U15s Report: Palace suffer late heartbreak in historic Floodlit Shield Final

Summary:

• Bednash sets his side up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with recent Under-18 debutant Nathanael anchoring the defence, Trinidad & Tobago youth international Ja’Shaun operating in midfield, and Victor providing attacking width on the right flank!
• 5: Locclan drives towards goal and lashes over the bar from just outside the area.
• 8: The whipped effort from the Palace forward is catching practice for the ‘keeper.
• 11: Victor’s effort ricochets into the path of Fortune, who slides the ball wide.
• 17: Successive shots are cancelled out in there early stages, before strong defending nullifies a dangerous counter-attack.
• 22: Victor and Arthur combine for the former to come within inches of turning home close-range.
• 27: Fortune’s low strike is gathered by the diving United ‘keeper.
• 29: Henry’s 25-yard rocket is parried behind by the United ‘keeper.
• 31: Isaac miscues the header at the far post back across goal…
• 35: Emilio powers narrowly over the bar from distance.
• 37 – GOAL: Ja’Shaun gives us the lead in spectacular fashion, curling into the top far corner from 20 yards out!
• 39: Louis makes a crucial one on one save in the dying embers of the first half to preserve our lead.
• HT: Palace U15s 1-0 Manchester United U15s
• 49: Emilio races back to clear Locclan’s effort off the line!
• 53: Fortune’s arrowed cross is claimed, before his strike is tipped over the bar by the finger tips of the ‘keeper moments later…
• 56: Fortune calls the ‘keeper into action once more.
• 60: Louis parries the United’s forward’s whipped shot straight down this throat.
• 65: Victor drives low and hard towards the far corner and the ‘keeper gets down quick to push it away.
• 67: United have the ball in the back of the net, but it is adjudged offside.
• 70 – GOAL:Jeddeed levels for United.
• Five minutes are added on…
• 80 (+2’): Jack whips a delicious delivery towards the far post, which Nathanel slides the wrong side of the post – so close!
• 80 (+4’) – GOAL: Locclan’s rises high to convert the inswinging corner with his head
• FT: Palace U15s 1-2 Manchester United U15s
• We fall short in our first-ever Floodlit Shield Final

Ja’Shaun’s stunning strike on the stroke of half-time had deservedly given the young Eagles the lead after an impressive first-half display, but United responded through Jeddeed midway through the second period before Locclan’s towering stoppage-time header from a corner sealed the trophy for the visitors.

Despite the cruel ending, Josh Bednash’s side produced an excellent performance and still made history by becoming the first Palace Under-15s team to reach a Floodlit Shield Final.

The Floodlit Cup is a Premier League Under-15 competition designed to expose academy players to the demands of evening football and knockout football as they prepare for the next stages of their development.

After narrowly missing out on progression from a difficult group containing Chelsea, Fulham and Brentford – finishing just one point short of qualification following victories over Chelsea and Brentford – Palace entered the Floodlit Shield competition.

Bednash’s side impressed throughout the knockout stages, overcoming Bournemouth, Leicester City and West Ham United to reach the final, while Manchester United arrived with strong pedigree at this level after lifting last season’s Floodlit Cup National Final with victory over Chelsea.

As part of the Youth Development Phase format, the final consisted of two 40-minute halves with a 10-minute half-time interval.

Bednash set his side up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with recent Under-18 debutant Nathanael anchoring the defence, Trinidad & Tobago youth international Ja’Shaun operating in midfield, and Victor providing attacking width on the right flank.

The conditions were perfect for cup-final football, with bright sunshine, a gentle breeze and the impressive Coopers Cope show pitch providing a fitting stage for the occasion. As both sides emerged to cries of “Come on, boys” from the touchline, Manchester United got the final underway.

After an evenly contested opening, the visitors fashioned the first clear opportunity of the match.

Forward Locclan drove purposefully towards goal, but Emilio stood up well defensively to apply just enough pressure, forcing the United attacker to fire over the crossbar from the edge of the area.

Palace responded moments later at the other end, though a whipped effort from the right channel proved comfortable for United’s ‘keeper.

Victor was quickly emerging as the Eagles’ main attacking outlet and, a few minutes later, the winger cut inside from the right before seeing a deflected effort narrowly turned wide by the outstretched boot of a sliding Fortune.

Approaching the midway point of the half, the game opened up into an entertaining end-to-end contest, with both sides probing for an opening.

