U18s Report & Highlights: Young Eagles battle past Reading in eight-goal thriller

Martin’s treble was part of a ruthless first-half display, with Makai Bernard-Ferguson and Jacob Fasida also on target as the Young Eagles stormed into a 5-0 lead at the break. Reading pulled one back shortly after the restart before a chaotic finale saw the visitors score twice more, with Daniel Owoade and Alfie Mulvenna both sent off.

Despite finishing with nine men, Palace held on to secure back-to-back league wins and a third consecutive victory in all competitions, climbing to 10th in the U18 Premier League South ahead of next Saturday’s trip to arch-rivals Brighton.

Summary:

• Alonso makes two changes, with Mulvenna and Bernard-Ferguson coming in for Shittu and Anderson, respectively.
• 7: Martin miscues a close-range volley at the back post.
• 9: Lee drags his low drive wide from distance.
• 13: Cary fires over Benetton’s crossbar.
• 20 – GOAL: Martin turns home Fasida’s searching set-piece from a tight angle.
• 23 – GOAL: Bernard-Ferguson delivers a delicious cross for Martin to head home off the underside of the bar.
• 25: Benetton races off his line to superbly deny McDonald from close range.
• 29 – GOAL: Bernard-Ferguson combines with Martin before curling into the far corner.
• 33 – GOAL: Martin completes his hat-trick with a thunderous low drive from 25 yards.
• 40: Lee is denied from close range before Martin’s follow-up narrowly clears the top corner.
• 42: Bernard-Ferguson cuts inside and sees his effort graze the outside of the post.
• 44 – GOAL: Fasida rounds off a scintillating first half with a composed finish.
• HT: Palace U18s 5-0 Reading U18s
• 49 – GOAL: Fewings rises to head home from an outswinging corner.
• 55: Martin lashes an effort wide of the post.
• 58: Jordan cuts inside before whipping his effort over the bar.
• 61: Benetton reacts sharply to deny Agyekum at the near post.
• 70 – RED CARD: Owoade is sent off for denying Agyekum a goalscoring opportunity.
• 79 – GOAL: Agyekum smashes home from close range.
• 84 – GOAL: Heywood strikes to set up a nervy finish, cutting Palace’s lead to two.
• 86 – RED CARD: Mulvenna is dismissed as Palace are reduced to nine men.
• 87: Benetton produces a superb diving save to turn a dangerous free-kick around the post
• 89: Anderson races through one-on-one and lifts the ball over the 'keeper, but his effort drifts wide.
• Five minutes are added on…
• 90 (+4): Anderson rattles the crossbar in the dying moments!
• FT: Palace U18s 5-3 Reading U18s

Palace headed into this fixture in good form after back-to-back victories, beating Leeds United 3-0 in the U18 Premier League Cup before an emphatic 6-2 win away at Ipswich Town last weekend.

Javier Alonso made two changes to the side that triumphed at Ipswich, with Alfie Mulvenna replacing Remi Shittu at centre-back and Bernard-Ferguson continuing his return from injury on the left wing in place of Raihaan Anderson.

Under an overcast sky at the Academy, Palace started brightly, moving the ball with confidence and creating early openings.

Daniel Owoade caused all kinds of problems down the right with a series of dangerous crosses, before Martin miscued a close-range volley at the far post and Jamar Lee dragged an effort wide from distance.

Having started on the front foot, the Young Eagles soon came under pressure as Reading began probing Alonso’s backline. Kayden Bancey flashed a dangerous delivery across the face of goal, and Palace were fortunate when the onrushing Christian Cary sent the resulting effort over the crossbar.

However, Palace soon shifted through the gears, with Martin striking twice in quick succession to put the hosts firmly in control.

Dotun Lamidi released Bernard-Ferguson down the left, where the winger was fouled to win a free-kick. Fasida delivered a searching ball towards the back post, and Martin cushioned a finish home from a tight angle.

Moments later, Bernard-Ferguson showcased his trickery to beat two defenders before whipping a delicious left-footed cross towards the back post, where Martin rose to head home off the underside of the crossbar and double Palace’s advantage.

Reading looked to hit back when dangerman Jeremiah Berkeley-Agyepong squared across the box to former Young Eagle Jayden McDonald in acres of space, but Lucca Benetton raced off his line to brilliantly deny him with a diving save from close range.

