Report: Palace end 2025 in style with victory over Norwich

Summary:

• Javier Alonso makes three changes to the side that beat Bradford last week, with Lucca Benetton making his U18s debut between the sticks.
• 11 – GOAL: Donte Martin's cushioned close-range volley opens the scoring.
• 23 – GOAL: Emmanuel Okpiabhele levels for Norwich with a swivelled half-volley.
• 26: Martin stings the palms of Ethan Binnie.
• 35 – GOAL: Charlie Walker-Smith rifles into the near corner following a well worked short corner.
• Our defensive resolve helps us hold firm against wave after wave of Norwich attack.
• HT: Palace 2-1 Norwich
• 47: David Angibeaud strikes narrowly wide of the far post.
• 48: Martin's volley is cleared off the line!
• 51: Martin fires the wrong side of the post following Walker-Smith's long throw.
• It was an electric and intense opening to the second half from Palace.
• 64: Reuben Cooper's flashed effort grazes the top left corner.
• 68: Martin appeals for a penalty are waved away.
• 70: Bernard-Ferguson side-foots narrowly wide.
• 73: The Canaries survive a succession of shots from the young Eagles.
• 74 – GOAL: Steele's 30-yard stunner levels for Norwich.
• 77: Stuart Oduro's bullet header is powered into the 'keepers grasp.
• 82 – GOAL: Jasper Judd's back post thunderbolt edges us ahead.
• 88 – GOAL: Angibeaud's alive to convert the rebound.
• FT: Palace 4-2 Norwich
• We cap off 2025 with an important three points and top of the U18 Premier League South

Palace returned to league action perched at the top of the U18 Premier League South, level on 21 points with Chelsea and last season’s treble winners Aston Villa. The young Eagles’ superior goal difference kept them ahead of Villa, while nothing separated them from Chelsea, with both sides boasting an impressive +18.

Hopes were high that Palace could carry the momentum from their FA Youth Cup victory at Selhurst Park the previous Friday, where they secured a richly deserved 3–0 win in wet, blustery conditions to reach the Fourth Round.

Norwich City, meanwhile, arrived for the final round of pre-Christmas fixtures sitting second from bottom on seven points, but buoyed by a four-game unbeaten run in all competitions.

Javier Alonso made three changes from the win over Bradford. Lucca Benetton replaced Jack Mason between the sticks for his first Under-18s start, with Harry Whitworth named on the bench and no place in the squad for Mason.

With Joel Drakes-Thomas and Benji Casey travelling with the first team to Dublin for the Conference League trip to Shelbourne FC, Chuks Okoli, Donte Martin and Stuart Oduro were drafted into the starting XI – Okoli making his return from suspension. Makai Bernard-Ferguson also missed out from the initial lineup and was named among the substitutes.

Under glorious sunshine on a frosty morning, play got underway at the Academy, with Benetton called into action inside the opening 30 seconds. A sharp ball flashed across the penalty area forced a routine stop from the 15-year-old, who moments later was alert again to sweep clear as an onrushing attacker threatened to break in behind.

The visitors applied early pressure and Ajay Tavares was almost sent clean through on Benetton’s goal, but Palace’s offside trap proved perfectly timed.

Palace soon began to grow into the contest and the Canaries were nearly ahead when Finlay Oligbo met a low volley inside the box, only for Benetton to produce a fine diving save before smothering the follow-up.

The breakthrough arrived on 11 minutes as Donte Martin netted his fourth goal of the season. Stuart Oduro’s tenacity forced a turnover high up the pitch and, after combining neatly with Angibeaud, a flat delivery was arrowed across the face of goal for Martin to cushion home on the volley.

The opener settled the young Eagles, who began to play with greater confidence as the pendulum swung in their favour.

A succession of set pieces followed and Alonso’s side came agonisingly close to doubling the lead when Martin latched onto Euan Danaher’s lofted pass in behind, only for a last-ditch challenge in yellow to deny him the chance to square for the onrushing Oduro.

Norwich drew level shortly before the midway point of the half. Emmanuel Okpiabhele cleverly pulled off his markers, created space and swivelled to send a half-volley beyond the diving Benetton. Palace almost responded immediately, with Martin stinging the palms of Ethan Binnie up the other end.

