From Danny Imray’s first full league appearance for West Brom to a rare on-field showdown between Palace ‘keepers Joe Whitworth and Owen Goodman, there were plenty of standout moments.
Read on to see how each player fared.
Loan report: Imray impresses in first full league outing & Palace ‘keepers face off
Eight Crystal Palace loanees were in action this past week, gaining valuable senior experience across the English football pyramid.
Danny Imray – West Bromwich Albion
Imray completed his first full 90 minutes in the league for West Bromwich Albion as the Baggies earned a hard-fought 1–1 draw away at Sheffield United in the Championship on Saturday afternoon.
Albion fell behind during the contest but showed resilience to fight their way back into the game. Defender George Campbell responded to an earlier own goal by producing a superb late strike to ensure the points were shared at Bramall Lane.
For Imray, the match marked an important milestone in his loan spell, with the Palace youngster delivering an energetic performance across the right flank.
His tenacity and willingness to contribute at both ends of the pitch – supporting attacks while also tracking back defensively – quickly endeared him to the travelling Baggies supporters.
The result lifted Albion just outside the relegation places as they continue their push up the table. Next up for Imray and West Brom is a midweek Championship clash against Southampton on Wednesday night.
Joe Whitworth – Exeter City
Whitworth continued his run between the posts for Exeter City this week, featuring in two competitive League One fixtures as the Grecians navigated an eventful period both on and off the pitch.
Whitworth first lined up at St James Park as Exeter were held to a 1–1 draw by Burton Albion on Tuesday.
The match carried extra intrigue with the return of former manager Matt Taylor to the stadium, adding to a lively atmosphere in Devon. Burton opened the scoring through Udoka Godwin-Malife before Exeter responded via Josh Magennis to ensure the points were shared.
The Grecians then travelled to Oakwell to face Barnsley, where two early goals ultimately proved decisive in a 2–1 defeat.
David McGoldrick broke the deadlock after just eight minutes before Vimal Yoganathan doubled the hosts’ advantage shortly after. Exeter responded in the second half through Jayden Wareham, but were unable to find a late equaliser.
Whitworth remained alert throughout the contest and produced an important stop to keep his side in the match.
After a corner was initially cleared, Corey O’Keeffe collected the loose ball and drove a shot towards goal, but the 22-year-old reacted well to parry the effort away from danger before Exeter completed the clearance.
Later in the half he was also well positioned to gather a deflected strike from McGoldrick, ensuring it was a comfortable take.
Despite the narrow defeat, Whitworth’s steady presence between the sticks continues to provide valuable senior experience during his loan spell with the Grecians, who return to action at St James Park next week against Lincoln City.
Owen Goodman – Barnsley
Up against fellow Palace loanee Whitworth in League One this weekend, Owen Goodman also enjoyed a busy week between the posts for Barnsley, featuring in two fixtures at Oakwell.
The Reds were narrowly beaten 1–0 by Wycombe Wanderers in midweek in a tightly contested encounter. Chances were at a premium throughout a first half that struggled to find rhythm, with neither side able to create a clear opening before the break.
Wycombe found the breakthrough just before the hour mark and almost doubled their advantage late on. Jamie Mullins raced through one-on-one, but Goodman reacted sharply to produce a strong save with his right hand, keeping the deficit to a single goal and giving Barnsley hope heading into the closing stages.
The Reds bounced back at the weekend with a 2–1 victory over Exeter City – where Goodman lined up opposite Palace teammate Joe Whitworth. First-half goals from David McGoldrick and Vimal Yoganathan proved decisive, securing all three points despite a late response from the Grecians.
Goodman and Barnsley return to Oakwell on Tuesday night when they host Cardiff City in their next League One fixture.
Tayo Adaramola – Sheffield Wednesday
Despite the result going the other way, it was another positive outing for Tayo Adaramola, who completed the full 90 minutes for Sheffield Wednesday.
The visitors had responded quickly after falling behind, with Jerry Yates cancelling out Ben Brereton Díaz’s early opener. However, Matt Clarke restored Derby’s lead just before half-time – a margin that ultimately proved decisive in what was otherwise a closely fought contest.
Adaramola’s appearance marked his third consecutive full 90 since arriving on loan, with the Palace defender starting all six fixtures he has been eligible for so far – valuable senior experience for the defender.
Next up, the Owls return to Hillsborough on Tuesday night when they host Watford in Championship action.
David Ozoh – Derby County
Ozoh featured from the bench as Derby County secured a 2–1 victory over Sheffield Wednesday in front of a packed Pride Park in the EFL Championship on Saturday.
The hosts made a fast start, taking the lead after 11 minutes through Ben Brereton Díaz, who netted his sixth goal of the campaign. The visitors responded quickly, however, with former Rams striker Yates heading home from close range just four minutes later to level the contest.
