The impressive Seth Ridgeon scored twice as Fulham’s under 18s beat Cobham in a fiercely contested pre-season friendly tonight.
Ridgeon, a versatile midfielder who has impressed for England’s youth international sides, bagged a first half brace to put the young Whites firmly in control at the Reg Madgwick Stadium. The Hammers began brightly with a series of composed passing moves, with Jacob de Sa heading wide from an inviting cross by Derek Hayford. Striker Tom Wingate almost put Fulham ahead with an audacious lob from the centre circle, but his effort flew just over the crossbar.
Wingate played a prominent role in Fulham’s opening goal five minutes before half time. He shielded the ball well in the penalty area before teeing up Ridgeon, who rifled a low drive into the corner of the net. Ridgeon, who broke into the under-18 side in stunning style last season, added a second three minutes later with a clinical finish from a fine ball from Harvey Platel.
Fulham threatened a third in the second half with Farhaan Ali Wahid seeing a shot deflected wide and Wingate having an effort blocked, but the home side made it an exciting finale with a brilliant free-kick from Hayford midway through the second period. He bent a fabulous finish over the wall and into the bottom corner and, after Ridgeon failed to complete his hat-trick when he dragged a shot wide after a mazy dribble, the home side almost equalised only for substitute Kallum Peart to blaze over in the closing stages.
COBHAM: Pickford; Maclean, Hurrell, Boyer, Nazzareth, Alexiou, de Sa, Holt, Simpson, Hayford, Osborne. Subs: Gbadmassi, Conrad, Sims, Charles, Peart, Weston, Tossant, Huie-Mossley.
GOAL: Hayford (67).
FULHAM UNDER 18s (4-3-3): McNally; White, Faux, Cooke, Schutter; Khan, Quashie, Ridgeon; Platel, Wingate, Ali Wahid.
GOALS: Ridgeon (40, 43).
ATTENDANCE: 353.
