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Stevenage thrash Crystal Palace U21 in EFL Trophy

  • Stevenage beat Crystal Palace U21 5 - 2 in EFL Trophy at Lamex Stadium.

  • Own goal and Forster-Caskey free-kick put Boro 2 - 0 up before Ebiowei and Ola-Adebomi strike for Palace.

  • Harvey White rocket puts Stevenage back in front before Pressley double puts hosts in control.


That's it for tonight from Lamex Stadium, thank you for following our live coverage!


FT' - That's it from Lamex Stadium and it's a comfortable win for Stevenage in the end. A frantic first half left Boro leading 3 - 2 at the break, but a second-half double from Aaron Pressley is enough to secure all three points.


It's not a result that will keep the hosts or indeed Palace in the competition, but Stevenage will take confidence from a great performance as they prepare to host Lincoln City in a League One play-off showdown on Saturday.


90+4' - Elliot List is substituted off before he gets himself sent off. He's replaced by Kane Hemmings for the final few seconds of the game.


90+3' - First save in the professional career of Max Woodford! He comes flying out of his goal to punch a Crystal Palace corner all the way into the other half of the pitch. The young keeper has some power behind him!


90+1' - According to the person sitting next to me there are five added minutes. Can't say I remember the board going up but we'll go with him for now.


89' - Tasty challenge from Elliot List on Dan Imray which earns the Boro striker a booking. There's a bit of afters as well from Imray who isn't happy about being sent flying across the pitch. Just 30 seconds later he clatters into List long after the ball is gone and Stevenage have a free-kick in a dangerous position. Inexperience from the young full-back.


86' - Palace have run out of energy. They can barely keep the ball and when they do turn it over they're giving it away with sloppy passes. They're just waiting for the full-time whistle now.


83' - Changes for both sides now, Ademola Ola-Adebomi and David Ozoh are replaced by Victor Akinwale and Zach Marsh for Palace and double-scorer Aaron Pressley is replaced by Makise Evans for Stevenage.


82' - It's five! Aaron Pressley meets a corner at the far post and nods home his second of the night from two yards out. A good nights work for him and for Stevenage.


81' - You don't see this every day... Stevenage goalkeeper Taye Ashby-Hammond is off and is replaced by 15-year-old debutant Max Woodford. Jake Forster-Caskey is off as well, replaced by David Hicks.


79' - Pressley attempts a header from about 21 yards out, but he's unable to channel his inner Luis Suarez from that game against West Brom at Anfield. It bobbles safely into the hands of Izquierdo.


76' - Ebiowei is signing some shirts and taking some pictures with Palace fans behind the goal they're attacking in this second half. More performances like he's delivered tonight and he might have to get used to that kind of attention.


74' - Crystal Palace are making a late double change in a bid to get something from this game; Matheus Franca and Malcolm Ebiowei are being replaced by Jadan Raymond and Roshaun Mathurin.


70' - Forster-Caskey picks out List and again he gets a shot away. This time it's blocked and it falls for Pressley but he's denied a second by a fantastic tackle. Stevenage looking to put this to bed now.


68' - Close again from Stevenage! Forster-Caskey floats a dangerous free-kick to the back post and List strikes a sweet volley but is denied well by Izquierdo. The Palace academy keeper has a couple of nervy moments at the start of the game but he's really grown into this one.


67' - Selfish moment from Pressley. He's picked out by List with his back to goal and he's got two options well positioned to run onto a cutback but the big man tries a shot himself on the turn and it's comfortable for Izquierdo.


65' - First save of the second half for Ashby-Hammond to make as Ola-Adebomi rises high to reach a header. It's a decent save from the Stevenage goalkeeper, it would've found the bottom corner.


62' - List latches onto a long goal kick from Ashby-Hammond and fires a volley just over the Crystal Palace crossbar. He certainly caught that one well!


56' - Palace get a free-kick on the right and whip it into the box but it's cleared easily by the League One side. They've come from two down once tonight but it might just be beyond them to do it a second time.


53' - Darren Powell, the Crystal Palace U21 manager, was shown a yellow card as Stevenage celebrated. It seems as though he was asking for a handball by Thompson before he set up Pressley for the goal.


53' - And there's the goal! Aaron Pressley came close a couple of times in the first half and he's got his goal now. Ben Thompson whips a brilliant ball in from the right and Pressley rises highest to head home in the centre of the box. Stevenage have restored their two-goal lead and will hope to see this out now.




52' - Big chance! Elliot List throws himself at a dangerous cross from the right but can't connect properly with the header and sends it wide. It's all Stevenage so far in the second half.


48' - The hosts begin the half with a string of corners, forcing Jackson Izquierdo into two fine saves. Palace eventually relieve the pressure by winning a free-kick on the edge of their own box, but Stevenage have started this second half with a very good intensity.