Derby regained the advantage just before the interval when defender Clarke scored his second goal in as many games, giving the Rams a 2–1 lead at the break – an advantage they would maintain through a controlled second-half performance.
Ozoh was introduced shortly after the hour mark as part of a triple change, entering the action alongside Carlton Morris and Jaydon Banel as John Eustace’s side looked to manage their lead.
The midfielder was involved in a promising move in the 75th minute during a sustained spell of possession down the right.
Ozoh combined neatly with Brereton Díaz and Tommy Ward to work the ball around the Wednesday defence, eventually freeing Lewis Travis on the edge of the area, though his effort lacked the power to trouble the ‘keeper.
The victory marked Derby’s third consecutive home win as they continued their strong form at Pride Park.
Jesurun Rak-Sakyi – Stoke City
Rak-Sakyi returned to the starting XI for Stoke City as the Potters fell to a narrow defeat against Swansea City AFC in the Championship on Saturday.
Mark Robins restored Rak-Sakyi to the side alongside Steven Nzonzi and Eric Bocat following their second-half appearances against Coventry City the previous weekend.
The visitors were reduced to ten men shortly after the half-hour mark when Sorba Thomas was dismissed, making the task even more difficult for the Potters.
Before the sending-off, Stoke had already threatened the Swansea goal. Ben Wilmot saw an effort ruled out for offside, while Ashley Phillips forced a strong save from Lawrence Vigouroux.
Rak-Sakyi also showed his attacking quality midway through the first half, skipping past challenges from Josh Tymon and Cameron Burgess to break into the penalty area before cutting the ball back for Bocat, whose goal-bound effort was cleared off the line by Josh Key.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, Stoke battled throughout the second half in search of an equaliser.
Bae Jun-ho came close late on with a volley that drifted narrowly off target, but the hosts sealed the points in stoppage time when Liam Cullen struck from distance after Žan Vipotnik had earlier netted his 19th goal of the season.
Rak-Sakyi and the Potters return to action at the bet365 Stadium on Tuesday night when they host Ipswich Town, with Stoke currently level on 47 points with Queens Park Rangers in the Championship standings.
Hindolo Mustapha - West Brom
Mustapha was named in the matchday squad for West Brom but remained an unused substitute as the Baggies earned a hard-fought 1–1 draw away at Sheffield United in the Championship on Saturday afternoon.
Romain Esse – Coventry City
Esse was named among the substitutes and remained unused as Coventry City recorded a fifth consecutive victory with a 2–0 win over Bristol City at Ashton Gate in the Championship on Saturday.
Frank Lampard made four changes to the side that faced Stoke, with Victor Torp and Tatsuhiro Sakamoto coming into the starting XI, while Esse dropped to the bench. Sakamoto went on to open the scoring before Haji Wright added a second to seal another important win for the Sky Blues.
The match saw both sides reduced to ten men, with Joel Latibeaudiere dismissed in the first half before Adam Randell received a second yellow card early in the second period.
The result keeps Coventry firmly at the top of the Championship on 74 points, eight clear of Middlesbrough, with the league leaders next facing Preston North End on Wednesday.
Zack Henry – Hassocks
Henry saw limited minutes for Hassocks FC this week as his workload was carefully managed following involvement with our Under-21s.
Henry had featured for Darren Powell’s side in their 2–1 victory away at Blackburn Rovers on Friday afternoon, and subsequently played the opening 45 minutes of Hassocks’ 2–0 defeat to Faversham Town on Tuesday before being withdrawn at half-time.
He did not travel with the squad for their 3–0 loss away at Jersey Bulls FC on Saturday, with Hassocks remaining in the relegation zone.
Matheus França – Vasco da Gama
França and Vasco da Gama were not in action this past week.
Aziz Ouedraogo – SV Beveren
Aziz Ouedraogo was an unused substitute as SV Beveren recorded a 2–1 victory over KSC Lokeren in the Belgian Challenger Pro League on Sunday.
Marcus Hill – Raynes Park Vale
Hill did not feature this weekend for Raynes Park Vale, with the shot-stopper set to return to action on Tuesday evening in the Isthmian South Central Division against Hartley & Willesden.
Jake Grante – St Albans City
Grante played the full 90 minutes as St Albans City FC secured a 1–0 victory over Dulwich Hamlet FC in the Isthmian Premier Division, keeping a clean sheet and helping his side take all three points.
Loan Life
Last season, Owen Goodman, Danny Imray, Tayo Adaramola and Joe Whitworth all featured featured in the Palace TV series Loan Life, where our cameras gained an unprecedented insight into their time adapting to new clubs and developing in the Football League.
Watch every episode on Palace TV now!