Report & Highlights: Wells-Morrison inspires 10-man Palace to victory over Bromley

Summary

• Darren Powell hands new signing Francis his first start amidst four changes

• Palace threaten early on with Imray, Nascimento and Ola-Adebomi half-chances

• Bromley’s best chance comes through a corner 15 minutes in

• Imray and Woods shown straight reds half an hour in, both sides down to 10-men

• Trialist A hits the side netting for Bromley just before half-time

• Kporha finishes brilliantly inside the box in first-half stoppage time

• HT: Bromley 0-1 Palace

• Trialist C skews over the bar from inside the box for Bromley

• Wells-Morrison doubles the lead with a curling strike in off the post 53 minutes in

• Whitworth saves Kader’s penalty with 15 minutes to go

• Wells-Morrison secures his second and Palace’s third in the 80th minute

• FT:  Bromley 0-3 Palace

After concluding their pre-season tour of the United States with a win on penalties against Vancouver Whitecaps 2, Crystal Palace Under-21s faced Bromley to finalise their preparations for the 2023/24 campaign.

Head coach Darren Powell made four changes to the side, with new signing Chris Francis starting at the heart of the defence.

He comes into the side in place of Seán Grehan, while Joe Whitworth, Danny Imray and Victor Akinwale all return for Jackson Izquierdo, Noah Watson and Franco Umeh.

Despite the thousands of fans in Hayes Lane cheering Bromley on, it was Palace that got off to a better start Danny Imray and Adler Nascimento were combining well and causing problems for Bromley down the left hand side.

Jadan Raymond and Ademola Ola-Adebomi were also leading a number of Palace’s attacks early on, though neither they or the combination down the left could create a clear-cut chance.

George Alexander had Bromley’s best chance of the half a quarter of an hour in - a flick on inside the box that was scrambled away by Palace before a decisive touch could be made.

With just under half an hour gone, both sides were reduced to ten men. Former Palace centre-half Sam Woods and the returning Imray were both shown straight red cards after a coming together near the touchline.

As both sides were a man down, the game opened up and chances were there for the taking. Dylan Reid fired narrowly wide following a one-two move between Akinwale and Nascimento on the right, while Trialist A hit the side netting after the second phase of a corner for Bromley.

On the stroke of half-time, Caleb Kporha managed to find the breakthrough. The young defender, now playing left-back, drifted into the box after a throw-in and was played in by Jack Wells-Morrison. After taking a couple of touches, he shaped to shoot and curled it past Teddy Sharman-Lowe in the Bromley goal.

After the break, both sides came out with a spring in their step, knowing the next goal in the game could prove crucial. Bromley came close to levelling, however Trialist C somehow skewed his shot over the bar from inside the box.

Just under 10 minutes into the second-half, Palace added a second. A searching diagonal from Joe Sheridan picked out Jadan Raymond, who laid the ball off to Wells-Morrison on the edge of the box at a diagonal and the skipper made no mistake - curling it in off the post with a perfectly struck effort.

Whitworth, who hadn’t had a save to make up until the hour-mark, was called into action to deny Trialist B’s effort following his run through the middle of the park.

Fifteen minutes remained on the clock and it looked as though Palace were going to come away with a routine pre-season victory, albeit with 10-men, though Bromley were handed a lifeline from 12-yards.

Soul Kader stepped up from the spot and saw his penalty saved by Whitworth in the Palace goal. The 19-year-old shot stopper got down low to save Kader’s effort and to keep the clean sheet intact.

Just five minutes later, Palace were awarded a penalty of their own. Franco Umeh darted into the box and was cynically brought down Trialist A. Wells-Morrison stepped up and made no mistake, sending the new substitute ‘keeper Kacper Orlowski the wrong way.

Chances late on could’ve seen the side add a fourth, though it wasn’t to be. The Eagles overcame the Ravens with ease, after five minutes of time added on, and are ending their pre-season strongly ahead of the imminent 2023/24 campaign.

Bromley: Sharman-Lowe (GK) (Orlowski, 61), Trialist A (Cave, 81), Woods, Trialist B (Brown, 61), Trialist C (Tofan, 61), Alexander (Bah, 61), Kader (Roberts, 81), German, Krauhaus (Kamara, 61), Bower (Onabanjo 88), Sablier (Joyce, 58).

Palace: Whitworth (GK), Kporha (Marjoram, 77), Francis (Grante, 66), Sheridan, Imray, Wells-Morrison, Reid (Eze, 77), Raymond (Umeh, 61), Akinwale, Ola-Adebomi (Cardines, 66), Nascimento.

Sub not used: Izquierdo (GK)

Photos: Martin Greig, Bromley FC.