Little separated the two sides in a cagey, end-to-end contest, though Oduro remained a constant threat whenever he carried the ball. With ten minutes remaining until the break, Palace regained the lead in dramatic fashion.

Dean Benamar worked a corner short before Jasper Judd returned the ball down the right channel, allowing Benamar to whip a low, driven cross across the six-yard box. A moment of pinball in the area followed before Charlie Walker-Smith rifled emphatically into the near corner.

The remainder of the half saw Palace withstand sustained Norwich pressure as the visitors launched wave after wave of crosses into the box. However, the defensive unit stood firm, ensuring the Eagles took a slender advantage into the interval.

Palace emerged for the second half with renewed intent and immediately went on the front foot. Binnie’s stray pass fell kindly to Jasper Judd, who showed excellent composure to pick out Angibeaud, the midfielder’s strike drifting inches wide of the far post.

Moments later, Walker-Smith’s long throw was expertly flicked on by Angibeaud, allowing Martin to connect sweetly on the volley, only for a brilliant goal-line clearance to deny him. Angibeaud then went close himself as Palace continued to turn the screw.

The chances kept coming. Chuks Okoli’s precise header forced an acrobatic save from Binnie, before Benamar’s dangerous delivery from the left flank nearly crept in under the crossbar.

Another Walker-Smith long throw teed up Martin inside the penalty area, but he fired narrowly wide of the far post, while Oduro followed with a surging run into the box, his lashed effort well blocked at the last.

It was an electric and intense opening to the second half from Palace, with wave after wave of pressure. If anyone looked like they deserved a goal, it was Oduro.

Despite Palace’s dominance, the visitors almost struck on the hour mark as Steele rattled the woodwork with an audacious effort from outside the penalty area.

A raft of substitutions from the visitors injected fresh attacking impetus, with substitute Reuben Cooper flashing a fierce effort inches wide of the top-right corner, leaving Benetton rooted to the spot.

At the other end, Palace continued to push for daylight. Martin went to ground inside the area, but his appeals for a penalty were waved away. He soon made way for Bernard-Ferguson, whose first involvement saw him side-foot narrowly wide.

As the contest entered its final third, Danaher drove a low effort that forced a fine diving save, before a frantic bout of pinball in the box saw the Canaries scramble clear amid a succession of Palace shots. Moments later, however, disaster struck as Norwich levelled once more, Steele unleashing a stunning 30-yard strike that flew beyond Benetton.

Palace responded immediately. The young Eagles swarmed the Canaries’ penalty area again, pinball ensued once more, and Oduro powered a bullet header at the back post that was superbly saved.

Momentum continued to swing in favour of the young Eagles as Judd floated a teasing delivery towards the back post, but Bernard-Ferguson directed his header the wrong side of the upright, spurning a golden opportunity to retake the lead.

The decisive moment arrived on 82 minutes, when the skipper delivered a late winner. Benamar surged down the left flank and arrowed a low, driven cross across the face of goal into the path of the onrushing Judd at the back post.

The defender lashed a thunderbolt past Binnie before wheeling away in celebration – Judd scoring once again against Norwich, just as he had done on his U18 debut against the Canaries.

Palace then put the result beyond doubt in the closing minutes. Jacob Fasida embarked on a powerful surging run and forced a strong low save, but Angibeaud reacted quickest to pounce on the rebound and convert, sealing a deserved victory for the young Eagles.

The result sees Alonso's side cap off 2025 and remain top of the U18 Premier League South on 24 points, but our closest neighbours - Chelsea and Aston Villa - do have games in hand.

Palace: Benetton, Judd ©, Fasida, Walker-Smith, Somade, Okoli, Benamar, Danaher, Martin (Bernard-Ferguson, 70'), Oduro, Angibeaud.

Subs: Whitworth, Lamidi, Anderson, Bernard.

Norwich: Binnie, Glossop, Oligbo, Okpiabhele (Collins, 79'), Rowland ©, Sinclair-Brown, Tavares (Mundle, 45'), Rodella (Cooper, 64'), Corke, Steele, McCourt (Wilkes, 64').

Subs not used: Ruddy.