U18s Report & Highlights: Hat-trick hero Martin inspires Palace rout at Ipswich

Palace blew Ipswich away with three goals in five minutes, as Martin and Remi Shittu put the Young Eagles 3-0 up inside 16 minutes. Ruben Carr pulled one back midway through the first half, but Martin completed his hat-trick before Hugo Bull capped a scintillating display to send Palace in 5-1 ahead.

The damage was done before the break, with returning-from-injury Makai Bernard-Ferguson adding a sixth just before the hour mark and Chris Atherton scoring a late consolation for Ipswich.

The emphatic 6-2 victory makes it back-to-back wins for Javier Alonso’s side, who have now gone three games unbeaten and are beginning to find their stride!

Summary:

• Alonso makes one change, with Owoade replacing Kalembo, while Fox makes his first U18 matchday squad and Jordan and Bernard-Ferguson return from injury.
• 2: Lee’s effort is parried and Anderson’s follow-up rattles the post.
• 5: Lamidi receives treatment but is able to continue.
• 11 – GOAL: Martin races through and delicately chips the ‘keeper to open the scoring.
• 14 – GOAL: Shittu volleys home Fasida’s pinpoint delivery.
• 16 – GOAL: Owoade capitalises on a loose pass and squares for Martin to tap home.
• 26 – GOAL: Carr pulls one back for Ipswich against the run of play.
• 29 – GOAL: Lamidi drives forward and tees up Martin to complete his hat-trick.
• 35: Martin swivels and strikes the post in search of a fourth.
• 38 – GOAL: Owoade flashes the ball across goal and Bull sweeps home Palace’s fifth.
• Half-time: Ipswich U18s 1–5 Palace U18s.
• 46: Williams races through one-on-one but rolls agonisingly wide.
• 57 – GOAL: Fasida splits the defence with a superb pass for Bernard-Ferguson to slot home Palace’s sixth.
• 60: Boakye-King rattles the crossbar from a dangerous corner.
• 62: Bernard-Ferguson tests the 'keeper with an audacious effort from range.
• 64: Williams sees his close-range strike bravely blocked.
• 70 – GOAL: Atherton fires home from a tight angle to reduce the deficit.
• 71: Owoade drags wide when clean through on goal.
• 79: Bernard-Ferguson’s penalty appeals are waved away.
• 87: Williams crashes a half-volley against the crossbar before Bernard-Ferguson sends the rebound over.
• Five minutes added on…
• 90 (+3): Bernard-Ferguson is denied one-on-one.
• Full-time: Ipswich U18s 2–6 Palace U18s.

Palace U18s were looking to build on last week’s emphatic 3-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in the U18 Premier League Cup, which kept their title defence alive.

Alonso made just one change to the Young Eagles’ starting XI for their latest Premier League South fixture, with Daniel Owoade coming in for Nat Kalembo.

Under-16 goalkeeper Louis Fox was named in his first U18 matchday squad, while first-year scholar Jay Jordan also returned to the squad after an injury lay-off. U21s forward Makai Bernard-Ferguson was also among the substitutes as he continued his comeback from injury.

Palace made a flying start to proceedings, with Raihaan Anderson striking the post after Jamar Lee’s effort had been parried, before the Young Eagles turned their early pressure into three goals in five devastating minutes.

The breakthrough arrived on 11 minutes when Lee lifted a perfectly weighted lofted pass in behind the Ipswich defence. Martin timed his run to perfection, raced through on goal and kept his composure to delicately chip the onrushing Edward Twyman.

Palace doubled their advantage moments later, Jacob Fasida supplying another moment of quality with an inch-perfect delivery from the right. Shittu attacked the cross brilliantly, arriving on the run to the front post to guide a delicate volley past the Twyman from close range.

The visitors were relentless, and their intense high press soon yielded a third. Owoade pounced on a loose pass from the Twyman drove purposefully into the penalty area and squared for Martin, who had the simple task of tapping into an empty net.

It was now six goals in nine games for the forward, with Palace firmly in control.

Alonso’s side continued to pour forward, pinning Ipswich back as a succession of shots and crosses kept the hosts under sustained attacking pressure.

Lucca Benetton was called into action for the first time midway through the half, but Ipswich soon found a way through, with Carr pulling one back very much against the run of play.

Any hopes of a comeback were swiftly extinguished, however, as Palace restored their three-goal cushion almost immediately – and Martin completed his hat-trick in style.

While the striker took the headlines, Lamidi was instrumental in the move. The wing-back embarked on a marauding run through a sea of blue shirts, carrying the ball deep into Ipswich territory before finding Anderson.

The forward cut the ball back into the path of Lamidi, who cleverly helped it into Martin’s stride. The striker needed no second invitation, rifling home to cap a scintillating first-half display from the Young Eagles.

Ipswich finished the half on the front foot, but despite a few waves of pressure, the hosts failed to seriously test Benetton as Palace took a commanding lead into the break.

Alonso introduced Bernard-Ferguson and Toby Williams at half-time, with the returning U21 forward and first-year scholar replacing Martin and Anderson. Williams almost made an immediate impact, racing through one-on-one with the 'keeper but rolling his effort agonisingly wide of the far post.

Palace continued to dominate, and Bernard-Ferguson marked his return from injury with a goal on the hour mark to make it six. Greaves won back possession and released Fasida, who split the Ipswich defence with a perfectly weighted pass into the left side of the area.

Bernard-Ferguson took it in his stride before calmly stroking the ball beyond the onrushing 'keeper and wheeling away in celebration.

The hosts threatened from a dangerous inswinging corner, with Isaac Boakye-King rattling the crossbar, but the Young Eagles remained on the front foot.

Bernard-Ferguson tested the 'keeper with an audacious effort from range before Williams shifted the ball onto his right foot, only to see his close-range strike bravely blocked.

With Alonso making further changes, including several across the backline, Ipswich reduced the deficit on 70 minutes as Atherton produced an excellent finish into the far corner from a tight angle.

Owoade threatened to restore Palace’s five-goal cushion, breaking clear down the right but dragging his one-on-one effort wide. Bernard-Ferguson then went to ground under pressure in the area, but his penalty appeals were waved away.

Williams came closest to a seventh in the closing stages, striking a sweet half-volley against the crossbar on 87 minutes before Bernard-Ferguson sent the rebound over. The forward had another chance in stoppage time, but was denied one-on-one as Palace continued to push until the final whistle.

The result extended Alonso’s side’s unbeaten run to three matches, with two wins from their last two outings providing encouraging momentum.

Palace climbed to 12th in the 16-team Premier League South table, level on seven points with West Bromwich Albion, and will look to build on the victory when they host Reading next Saturday at the Academy – a game you can watch LIVE on Palace TV+!

Palace U18s XI: Benetton (GK); Lamidi (Mulvenna, 62), Bull, Shittu (Campbell, 69), Greaves ©; Fasida (Moses, 62), Bonsu-Amako; Anderson (Williams, 45), Lee, Owoade; Martin (Bernard-Ferguson, 45).

Subs not used: Fox, Jordan.

Ipswich U18s XI: Twyman, Felicio, Adebayo, Boakye-King, Olawole (Wettley, 45), Pedder, Carr (Brentnall, 45), Msabah (Ness, 45), Francis (Burton-Yurevich, 69), Ladegbaye (Olakazim, 69), Atherton.

Subs not used: Brown, Wreford.