Cray Wanderers U18s vs Crystal Palace U18s – Friendly – 25/7/26 – Match Report
Cray Wanderers U18s 1
Kpotie 41
Crystal Palace U18s 2
Jordan 38, Bernard-Ferguson 45+1
Photos kindly provided by Natalie Stribbling
Cray Wanderers and Crystal Palace U18s met on a very warm and sunny early afternoon at Flamingo Park and it was an enjoyable watch with Palace winning via a goal scored in added time at the end of the first half.
The match was originally to be a first team fixture vs a Palace XI but was changed to an U18s fixture. This didn’t make the game any less attractive and the first half in particular was as good as any game surely played on the last Saturday in July.
The Cray Wanderers U18s set up had a great 2025-26 Kent League season with the Premier side winning the title and the League Cup while the North side were just a whisker away from winning the championship too. The Wands sides are under the management this season of wise heads Brett Cheesman and John Farnsworth and yesterday add the knowhow and acumen of Roy Brooke and it was a positive and encouragingly vocal bench.
Palace are a good side with full time training and finished 5th in the U18s Premier League last season and won the Premier League Cup as well as reaching the Semi-Finals of the FA Youth Cup losing only to Manchester United so Javier Alonso’s side came with considerable credentials.
On a very warm lunch time although a welcome breeze would have helped the first half was superb with a little bit of early sparring then both sides had a good spell of dominance before a crescendo of goals before half time.
As you would expect Palace were good in possession of the ball but it was Cray who had the first shooting chance when Tade Kpotie hit a well struck shot from around 25 yards which went just past the left post.
Crystal Palace began to exert control for around ten/fifteen minutes leading up to the hydration break and there were a couple of shots across goal or the Wands defence had to clear for corners. The no 15 for Palace played a corner into the no 7 whose shot was blocked. Then another corner from the left to the far post came to the no 19 who again saw his effort blocked. This was followed by Makai Bernard-Ferguson seeing a shot well held by George Clark. Then Clark did well again to push away a shot from the no 15.
The hydration break was a welcome one for Cray and as seen many times during the World Cup acted as a bit of a game changer as after the resumption the Wands had a spell in the ascendancy.
Firstly a Billy Wall cross from the right was met by the head of Kpotie and went just past the left post. Then a shot from Wall flashed across the goal and wide.
This was followed by a smart move with Wall, Mark Opoku and Kane Stewart combining to set up Charlie Young for a shot which was well held by the Palace keeper who then saved well to deny Wall.
Palace though almost took the lead but the no 15 was denied by another good save by Clark with the no 10 then shooting past the left post.
However, there had to be a goal at some point and came for Palace in the 38th minute after a three man moved ended with Jay Jordan firing in a shot from the edge of the D which may have taken the slightest of nicks and hit the back of the net.
Shortly after the no 7 curled a free kick over the top but Cray went up the other end and Kpotie fired just past the right post.
In the 41st minute Cray deservedly levelled with Young finding Wall whose ball across from the right into the six yard box fell to Kpotie who has already scored for the first team in a friendly this season netted from close range. Then Kpotie planted a header off target.
Into added time and Palace went back in front with a class piece of play and finishing which ultimately proved to be the difference between the teams. Makai Bernard-Ferguson made a positive run from midfield into the area and placed a well stuck shot which Clark almost got to but went into the bottom right corner.
HT: 1-2
The second half was a more sedate affair as the heat went up a few notches with Palace more in control of possession but Cray continued to hang in the game to the end.
For Cray, Freddie Moore fired a free kick over the bar in the opening minutes but Palace restricted many chances on their goal until the later stages.
For Palace the no 10 drew another good save from Clark who sprawled himself to push away his shot.
The game had to have a lull as very much pre-season for the players and conserved energy well and the match was well refereed.
Crystal Palace did see a shot from the no 18 parried by Clark and the no 9 shot wide but Cray overall defended with great assurance and Miller Fleming wearing the captain’s arm band looks a real find.
Going into the last couple of minutes Cray looked to grab a leveller and Mark Opoku worked his way into the area but couldn’t quite get his shot away and the ball fell to the keeper. Then Opoku got his head to a left wing cross but his header was claimed by the keeper.
In the end Palace had just done enough to win but Cray can be proud of their performance and are a good side to watch and both Cray Wanderers teams are well worth a watch on a Sunday morning if passing by Flamingo Park. Also the sides can combine for the FA Youth Cup where Cray travel to Punjab United in the Preliminary Round at the end of August.
Cray Wanderers: George Clark, Luke Northwood, Kane Stewart, Ralph Short, Miller Fleming, Jack Anderson, Freddie Newman, Mark Opoku, Billy Wall, Tade Kpotie, Charlie Young; Subs: Frankie Cheesman, Namir Huggins, Dan King, Aiden Wimble, Ashton Bignall, Freddie Moore, Billy Henry, Jayden Wright.
