U21s Report & Highlights: Plymouth prove too strong for Young Eagles

Despite a spirited effort and a number of chances created, two contentious first-half goals left Darren Powell’s side with a mountain to climb against an experienced Pilgrims outfit.

Summary:

• Powell makes three changes bringing Okoli, Sealey, and Nascimento into the starting XI.
• 4: A bright start from Palace as the Young Eagles dominate possession and probe patiently.
• 6: Lee races off his line to clear an underhit back pass.
• 8: Lee makes an excellent save to deny Oseni from a tight angle.
• 11 – Goal: Amaechi's spectacular strike gives Plymouth the lead.
• 15: Plymouth have the ball in the net, but the effort is ruled out for offside.
• 16: Lee makes another fine diving save from a close-range volley.
• 20: Gibbard picks out Kporha at the back post, who stings Storer’s palms.
• 26 – Goal: Watts doubles the Pilgrims lead.
• 28: Casey nearly latches onto Williams’ lofted pass, but Storer races off his line to clear.
• 33: Early change for Palace as Casey makes way for Martin.
• 37 – Goal: Watts makes it three to Plymouth.
• 42: Nascimento drifts inside off the left and whips the strike just shy of the far post.
• 44: Williams' effort from range is charged down.
• Four minutes are added on...
• Half-time: Plymouth Argyle 3-0 Palace U21s
• 47: Nascimento curls the effort straight down the throat of Storer.
• 50: Watts is denied his hat-trick by the offside flag.
• 57 – GOAL: Martin’s expert header grabs one back for Palace.
• 63 – Goal: Campbell restores Plymouth’s three-goal lead.
• 68: Kalembo makes a crucial intervention at the back post.
• 72: Lee makes a couple of decent stops to keep out the hosts.
• 77: Martin’s first time effort from a few yards out is tipped over the bar.
• 84 – Goal: Pepple gets Plymouth's fifth goal.
• 88: Lee makes save after save.
• Four minutes are added on...
• Full-time: Plymouth Argyle 5-1 Palace U21s

After Saturday’s league defeat to Blackburn ended their unbeaten start to 2026/27, Palace returned to the newly rebranded Jersey Mike’s Trophy looking to bounce back and build on their opening-day victory at Swindon Town.

The Young Eagles faced a strong Plymouth side, with the hosts naming a number of players who had featured regularly in their League One campaign.

With Dean Benamar and Taha Majni away on international duty and George King injured, Powell made three changes to his Palace side, bringing Chuks Okoli, Amaari Sealey and Adler Nascimento into the starting XI.

Okoli returned to the back three, with Joe Gibbard and Caleb Kporha operating as wing-backs, while Sealey and Nascimento flanked Benji Casey in attack.

Donning the white sash under the lights at Home Park, Palace made a bright start, dominating possession and probing for an opening.

Inside four minutes, the Young Eagles issued a warning sign as a green shirt had to hook clear Adler Nascimento’s dangerous set-piece delivery towards the back post.

But the pendulum soon swung, with the visitors forced to withstand wave after wave of Plymouth attack. Harry Lee raced from his goal to clear an underhit back-pass, before producing an excellent save to keep out Owen Oseni’s fierce effort from the right of the area.

The pressure eventually told as Xavier Amaechi unleashed a spectacular strike from range that flew beyond a diving Lee. The Young Eagles were then forced to weather a further flurry of shots and crosses as Plymouth looked to press home their advantage.

There was a brief stoppage for Mathias Ross to receive treatment, but Palace emerged from the restart on the front foot, with green shirts throwing themselves in front of several low-driven efforts.

By the 20-minute mark, Powell’s side had settled into the contest and were beginning to turn the screw. Gibbard picked out Kporha with a floated cross towards the back post, but his teammate’s effort was well saved by James Storer.

Plymouth threatened on the break soon after when an errant Chuks Okoli pass was intercepted by Seb Campbell, who spotted Lee off his line. Okoli recovered quickly, though, to snuff out the danger.