46' - Back underway for the second half and Stevenage have made a change; Louie Thompson has replaced Terence Vancooten


HT' - Just a reminder that both sides are already out of the competition; this game serves purely as a play-off for third place in the group. Wycombe Wanderers and AFC Wimbledon will play next Tuesday with both sides already through to the knockout stages.


HT' - That's half-time at Lamex Stadium and what a breathless first half! Stevenage raced into a 2 - 0 lead with an early own goal and beautiful free-kick from Jake Forster-Caskey before Palace struck back through Malcolm Ebiowei and Ademola Ola-Adebomi. It's Harvey White's rocket though which separates the League One side and the Premier League academy side at the break!


45+2' - Ebiowei hits the post! He cuts in from the right wing and curls a vicious left-footed shot across goal and it hits the bottom of the post. Ebiowei is very unlucky not to have a second goal of the night.


45+1' - Three minutes of added time in the first half. What a half it's been!


44' - Franca charges forward for Palace and wins a free-kick 40-yards out. Palace attempt to take it quickly and were in on goal but the referee brings it back for some reason.


40' - Aaron Pressley attempts an acrobatic side-on volley from the edge of the box but it rolls slowly to Izquierdo. Palace then give the ball away cheaply and Pressley has another go, this time winning a corner after his shot is deflected wide.


39' - Loose passes are starting to creep in for Palace as frustration builds. They'd do well to hold on until half-time; they've shown that they have the goal threat to level things up in the second half.


36' - Stevenage attack for the first time since re-taking the lead; Elliot List is having his shirt pulled all over the place and is eventually awarded a free-kick on the right wing. It's floated in by Forster-Caskey but Palace deal with the danger, winning a free-kick of their own for a foul on goalkeeper Izquierdo.


34' - The game has settled down since Stevenage got themselves back in front. Palace have had most of the ball but haven't been able to break the League One side down. Metheus Franca has just been flagged offside on the left wing after he thought he was in on goal.


32' - Don't think this would look out of place on any Premier League Goal of the Month reel.



24' - Crystal Palace are quickly back on the front foot and win a free-kick 40 yards out. Ebiowei doesn't fancy another 40-yard screamer and instead looks to thread a disguised ball down the right wing but it runs out for a Stevenage goal kick. Finally time for a breather nearly 25 minutes into the game!


22' - STEVENAGE BACK IN FRONT! Five goals in the first quarter of the game! Harvey White fires a rocket into the top corner from 20 yards out and just like that Boro are back in front. No one has told either of these sides they're out!


20' - IT'S 2 - 2! What a game! Ebiowei is involved again, threading a neat pass down the right wing. The cross comes in and is met at the back post by Ademola Ola-Adebomi who powers his header into the back of the net. Palace have had two attacks and they've scored from both!


16' - WHAT A HIT! Crystal Palace have one back, it's 2 - 1. A loose pass from Taye Ashby-Hammond drops to Malcolm Ebiowei and he curls it in from 40 yards out! Didn't expect to see that on a Tuesday night in the EFL Trophy!


12' - 2 - 0! Jake Forster-Caskey has his first goal for Stevenage, and it's from a direct free-kick 20 yards out which he curls in off the post! Beautiful strike from the former Brighton midfielder and Stevenage are really cementing their control of this one.


10' - Crossbar! Stevenage once again cause havoc from a set piece, this time it's Forster-Caskey with the header and it rattles the crossbar!


9' - Palace look shaky; that early own goal has really knocked their confidence. Sheridan in particular has been very nervous on the ball since inadvertedly giving Stevenage the lead.


4' - STEVENAGE LEAD! It's a poor own goal from Crystal Palace! Harvey White is fouled near the left byline about 30 yards out and from the free-kick, Jake Forster-Caskey lifts the ball into the Palace penalty area. Goalkeeper Jackson Izquierdo comes for it and misses it entirely, and the ball bounces in off Palace defender Joe Sheridan. Not a good start for the academy side.


2' - Luther James-Wildin, the Stevenage centre-half, charges forward from the halfway line and unleashes a powerful strike. It just about stays in the stadium.


1' - Stevenage get us underway on a chilly night at Lamex Stadium!


18:50 - Just ten minutes until kick-off at Lamex Stadium. The story of the night has to be Elliot List; the Stevenage striker came through the youth set-up at Crystal Palace and tonight has the chance to impress against his former club. It might be just what the 26-year-old needs; he has just two goals this season, both scored in a 3 - 0 win away to Cheltenham Town back in September.


18:46 - The Teams...





18:45 - Good evening from Lamex Stadium and welcome to something a little bit different from The WoodWork! We'll bring you live coverage of the EFL Trophy clash between Stevenage and Crystal Palace U21. Both sides are out of the competition after defeats to both AFC Wimbledon and Wycombe Wanderers; those sides play next Tuesday for top spot in the group and a seeded spot in the knockout stages.

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