U18s Report: Palace book quarter-final place with hard-fought win at high-flying Stevenage

Summary:

• Javier Alonso makes three changes to the side that beat Birmingham, bringing Lucca Benetton, Jacob Fasida, and Benji Casey into the starting lineup. There’s also a milestone moment for Jamar Lee, who features in an U18 matchday squad for the first time.
• Both sides enjoy an even amount of possession in the early stages, with no chances of note at either end.
• 19 – GOAL: Stuart Oduro tightly-angled low drive finds the far corner.
• 21 – GOAL: Benji Casey’s pinpoint delivery ensues the defensive error as Alfie Thornett heads into his own goal.
• Dean Benamar comes close to extending our advantage on a few occasions.
• 36 – GOAL: Lenny Brown rounds Lucca Benetton to halve the deficit.
• 37: Chuks Okoli’s sweetly timed volley forces a good save from Max Woodford.
• 41: Casey is denied one-on-one.
• HT: Stevenage 1-2 Palace
• 49: Substitute Donte Martin has his header cleared off the line by the outstretched boot of the Stevenage defender.
• 60: We're enjoying the lion's share of possession and probing, but we can't penetrate a resolute Stevenage defence.
• 66: Martin's curling effort is tipped over the bar by the finger tips of Woodford.
• 68: Judd's inswinging corner sees Angibeaud have a low strike cleared off the line.
• 75: A lofted ball in-behind sends the Boro striker clear away, but Benetton does well to parry.
• 86: Important intervention from Sean Somade to prod away a dangerous whipped delivery.
• Four minutes added...
• FT: Stevenage 1-2 Palace
• We're through to the quarter-finals!

It has been an encouraging period for our U18s, with emphatic victories across cup and league competition. Palace progressed to the fifth round of the FA Youth Cup with a convincing 4-0 win away at Newcastle, before following that up with a dominant 5-0 league victory over Birmingham.

Stevenage, meanwhile, reached this stage having made club history, advancing to the fifth round of the competition for the first time. Boro secured their place with a 3-1 victory over Bolton Wanderers and arrived in strong domestic form, sitting second in the Youth Alliance League and having suffered just one defeat during 2025/26, against leaders AFC Wimbledon.

Javier Alonso made three changes from the side that defeated Birmingham. Lucca Benetton retained his place between the sticks for a second consecutive start, with the only other changes seeing Jacob Fasida come in for Daniel Owoade and Benji Casey replace Donte Martin.

There was a strong U16 presence among the substitutes, with Dylan Monk and Mylo Bernard named on the bench, while Jamar Lee was included in an U18s matchday squad for the first time in the 2025/26 season.

Unsurprisingly, proceedings got underway in cold, wet and blustery conditions – a familiar backdrop throughout our Youth Cup campaign – at the Lamex Stadium. The weather made for a tricky opening and offered Boro an early route to goal, Benetton forced into a routine diving save inside the first minute after a flicked header from an inswinging corner.

Roared on by a crowd of over 600, Palace initially found themselves on the back foot and needed time to acclimatise. The young Eagles rode out a nervy opening five minutes before gradually settling into the contest.

At the other end, Jasper Judd delivered a teasing free kick from the left that almost dropped perfectly for Benji Casey just yards from goal. As the quarter-hour mark approached, the two sides remained evenly matched, sharing possession in what had developed into a cagey affair with few clear-cut chances.

The pendulum swung decisively around the 20-minute mark as Palace struck twice in quick succession. Charlie Walker-Smith’s deliciously weighted diagonal picked out Casey, whose tidy control preceded a perfectly timed slide-rule pass for Stuart Oduro. Showing admirable composure, Oduro drove low and hard into the far corner from the tight angle to open the scoring.

Moments later, Chuks Okoli slipped Casey in once more, and his pinpoint delivery into the box forced a defensive error, Alfie Thornett diverting the ball into his own net with a diving header from close range.

Entering the final third, Palace began to assert control, moving the ball with confidence and enjoying the lion’s share of possession. Wave after wave of attacks followed, with Dean Benamar causing persistent problems down the left and emerging as a main attacking outlet for the visitors.

Despite Palace’s dominance, Boro pulled a goal back against the run of play as dangerman Lenny Brown rounded the onrushing Benetton and slotted into the empty net. Keen to restore their two-goal cushion before the interval, Palace pushed on.

Okoli went close with an acrobatic volley that Woodford did well to gather low to his right, before Casey was denied in a one-on-one, the 'keeper again standing firm. Both sides continued to probe until the referee’s whistle brought an end to the first half, Palace perhaps left frustrated not to have made more of their superiority, especially with the hosts growing in confidence.

The rain continued to lash down as the second half got underway, with David Angibeaud’s clever movement and flicked headers beginning to carve out openings for Palace. Jasper Judd’s first-time delivery soon caused a pinball-like scramble in the penalty area, substitute Donte Martin seeing his header cleared off the line before an injury to Woodford brought play to a halt.

Despite enjoying sustained spells of possession, Alonso’s side initially found it difficult to break down a resolute Stevenage backline, patiently moving the ball from side to side but unable to find a way through. Boro, meanwhile, remained a threat whenever they forced a turnover, offering warning signs on the counter without seriously testing Benetton.

Approaching the midway point of the half, Stevenage began to assert themselves physically, the contrast evident. Palace continued to dominate the ball, but Boro lay in wait, poised to pounce whenever possession was lost.

Palace soon sparked into life once more as the ball was worked to the far side of the penalty area, allowing Martin to unleash a curling effort that appeared destined for the top corner before Woodford produced a fingertip save to turn it over.

From the resulting corner, Judd’s inswinger again led to chaos in the box, and Angibeaud’s low, swivelled effort was denied on the line. The pressure was mounting, and Palace were edging ever closer to a crucial third.

As the match entered its latter stages, everything remained finely poised, with a palpable tension inside the stadium. A lofted pass in-behind teed up the Boro striker, who came agonisingly close to a leveller, but a diving Benetton managed to claw the ball away one-on-one on the edge of the area.

Stevenage withstood a sustained barrage of shots and crosses, yet continued to pose a threat whenever they broke forward at pace. Palace were forced into several crucial defensive actions, including a vital intervention from Sean Somade, who prodded clear following a whipped delivery into the box.

Despite the late pressure, Benetton was largely untroubled as the clock ticked towards 90 minutes, called into action only by a routine effort straight at him. At the other end, Martin raced clean through and struck the palms of Woodford, the 'keeper reacting sharply to deny Palace a decisive third.

Ultimately, the young Eagles held firm through a nervy closing spell, seeing out the contest to secure victory and book their place in the quarter-finals.

Palace: Benetton, Judd, Fasida (Owoade, 69'), Walker-Smith, Somade, Okoli, Benamar, Danaher, Casey (Martin, 45'), Oduro, Angibeaud.

Subs not used: Anderson, Whitworth, Lee, Bernard, Monk.

Stevenage: Okwara, Saji, Wright (Brown, 81'), Sadiku, Thornett, England, Mustafa, Norris, Brown, Ayolie (Robinson, 68').

Subs not used: Suleiman, Barnes, Johnson, Olowojoba, Benton.