Following a dangerous inswinging corner, Bednash’s side saw successive opportunities break down in their early stages before United countered swiftly through Locclan, who attempted to create space inside the area. Strong Palace defending, however, ensured the danger was dealt with effectively.

The young Eagles were beginning to move the ball with real confidence, producing several excellent passages of play during a prolonged spell of pressure. Victor and Arthur combined cleverly down the centre, with the former coming within inches of converting from close range after a dangerous low delivery into the box.

Another swift Palace counter-attack saw Fortune slalom through the United midfield to create a shooting opportunity before driving a low effort across goal, forcing the diving goalkeeper into a comfortable save.

Henry then tried his luck from distance, striking crisply from 25 yards and drawing an impressive parry from the United No.1. The resulting corner sparked a sustained spell of pressure from the young Eagles, who continued to threaten through a series of dangerous deliveries into the box.

Palace remained firmly on top and came close again when Henry whipped a flat cross towards Isaac at the back post, but the forward could only miscue his header back across goal as the hosts continued to assert their dominance.

As the first half entered its latter stages, Palace goalkeeper Louis was still largely untested, while the young Eagles continued to press for an opener. Emilio went closest, controlling confidently on the edge of the area before unleashing a powerful 20-yard strike that narrowly cleared the crossbar.

However, on the stroke of half-time, Palace were rewarded in spectacular fashion through Ja’Shaun. The midfielder collected possession, drifted inside with purpose, and curled a superb effort beyond the diving goalkeeper, who stretched desperately to tip it away but could only watch as it nestled into the top far corner - a strike of the highest quality.

The half was then capped by a crucial intervention from Louis, who stood tall to deny Locclan one-on-one, using his outstretched boot to preserve Palace’s lead heading into the break.

Four minutes into the second half, there was a heart-in-mouth moment for the young Eagles as Locclan latched onto a line-splitting pass in behind. Louis rushed off his line, but the United forward lifted the ball over him, only for Emilio to produce a superb recovery run and clear off the line to preserve Palace’s lead.

Despite the visitors enjoying more possession and territory in the early stages of the half, Fortune began to cause United problems.

He burst down the left channel and drilled a dangerous cross that was gathered, before later forcing the ‘keeper into a fine fingertip save after a rising effort towards the roof of the net.

Wave after wave of pressure followed as Palace were forced to withstand a sustained spell of attacks, with Fortune again testing the United ‘keeper.

Approaching the hour mark, momentum had swung firmly in United’s favour. An ambitious long-range effort sailed over before Louis was called into action again, parrying a shot back into a dangerous area, with his defence reacting quickly to clear.

Palace continued to threaten on the break, with Victor – unlucky not to score – collecting on the right, driving into the box and firing low towards the far corner, only for the ‘keeper to get down well and push the effort away.

At the other end, United thought they had equalised, but the effort was ruled out for offside.

However, they made no mistake a few minutes later. From an inswinging corner, Louis spilled under pressure, Henry produced a superb block on the line from the initial follow-up, but Jeddeed was on hand to force the ball home.

With momentum now firmly with the young Reds, a series of shots and crosses continued to test Louis’ goal, as both sides threw themselves into the closing stages in search of a winner.

We came agonisingly close to a last-gasp winner when Jack whipped a delicious cross towards the far post that Nathanael side-footed on the slide the wrong side of the post – that was the chance!

Unfortunately for the young Eagles, disaster struck four minutes into stoppage time. An inswinging corner was met by Locclan, who rose highest to power a header down and into the roof of the net, snatching a dramatic late winner and the Floodlit Shield trophy for Manchester United.

It was heartbreaking for Bednash’s side, who had largely been the better team throughout the contest but were ultimately undone by two set-pieces and a failure to capitalise on several promising opportunities.

While the result was cruel, the young Eagles still made history by becoming the first Palace Under-15s side to reach a Floodlit Shield Final – a remarkable achievement and one deserving of immense credit.

Crystal Palace Under-15s: Luis, Kalembo, Isaac, Emilio, Jack, Henry (Zakhi, 73’), Ja’Shaun (Elijah, 78’), Victor (Frank, 73’), Arthur, Eesa, Fortune.

Subs not used: Jaden, Dominic, Nasir, Fletcher.

Manchester United 15s: William, Marley, Mane, Jack, Joe, Gus, Mo, Brian, Joey (Lincoln, 84’), Jasper (Jeddeed, 70'), Locclan.

Subs not used: Jaice, Ben, Eddie.