Bromley and Crystal Palace's Under-21 side played out an entertaining 3-3 draw in their English Football League Trophy group stage opener on September 3, 2025. The match at Hayes Lane was a see-saw encounter that ultimately saw the points shared. Bromley, the non-league side, showed great spirit to fight back on multiple occasions against their Premier League academy opponents. Both teams had chances to win it late on, but a draw was a fair result in a game filled with attacking intent and defensive errors. The point each was a decent start for both clubs in a group that also featured strong senior sides like Stevenage and AFC Wimbledon.