Callum Osmand hit a hat-trick as Fulham’s under 18s eased into the fifth round of the FA Youth Cup with a comfortable 5-0 win over Swansea City in the rearranged tie at Landore last night.
The Swans had led the original tie 1-0 when the original fixture was abandoned at half-time on account of a frozen pitch, but Ali Melloul’s side produced a professional display to ensure their was no danger of an upset this time around. The head coach drafted Ollie Gofford in central midfield in the only change from the eleven that started the first fixture, but Fulham were required to resist a strong start from the home side.
Rohan Davies appeared poised to put City in front from Thomas Woodward’s cross but Sam Amissah made an important block. The visitors gradually gained control of the contest with chances falling to Luc de Fougerolles, Josh King and Osmand before Aaron Loupalo-Bi somehow lifted Osmand’s cross over the crossbar from close range. That miss wasn’t too costly as Fulham went in front in the twelfth minute.
A lovely lofted ball from Amissah, who had spotted Osmand spinning between the Swansea centre halves, released the Welsh youth international, who chested the ball cleverly into his path and fired the opener under Kit Margetson. Brad Jesus might have made it two but he headed wide after reaching a cross from Jonathan Esenga at the far post and, barely a minute later, the Swansea goalkeeper then did superbly to deny Loupalo-Bi with his legs after a clever flick from King.
Former Fulham youngster Arthur Parker was unable to continue after a lengthy stoppage following a heavy challenge and Swansea created their clearest opening once the match resumed. Davies almost levelled with a lovely first-time strike that curled into the side netting with Marco Underwood out of his goal, but the young Whites were able to breathe an enormous sigh of relief. Underwood then saved a Iestyn Jones header from a corner – and Fulham badly needed the second goal that arrived a minute before the interval.
It was a goal of real quality from the sort of incisive team move practiced on a daily basis at Motspur Park. Probing passes and swift movement of the ball allowed Osmand to prod home at the back post after King had found de Jesus on the right flank. Fulham could have increased their lead just after the break through a deflected King effort and Osmand rounded off his hat trick when he headed home Esenga’s free kick.
Esenga then added a fourth with a venomous drive from distance that swerved viciously past the helpless Margetson and substitute Lemar Gordon rounded off the scoring with a powerful finish in the last minute. The emphatic victory means that the Whites will travel to Liverpool in the fifth round on 10 February.
SWANSEA CITY UNDER 18s: Margetson; Fanning, Parker (Cooper 30), Cook, Jones, Watts, Pescatore (Dabrowski 70), Griffith (Rees-Siso 77), Davies, Woodward, Govea. Subs (not used): Searle, Griffiths, Perry, Llewellyn.
FULHAM UNDER 18s: Underwood; de Jesus, Esenga, Araujo, de Fougerolles; King, Nwoko, Gofford (Quashie 72); Olyott (Gordon 63), Osmand (Ali Wahid 77), Loupalo-Bi. Subs (not used): Kaiser, Slade, Nsasi, Wingate.
GOALS: Osmand (12, 44, 60), Esenga (64), Gordon (89).
