Fulham under-21s secured a home play-off draw after finishing second in the PL2 table with a win at Blackburn Rovers last night, but they were made to sweat after a strong second half fightback from the home side.
A brilliant brace from talented midfielder Seth Ridgeon followed by a penalty from in-form forward Callum Osmand gave the young Whites a commanding 3-0 lead, but Rovers cut their deficit to just one by replying through James Edmondson and Aodhan Doherty to set up a frantic finish. Hayden Mullins’ side survived four nervy minutes of stoppage time to secure the three points and end their regular league campaign on a high.
Fulham began brightly with Osmand thwarted by the legs of home goalkeeper Nick Michalski after only twenty seconds before Ridgeon sent a fierce drive just wide. Welsh youth international Osmand then glanced a header against the post from Brad de Jesus’s cross and it seemed as if the visitors might have one of those nights were nothing went in.
Ridgeon changed all that with a superb strike – rifling a half-volley into the bottom corner in the 26th minute. Blackburn searched for a swift riposte as Doherty drilled an effort just wide from long range, but it was the away side who came closer to extending their lead through Delano McCoy-Splatt. The Jamaican international tested Michalski’s reactions from distance, but the Blackburn goalkeeper was equal to the task.
Ridgeon doubled Fulham’s advantage three minutes before half-time when he timed his run perfectly to reach Chibby Nwoko’s through ball and steered his shot underneath the stranded Rovers goalkeeper. The home side piled the pressure on in response with Borto keeping out efforts from Matty Litherland and Igor Tyjon to preserve an important clean sheet at the break.
The Cottagers made the perfect start to the second period as Ridgeon’s run into the area were crudely halted and Osmand scored his tenth league goal of the season from the ensuing penalty, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way. But Blackburn kept peppering Borto’s goal with shots and the American did well to palm away a powerful strike from Doherty.
At the other end, Luc de Fougerolles nearly capped his first start since October with a goal but Michalski got his fingertips to the defender’s header from a Ridgeon cross. The Canadian international had to switch on after Edmondson found the top corner with a superb strike from 25 yards to make it 3-1, but the visitors responded with chances of their own as Michalski did well to turn aside efforts from Imani Lanquedoc and Lemar Gordon.
Doherty headed home a second at the back post from Nathan Diamini’s set-piece with five minutes left to set up a grandstand finale and, although Rovers put the Fulham rearguard under plenty of pressure, it was actually Tom Olyott who came closest to scoring a fourth for Fulham but he skied his shot when clean through on Michalski’s goal. Ridgeon’s remarkable first-half finishing was enough to earn all three points to ensure the young Whites go into next Tuesday’s Premier League International Cup semi-final against Olympique Lyonnais full of confidence.
BLACKBURN ROVERS UNDER 21s (4-2-3-1):Â Michalski; Litherland, Davies (Eze 65), Pratt, Pates (Leeming 89); Dunn (Stritch 65), O’Grady-Macke; A. Doherty, Edmondson, Dlamini; Tyjon (Boggan 65). Subs (not used): A. Khan.
BOOKED: Dunn, Tyjon.
GOALS: Edmondson (68), Doherty (85).
FULHAM UNDER 21s (4-1-4-1):Â Borto, Gofford (Nsasi 45), de Fougerolles, Amissah, de Jesus; Nwoko; Lanquedoc, Ridgeon (Olyott 66), McCoy-Splatt (McFarlane 66), Gordon; Osmand (Works 84). Sub (not used):Â Underwood.
BOOKED: Nwoko.
GOALS: Ridgeon (26, 42), Osmand (pen 48).
REFEREE: Dale Baines.
