Fulham’s under 18s registered their sixth successive win after coming from behind to beat West Bromwich Albion at Motspur Park this afternoon.
Ali Melloul’s starting line-up saw three changes with Luc de Fougerolles, Xavier Benjamin and Imani Lanquedoc coming into the side to face the Baggies after Devan Tanton, Charlie Robinson and Luke Harris had played for the under 23s on Friday night. The home side might have been a goal up inside the first minute when Olly Sanderson seized on a poor pass out from the back to set up Matt Dibley-Dias, but the midfielder drove just over from close range.
It was the Baggies who went in front after six minutes through a fantastic free-kick from Reyes Cleary. The talented Albion forward curled a brilliant strike beyond the despairing dive of Alex Borto to give the visitors the lead. Dibley-Dias nearly mustered a swift response for Fulham but his sidefooter flew over the bar. Melloul’s men kept up the pressure and were level when Sanderson converted a spot-kick after being brought down in the box.
The in-form striker had the chance to double his tally shortly after but shot fractionally wide of the far post from an acute angle. Baggies goalkeeper Beau Hudd then did brilliantly to get his hands to another Sanderson strike, before Albion went close at the other end with Layton Love firing wastefully over after Clearly saw a shot blocked in the box. Harvey Araujo then produced a superb saving tackle to deny Jesse Wangusi after excellent approach work from Cleary.
Fulham regrouped at the interval and began to play some more promising football in the second half. Lanquedoc drove a daisycutter agonisingly wide of the far post, but Borto was called into action at the other end and got down well to keep out a firm Fenton Heart effort. Sanderson whistled a snapshot into the side netting after latching onto a through ball along the right flank before Terrell Works’ corner was missed by both Benjamin and Araujo.
The towering centre half made amends with nine minutes left after Baggies defender Leon Machisa had been shown a second yellow card. A deep corner from George Okkas was headed emphatically home by Araujo, who climbed well above his marker to bury what proved to be the winner.
FULHAM UNDER 18s (4-2-3-1): Borto; de Fougerolles, Parkes, Araujo, Benjamin; Okkas, McCoy-Splatt; Lanquedoc (Gordon 83), Works, Dibley-Dias; Sanderson. Subs (not used): Park, Caton, Parker, Olakigbe.
GOALS: Sanderson (pen 22), Araujo (81).
WEST BROMWICH ALBION UNDER 18s (4-1-3-2): Hudd; A. Williams, Humphries, Machisa, Phillips; Whitwell; Oliver (Mfuambi 45), Wangusi (Okoka 45), Love; Heard (Higgins 74), Cleary. Subs (not used): Hurlock, Olouwatobi.
BOOKED: Machisa, Whitwell.
GOAL: Cleary (6).
REFEREE: Adrian Harris.
