Goals from Seth Ridgeon, Macauley Zepa and Damon Park fired Fulham’s under 18s to a hard-fought win at Reading this afternoon.
England under-16 international Ridgeon gave the visitors a dream start when he punished a defensive mistake to fire Fulham into the lead inside the very first minute. The Royals almost replied in kind after a terrific run down the right from Emmanuel Osho but the full back’s shot was gamely gathered by goalkeeper Oscar Varney.
After an even first half that proved short on clear goalscoring opportunities, the influential Ridgeon produced a peach of a pass to provide Tom Olyott with a sight of goal but the winger shot wide of the near post. Ridgeon was enjoying a lot of joy down the Fulham right and crossed for Farhaan Ali-Wahid, whose effort was bravely blocked by a home defender. Ali-Wahid then drilled a shot from distance over the crossbar having collected a lay-off from Jayden Quashie.
Tom Wingate shot wide from the edge of the area with twenty minutes to play – and it looked as if Fulham might pay for a succession of second half misses until substitute Zepa put clear water between the sides. The French winger, only on the field for seven minutes, continued his impressive introduction to under-18s football with a composed finish from Chibby Nwoko’s cross.
Fulham had a third four minutes later when another substitute Damon Park powered home the rebound after Brad de Jesus had headed Olyott’s free-kick onto the post. Joe Barough hit the post late on as Reading looked for a consolation but Ali Melloul’s side kept a commendable clean sheet at the end of another mature performance.
The under 18s complete their league campaign at Leicester City on Wednesday afternoon.
READING UNDER 18s (4-4-2): Rhone; Osho, Irish (Garcia 57), Beacroft, Otis; Sackey, Bowdrey, Jones (Saint-Louis 74), Howard (Nour 79); Evans (George 79), Barough. Subs (not used): Welland.
BOOKED: Irish, Otis.
FULHAM UNDER 18s (4-2-3-1): Varney; de Jesus, Slade (Schutter 80), Esenga (Park 65), Tabares; Nwoko, Quashie; Olyott, Ridgeon (White 80), Ali Wahid (Zepa 65); Wingate. Subs (not used): Kaiser.
BOOKED: Slade, Ridgeon.
GOALS: Ridgeon (1), Zepa (74), Park (81).