Despite Palace’s growing influence, Plymouth’s high press continued to make playing out difficult, and the Young Eagles were dealt a cruel blow on 26 minutes. Caleb Watts was threaded through and beat Lee to the ball before slotting home.

Palace immediately appealed for offside, with Watts’ fellow forward appearing to interfere with play, but the protests were waved away and the goal stood.

As the half entered its final third, Palace were forced into an early change, with Benji Casey making way for Donte Martin. Seb Williams then tested his luck from distance, but his effort was charged down.

Plymouth struck again on 37 minutes, with Watts collecting the ball to the left of the area before cutting inside and seeing his deflected effort loop beyond a diving Lee. Once again, the forward appeared to have strayed offside when the pass was played through, but the goal stood.

Palace almost found a way back moments before the break as Nascimento drifted in from the left and whipped a low strike against the far post.

Three down at half-time, the scoreline felt particularly harsh on a Palace side that had grown into the game, with Plymouth’s quality compounded by two contentious goals.

Palace made a strong start to the second half, with Nascimento going close almost immediately as his curling effort was comfortably gathered by Storer.

A few minutes later, Watts thought he had completed his hat-trick when Wes Harding’s whipped cross picked him out, but after poking the ball past Lee one-on-one, the flag finally went up.

The Pilgrims continued to enjoy the lion’s share of possession, but Palace’s defensive discipline was frustrating the hosts and the Young Eagles were beginning to carve out openings of their own.

Approaching the hour mark, Palace pulled one back. Amaari Sealey’s delivery from the left found Nascimento in the centre of the box, whose miscued header looped up invitingly for Martin to expertly nod beyond the diving Storer.

Midway through the second half, Plymouth restored their three-goal advantage in unfortunate fashion.

Lee brilliantly parried Seb Campbell’s powerful strike from the edge of the area, but the ball looped over him and, despite Fasida scrambling back, he could not hook it off the line.

From there, it was wave after wave of Plymouth pressure. Fifteen-year-old Nat Kalembo hooked away a dangerous delivery across the face of goal, while Lee made two more important stops to keep the deficit at three.

The result certainly wasn’t for lack of effort, with the U21s continuing to work tirelessly off the ball.

With 10 minutes remaining, Sealey squared across the face of goal for Martin, whose first-time effort was tipped over the bar by the Plymouth ‘keeper.

Powell introduced the attacking Kai-Reece Adams-Collman late on in the hope of inspiring a miraculous comeback, but those hopes were extinguished moments later as Blim Pepple put the game beyond doubt with Plymouth’s fifth.

In the dying embers, Lee continued to produce save after save, maintaining the excellent form he has shown throughout the season.

Four minutes were added on, with Palace seeing out the closing stages before the referee brought proceedings to an end.

It was not the Young Eagles’ evening in Plymouth, but there was plenty to be proud of in their effort against a strong Pilgrims side.

With Newport County beating Swindon Town 2-0, Plymouth and Newport now occupy the top two places in Southern Group E, while Palace sit third on three points with one game remaining. That final group fixture comes away to Newport on Tuesday, 3rd November, with a place in the knockout stages still to play for.

The Young Eagles will now have to wait until Tuesday, 14th October to return to action, when they host Anderlecht at Sutton Borough Sports Ground in the International Cup.

Palace XI: Lee (GK); Whyte, Okoli (Fasida, 45), Somade; Gibbard, Danaher (Adams-Collman), 83), Williams, Kporha (Kalembo, 45); Nascimento, Casey (Martin, 33), Sealey (Greaves, 89).

Subs not used: Hill (GK), Frazer-Williams.

Plymouth Argyle: Storer (GK), Ross, MacKenzie, Edwards © (Pleguezuelo, 57), Amaechi, Watts (Pepple, 57), Oseni, Ibrahim, Roberts (Bakinson, 60), Campbell, Rendle.

Subs not used: Armytage (GK), Irow, Sorinola, Harding.