger was helped back across goal at the far post by Casey, and Chuks Okoli reacted quickest to stab – or rather studd – home a close-range volley, capping off a bright start to the half from Palace.

United came inches from pulling one back. A heavy touch from Sean Somade inadvertently set up Jaydon Maklira, who ran onto the loose ball and crashed a powerful effort flush against the crossbar – a real let-off for Palace.

But just before the hour mark, the hosts did halve the deficit, albeit firmly against the run of play. Sam Colechin’s delivery from the right flank – aided by a hefty gust from Storm Amy – caught everyone off guard and flew straight into the far corner.

With 70 minutes on the clock, the pendulum swung back in the young Eagles’ favour. Casey, chasing Euan Danaher’s wonderfully weighted straight lofted pass in-behind, was bundled over by Keehan Barrett-Underwood – excellent defending.

Soon after, Judd’s threatening inswinger picked out the England youth international once again, forcing Venners into an excellent full-stretch save. However, the effort was adjudged offside.

As the weather improved and the sun reappeared, United naturally dominated possession. That said, aside from a few crosses comfortably held by Whitworth, they failed to create any clear chances thanks to Palace’s resolute defence.

Breaking at pace with ten minutes to go, Danaher found Casey, whose heavy touch set up the sliding effort, an alive Venners made the stop, and the ball was crucially scrambled clear with Danaher ready to pounce.

In the dying embers of normal time, Casey put the result beyond doubt with Palace’s third. Once again, it was Judd’s inswinging corner causing havoc – quickly becoming a key weapon in Alonso’s attacking armoury.

The delivery evaded the goalkeeper, who won’t want to see it back, but Casey was alert – darting away from his marker to gamble at the back post and bundle it into the empty net with his shoulder. A poacher’s finish, and his 12th of the campaign.

Four minutes of added time were played, and the hosts had a golden chance to spark a late scare. Charlie Butcher found space just a few yards out, but fellow Charlie – Walker-Smith – did just enough to put him off, with the header drifting the wrong side of the bar.

The result sees Palace top Group D on goal difference, boasting a stronger defensive record. City sit level with us on 4 points, while Chelsea and Sheffield both have 1 point after two games.

Next up for Alonso’s young Eagles is Fulham at Copers Cope on Saturday, 18th October (11:00 BST) after the international break.

Palace Under-18s: Whitworth, Judd, Frazer-Williams, Walker-Smith, Somade, Okoli, Oduro (McDonald, 89’), Danaher, Casey (Anderson, 89’), Angibeaud (Martin, 64’), Bernard-Ferguson (Greaves, 89’).

Subs not used: Mason.

Sheffield Under-18s: Venners, Colechin, Barrett-Underwood, Dearden, Parr-Pearson, Hough, McLachlan (Bulmer, 83’), Reid, Abraha, Makhalira, Hay (Sidibe, 55’).

Subs not used: Grainger, Morrison, Adams.**