U18s Report: Bernard's hat-trick inspires comeback victory at Reading

Summary:

• Javier Alonso makes five changes, with Charlie Walker-Smith, Joel Drakes-Thomas, and Benji Casey all absent owing to the U21s game against Wolves at mid-day.
• 1: Tyler Adjei volleys wide of the target to issue an early warning sign for Reading.
• 4: Jacob Neptune almost turns Daniel Owoade's low cross into his own net.
• 14 – GOAL: Daniel Owoade flashes a delicious delivery across the face of goal and the onrushing Mylo Bernard converts on the slide.
• 23: Owoade arrows the ball across goal, the ‘keeper spills, and Donte Martin nearly converts the follow-up.
• 29: Reading equalise through Tyler Adjei.
• 33: The aggressive high press forces the turnover as Oduro intercepts Josh Yensu's stray pass and almost rounds the 'keeper
• 40: Oduro lays off the onrushing Bernard, who fires just wide of the near corner.
• 43: Bernard drills a shot low and hard towards goal that Yensu saves with his legs.
• HT: Reading 1-1 Palace
• 49: Okoli and Fasida combine for the latter to deliver and graze the head of the rising Donte Martin...
• 50: The outswinging corner is headed just over the bar by Hugo Bull.
• 62 – GOAL: Billy Doy gives Reading the lead.
• 65: Substitute David Angibeaud almost makes an instant impact from off the bench, heading over close-range.
• 69: Euan Danaher’s venomous effort is parried away.
• 79 - GOAL: Bernard levels up for Palace with just over ten minutes to go.
• 86 - GOAL: David Angibeaud applies the nonchalant flick to net in off the crossbar.
• 90 - GOAL: Bernard completes his hat-trick and confirms the three points.
• FT: Reading 2-4 Palace

Heading into the game, Javier Alonso’s Under-18s sat third in the U18 Premier League South on 31 points, level with Brighton & Hove Albion and with two games in hand on leaders Tottenham Hotspur.

The young Eagles arrived in strong form, having won three consecutive matches across league and cup to reach the Premier League Cup final and the FA Youth Cup semi-finals.

Reading began the day 13th in the division, three points above bottom side Ipswich Town, having won just once in their last seven league fixtures.

Alonso made five changes to the side that defeated Aston Villa in the Youth Cup, with several players stepping up to the U21s.

Daniel Owoade replaced Khyan Frazer-Williams, while U16 defender Hugo Bull made his second start for the U18s following Charlie Walker-Smith’s promotion.

In attack, Donte Martin and Stuart Oduro came in for Joel Drakes-Thomas and Benji Casey respectively, while Mylo Bernard started in place of David Angibeaud, whose minutes were being managed.

With the sun shining over Bearwood Park Training Ground, Reading offered an early warning inside the opening minute when a looping cross to the back post found Tyler Adjei, whose volleyed effort flashed wide of the far corner.

Palace soon settled into the contest and began to grow in confidence. Jacob Neptune almost turned Daniel Owoade’s dangerous low cross into his own net, before skipper Jasper Judd delivered a series of threatening set-pieces to pile pressure on the hosts.

After an evenly contested opening, the young Eagles took the lead in the 14th minute. Owoade’s deliveries from the right had already caused problems, and he produced another dangerous cross across the face of goal which Bernard met with a perfectly timed sliding finish.

Midway through, Palace came agonisingly close to doubling their lead. Owoade skipped past his marker and drilled a low ball in from the byline which Josh Yensu spilled, but Donte Martin reacted quickest to the rebound only to be denied from close range.

Entering the final third of the half, Callum Cliff surged down the left flank and fired a low delivery into the path of Adjei, who rifled past Lucca Benetton to level the scores against the run of play.

Shortly after the restart, Palace’s high press forced an early turnover as Yensu’s stray pass was intercepted by the onrushing Oduro, who tried to round the ‘keeper but saw his effort scrambled clear.

As the half wore on, Reading started to turn the screw, only to be met with resolute defending and bodies thrown in the way. At the other end, Oduro set up Bernard, who fired just wide of the near post, turning the contest into a frantic end-to-end affair.

On the stroke of half-time, Owoade found Bernard outside the area; he shaped it onto his left and whipped a shot goalwards, saved well by Yensu with his legs. A pinball-like scramble followed in the box, with three successive shots blocked.

Both sides pushed hard for a half-time lead, but despite waves of attack at either end, the teams went in level.

The young Eagles carried their attacking intent into the second half, probing Reading’s defence with purpose. Chuks Okoli and Owoade combined, with the latter delivering a teasing cross that grazed the head of the rising Martin.

Moments later, Jacob Fasida’s outswinging corner was met by the towering Bull, whose header flew just inches over the bar, before some trickery from Raihaan Anderson sparked a pinball-like scramble in the box.

By the hour mark, Palace enjoyed the lion’s share of possession, dominating play in Reading’s half and looking increasingly on top. Yet, as in the first half, Reading struck against the run of play.

A cleared corner fell to substitute Billy Doy, who unleashed a spectacular half-volley into the roof of the net to give the young Royals the lead.

Alonso responded by bringing on talisman Angibeaud, who nearly made an instant impact with a towering header that went just over the bar. Despite dominating territory, Palace struggled to create any clear-cut chances as they pushed in search of an equaliser.

We carried on pushing to level proceedings, Danaher drove towards the area and produced a venomous strike that forced Yensu into a diving parry. Okoli then drove low and hard for Yensu to gather, and Owoade’s cross / shot stung the palms of the Reading shot-stopper at his near post.

On 79 minutes, Bernard struck for a second. Frazer-Williams surged down the left flank and delivered a cross that was cleared only as far as Daniel Owoade, who set up Bernard to control and curl a superb finish into the far corner from outside the area.

Out of nowhere, Palace produced a late goal surge. A corner was cleared only as far as Danaher, who lofted a dipping delivery back into the area where Angibeaud calmly watched it all the way down before applying a nonchalant flick in off the bar with four minutes of normal time remaining.

Two minutes later, Bernard completed his hat-trick. Great strength and tenacity from Okoli allowed him to thread Bernard through on goal, and the forward kept his composure to slide the ball through the 'keeper’s legs one-on-one.

The result keeps Palace third in the U18 Premier League South on 34 points, ensuring they capitalise on their games in hand over the teams around them and remain in the title race.

Palace: Benetton, Judd ©, Owoade (Greaves, 90'), Bull, Fasida, Okoli, Anderson (Frazer-Williams, 72’), Danaher, Martin, Oduro (Angibeaud, 63’), Bernard (Lee, 90').

Subs not used: Shittu.

Reading: Yensu, Zie, Irish, Coffey, Dove, Neptune (Beacroft, 63’) Adjei, Lewis (Ntege,  63’), Omoregie (Doy, 56’), Lonmeni, Cliff.

Subs not used: Rose, Ojo.