Palace soon reasserted their authority, with Bernard-Ferguson exchanging passes with Martin before receiving the ball just inside the area, composing himself and curling a delightful finish beyond the diving 'keeper and into the far corner.

Martin was not finished there, completing back-to-back hat-tricks in emphatic fashion. Lee fizzed a pass forward from inside his own half, and a sliding Reading defender could only divert it into the striker’s path. Martin needed no second invitation, drilling a superb low drive from 25 yards into the bottom corner.

The Young Eagles were relentless, launching wave after wave of attacks as Reading struggled to stem the tide.

Owoade burst down the right and pulled the ball back for the onrushing Lee, whose effort was kept out by the 'keeper before Martin’s follow-up narrowly cleared the top-left corner.

Bernard-Ferguson then cut inside from the right and fashioned a shooting opportunity, only for his effort to take a deflection and graze the outside of the post.

Palace’s fifth arrived on the stroke of half-time, with Fasida capping a scintillating first-half display. Martin picked out Lee in the right channel, and the forward threaded a perfectly weighted pass through to Fasida, who timed his run to perfection before calmly slotting past the onrushing 'keeper one-on-one.

It was a breathtaking first half from the Young Eagles, who headed into the break five goals to the good after overwhelming their visitors with a ruthless attacking performance.

Reading emerged with renewed intent after the restart and pulled a goal back almost immediately, with Fewings rising to head home from an outswinging corner.

The visitors enjoyed a spell on the front foot, but Palace gradually wrestled back control, dominating possession and territory as they searched for a sixth. Martin and half-time substitute Jay Jordan both tried their luck, but neither could find the target.

Jordan’s introduction marked his U18s debut after injury delayed his involvement at the start of the season.

Reading threatened again when a brief, pinball-like scramble unfolded inside the Palace penalty area, but Benetton reacted sharply to deny Agyekum at the near post.

With the Young Eagles continuing to weather the storm, Alonso turned to his bench midway through the second half, introducing fresh attacking impetus in Toby Williams and Kayden Moses in place of hat-trick hero Martin and Fasida.

Reading threatened on the counter-attack, and Palace were reduced to 10 men on 70 minutes when Owoade brought down Henry Agyekum as the last defender, leaving the referee with little choice but to show the full-back a red card.

The dismissal shifted the momentum, and Reading capitalised as the closing stages approached.

Agyekum pounced when a free-kick into the area fortuitously fell into his path, smashing home from close range before Ethan Heywood struck just minutes later to cut Palace’s lead to two with five minutes remaining.

The pressure continued to mount, and Palace’s task became even harder when Mulvenna was also sent off, leaving the Young Eagles with nine men. From the resulting free-kick in a dangerous position, Benetton produced a superb diving save to turn the effort around the post.

Anderson almost restored Palace’s three-goal cushion at the other end, racing through before scooping the ball over the onrushing 'keeper, only to see his effort drift the wrong side of the post.

Five minutes were added on, and Reading continued to probe for a way back into the contest. But the final chance fell to Palace, with Anderson rattling the crossbar in the dying moments as the Young Eagles held firm to secure a hard-fought victory.

The result made it three consecutive wins in all competitions and back-to-back victories in the Premier League South, lifting Alonso’s side to 10th in the 16-team division on 10 points.

After a difficult start to the campaign, the Young Eagles are beginning to find their stride, and they will look to carry that momentum into next Saturday’s clash with arch-rivals Brighton (KO: 11:00 BST), which will be shown live on Palace TV+.

Palace U18s XI: Benetton (GK); Lamidi (Jordan, 45), Bull, Mulvenna, Greaves ©; Fasida (Moses, 64), Bonsu-Amako, Lee (Campbell, 79); Bernard-Ferguson (Anderson, 45), Martin (Williams, 64), Owoade.

Subs not used: Trialist, Shittu.

Reading U18s XI: Yensu (GK), Imafidon, John-Finn (Fewings, 45), Brooks, Heywood, Omoregie, Berkeley-Agyepong (Ojo, 71), Cary (Kaninda, 65), McDonald (Allsop, 65), Bancey (Daka, 45), Agyrekum.

Subs not used: Rose, Daka, Coffey.