U21s Report: Youthful Palace side fall to defeat in pre-season opener at Dagenham

Summary:

• Palace name a 22-man squad for the fixture, with summer signing Amaari Sealey included alongside three trialists and a number of Under-18s stepping up.
• 2: Lively start from the Young Eagles as Donte Martin slips through Khyan Frazer-Williams, who sees his dangerous pull-back scrambled clear!
• 10: Seb Williams comes onto the ball and stings the palms of a diving Nathan Ashmore with a powerful low drive!
• 17: A whipped cross finds Andy Carroll at the back post, whose volley grazes the top of the bar.
• 21: The Daggers are growing in confidence here and starting to apply pressure, as Palace hack clear a pinball-like scramble before Tyler Whyte makes a crucial sliding clearance.
• 27: Harry Lee is alert to deny Carroll at the back post, punching a deep cross clear.
• 29 - GOAL: Dagenham take the lead through Kayden Harrack despite heroic Palace defending, with Lee pushing the initial cross clear and Somade clearing off the line before the ball is eventually rifled home.
• 32 - GOAL: Carroll makes it two for Dagenham with a superb strike into the far corner.
• 37 - GOAL: The hosts have three courtesy of skipper Harry Beautyman.
• 40: Williams dances his way into the Daggers box and fashions the ball onto his left boot, before seeing his strike tipped away.
• HT: Dagenham & Redbridge 3-0 Palace U21s
• 46: Lee is straight into the action after the break, producing two outstanding saves.
• 53: Martin flashes a low effort towards goal, but Ashmore is a match for it.
• 56 – GOAL: Just as we were starting to establish some control, Kymani Thomas converts the Daggers fourth.
• 60: A new XI takes to the pitch for the final 30 minutes, with only ‘keeper Lee remaining unchanged.
• 66 – GOAL: Noah Coppin makes it five for Dagenham from the spot.
• 80: The Young Eagles show their character and refuse to let their heads drop as Jayden McDonald's half-volley from the edge of the area is the wrong side of the bar.
• 87: Ajean-Ray's left-channel free-kick is almost bundled home at the back post.
• FT: Dagenham & Redbridge 5-0 Palace U21s

Academy summer signing Amaari Sealey got his first taste of action for the Young Eagles – who debuted the brand new 2026/27 home kit at Academy level – with the 18-year-old starting on the right wing.

Palace made the trip east of the River Thames to face new-look National League South side Dagenham & Redbridge in their first pre-season fixture. Bathed in glorious evening sunshine at Victoria Road, the Young Eagles wasted little time finding their rhythm after returning from their summer breaks.

Palace carved out the first opening inside two minutes as Sean Somade split the lines to pick out Donte Martin. The forward kept his composure before slipping through Khyan Frazer-Williams, whose dangerous pull-back was hacked clear.

Moments later, Sam Graham’s flicked header drifted over the crossbar at the other end in what was a lively start to proceedings.

Darren Powell's side were moving the ball well and enjoying the lion's share of possession, while the hosts remained patient out of possession and looked to capitalise on any loose touch.

Palace produced the first effort on target after 10 minutes when Seb Williams unleashed a powerful low drive from distance, forcing Nathan Ashmore into a smart diving save.

Despite the Young Eagles dominating possession, the Daggers were growing in confidence and came within inches of breaking the deadlock when Samuel Adenola's whipped cross picked out Andy Carroll at the back post, but the striker's volley grazed the top of the crossbar.

Mid-way through the half, momentum was gradually shifting in favour of the hosts. Palace survived a pinball-like scramble inside the box, before Tyler Whyte produced a brilliant sliding clearance to prevent a dangerous low delivery across the face of goal from reaching its intended target.

Unfortunately, Palace's resistance was broken as the half entered its final third, with the hosts striking three times in the space of seven minutes.

The Young Eagles initially stood firm as a flurry of efforts inside the box were repelled, with Lee pushing the first cross clear and Somade making a crucial block on the line. However, Kayden Harrack was eventually on hand to head home from close range.

The Daggers doubled their advantage moments later as Andy Carroll found the far corner with a superb strike. It was three shortly after, with Harry Beautyman seeing his initial effort cannon back off the post before reacting quickest to volley home the rebound.

Despite the setback, Palace continued to show attacking intent. Williams almost halved the deficit as he produced a moment of real quality, dancing past his marker from the right flank before cutting inside onto his left foot, only for his effort to be tipped away as the half drew to a close.

Lee was straight into the action after the break, producing three outstanding saves – including a superb stop to deny Carroll's thunderous volley from an inswinging corner.

Powell's side began to establish control, building well from the back and starting to test the hosts. Martin came closest when the ball fell kindly on the edge of the area, but his fierce effort was matched by Ashmore.

Just as Palace were beginning to find their footing, the Daggers struck on the counter, with Kymani Thomas converting the hosts' fourth goal of the evening against the run of play.

Palace continued to push forward, with Fasida driving down the left flank before reaching the byline and cutting the ball back towards the onrushing Williams, who was inches away from converting.

On the hour mark, Palace made wholesale changes as an entirely new XI entered the pitch, with only goalkeeper Lee remaining. The rotation allowed the squad to build valuable minutes in the legs while managing workload and reducing the risk of injury.

The hosts soon extended their advantage, however, as the Daggers were awarded a penalty, with Noah Coppin making no mistake from the spot to make it five.

Entering the final third of the match, the Young Eagles showed their character and refused to let their heads drop, continuing to push forward in search of a response. Palace moved the ball with confidence and produced some excellent attacking patterns, but a resolute Daggers defence continued to frustrate them at every effort.

With 10 minutes remaining, Trialist B saw his cross diverted away from goal and into the path of Jayden McDonald, whose first-time half-volley flew narrowly over the bar. In the dying embers, Ajean-Ray Greaves' free-kick from the left flank was almost bundled home.

That proved to be the final major chance of the evening as the Young Eagles' first pre-season outing ended in defeat.

Despite the result, Palace gained valuable minutes in the legs against strong senior opposition and will return to South London to continue their preparations ahead of next week's friendly meeting with the Daggers fellow National League South side Horsham.

Palace (60 minutes): Lee; Whyte, Somade, Okoli, Frazer-Williams; Fasida, Adams-Collman, Williams; Sealey, Nascimento, Martin.

Palace (30 minutes): Lee; Greaves, Shittu, Trialist A, Trialist B; Bonsu-Amako, Anderson, Trialist C; McDonald, Casey, Martin.

Dagenham & Redbridge: Ashmore (Trilaist B, 73’), Adenola, Vincent (Rodari, 60’), Marsh (Panter, 60’), Graham, Beautyman (Trialist A, 60’), Carroll (Dyer, 60’), Crichlow (Tamplin, 60’), Papadopoulos, Harrack.

Subs not used: Coppin, Bateson, Thomas, Addae, Leech, Dieng.