U21s Report: Palace pick up point from opening Vertu Trophy match

Summary:

• Three changes for Powell’s U21s following the weekend’s stalemate at West Brom.
• 10: The ball falls kindly for Rodney to strike inside the ‘D’, but he smashes over.
• 13: Lee gets an important touch to stop Taylor’s cross from drifting in.
• 21: Krauhaus strikes goalwards first-time and Walker-Smith blocks bravely.
• 27 – GOAL: Marsh pounces to head Palace the lead.
• 28: Thompson has a free header in the box, but heads wide for Bromley.
• 30 – GOAL: Krauhaus capitalises on a Palace error at the box to equalise.
• 35 – GOAL: Nascimento whips in a wonderful strike from 35 yards.
• 40: Vital clearance from Browne on his own goal-line, under pressure from Elewere.
• 42 – GOAL: Bromley equalise with a planted header by Elewere.
• HT: Bromley 2-2 Palace
• 60: Palace survive an aerial assault as Bromley dominate the early stages of the half.
• 69 – GOAL: Dinanga crashes home for Bromley as hosts capitalise on their pressure.
• 83: Iwumene ought to end the contest, but heads over for Bromley from close range.
• 87: Lee makes an important stop from Arthurs’ half-volley.
• 88 – GOAL: Marsh pounces in the closing stages to snatch the Eagles an equaliser.
• 90+3: Taylor slides an effort wide of the far post for Bromley.
• FT: Bromley 3-3 Palace
• Bromley win the bonus point, converting four penalties to Palace’s three.

The Eagles kicked off their 2025/26 EFL Trophy in the nearby surroundings of Bromley’s CopperJax Community Stadium, with three changes from the weekend’s 0-0 draw at West Bromwich Albion: Charlie Walker-Smith, Tyler Whyte and Jacob Fasida – making his Under-21s debut – all came into the side.

The competition, which the Academy compete in to test their developing talents against senior opposition, certainly posed the Eagles a physical test against their high-flying League Two opposition – but it was one that Darren Powell’s side acquitted themselves well in the face of.

Indeed, the first quarter of the game was comprising mostly of half-chances. Palace’s back three of Jake Grante, Charlie Walker-Smith and Luke Browne did well to force Bromley into shots from distance, whilst at the other end, Kaden Rodney had an opportunity to get a shot away inside the ‘D’ after 10 minutes – he did so, but fired over.

It was around the quarter mark of the game that the contest truly opened up, with Walker-Smith making a particularly brave double block inside the box – first from Ben Krauhaus’ powerful placed finish, and then to prevent Brooklyn Ilunga from racing onto the rebound.

It was a vital intervention and one which paid dividends six minutes later when Adler Nascimento’s incisive run was matched by a pinpoint cross into the six-yard box – Zach Marsh, scorer of a hat-trick on the opening day of the season at Tottenham, was typically on hand to nod home the first goal from close range.

Almost immediately, Bromley could – and maybe should – have equalised. It was a similar opportunity to Palace’s, perhaps a little further out, but where Marsh succeeded, Ben Thompson crashed his header wide.

It was an unfortunate moment that led to Bromley’s equaliser on the half-hour mark, as Palace conceded possession at the back, allowing Krauhaus to run straight through and chip goalkeeper Harry Lee.

But Powell’s Young Eagles were not cowed – and took the lead again in spectacular fashion just five minutes later.

There did not appear to be much on when Adler Nascimento turned out wide, 40 yards from goal – but the 20-year-old winger made it all happen himself, cutting inside and bending a fierce effort which bounced in front of ‘keeper Sam Long and over him into the side-netting – an exquisite finish from distance.

The pendulum swung once more. Bromley mounted plenty of pressure prior to the half-time whistle, seeking to make their greater physicality count with a series of testing crosses.

And moments after Browne was forced to make an acrobatic clearance near his own goal-line, under pressure from Deji Elewere, the same Bromley played scored the hosts’ second equaliser of the half.

The cross, hung up towards the far post, was an inviting one – and Elewere guided an admittedly impressive header back across goal, and into the far top corner, giving Lee no chance.

It was an explosive end to a largely quiet first-half – but the resumption of play after half-time saw a similar pattern of play.

As the South London downpour intensified, so too did the pressure on the Palace goalmouth, as the Eagles’ more experienced opponents swung in a succession of threatening crosses which Palace’s defensive line – to their credit – did well to deal with.

They did, however, struggle for an out ball as the hosts began to dominate possession and territorially. It was little surprise, therefore, that with just over 20 minutes remaining, Bromley took the lead for the first time in the contest.

Some fine work down the left from Ilunga made space for the left-sided attacker to pull back – and from the penalty spot, Marcus Dinanga crashed home a first-time finish to give his team the lead.

In truth, from there-on out, it was only really Bromley who looked like scoring again, and Alex Stepien-Iwumene – another header from close to go – and Jude Arthurs – a half-volley from the edge of the box, well-saved by Lee – both spurned presentable opportunities for Bromley.

But this is a young Palace side of character – and with little over 90 seconds left on the clock, they snatched an equaliser.

When Whyte delivered from the right flank, the Bromley centre-back failed to clear his lines – and the ball dropped for Marsh to instinctively thunder home his second goal of the evening, and fifth of the season, from six yards.

There was to be one final scare for Palace, amidst six minutes of stoppage time, when Freddie Taylor was found on the overlap – but his placed finish across goal sailed beyond the far post. And with the scores still level at 3-3, penalties beckoned.

Bromley’s goalkeeper Long went first – and Long his kick certainly was, as he laced the his strike straight over the bar. The ‘keeper did immediately redeem himself, however, as he got down low to his right to prevent Marsh from hitting the back of the net for the third time on the night.

There-on, the spot-kicks were all convereted; Arthurs, Dinanga, Iwumene and Idris Odutayo converted for the hosts whilst Rodney, Whyte and Dylan Reid did likewise for Palace, before Browne was the unfortunate man to miss out.

A point from a testing opening group-stage game, however, remained one to be proud of.

Palace: Lee (GK), Grante, Walker-Smith, Browne, Whyte (Gibbard, 63), Rodney, Reid, Fasida (Williams, 73), Agbinone (Casey, 73), Marsh, Nascimento.

Subs not used: Izquierdo (GK), Somade, Adams-Collman, Brownlie.

Bromley: Long (GK), Elewere (Odutayo, 71), Webster, German, Taylor, Thompson (Hondermarck, 71), Stepien-Iwumene, Ilunga, Krauhaus (Arthurs, 63), Whitely (Penn, 62), Kabamba (Dinanga, 62).

Subs not used: Addai (GK), Cameron.