Ruban Khan scored the winner as Fulham’s under 18s fought back from a goal down to beat Norwich City and return to winning ways at a wet Motspur Park this lunchtime.
Ali Melloul made four changes from the side that went out of the FA Youth Cup last Friday at the hands of Arsenal and new arrival from Manchester City, Seth Chingwaro was handed a debut in midfield. The new man almost made a dream start to his Fulham career as he cantered onto a cross from Luca Picotto, taking aim from the edge of the area, but his drive flew over the Norwich crossbar.
The hosts had made a strong start with Tom Wingate drawing a superb stop from Jack Ruddy after the striker had fired a snapshot on goal – but gradually the Canaries began to strut their stuff. Dino Kaiser did well to deny Finlay Clarke at his near post but the home goalkeeper was helpless when Toby Chilvers nodded home at the far post from Finlay Oligbo’s cross.
Khan led Fulham’s fightback from a new number ten position, setting up Wingate for a drive at goal with a lovely pass but the centre forward rather snatched at his shot and Ruddy saved straightforwardly. Fulham’s front man was beginning to get frustrated but he pilfered an equaliser after Luca Picotto had accelerated away from two defenders to deliver a devilish cross from the left back.
Macauley Zepa then lashed a right-footed effort from the left flank fractionally over the bar. Wingate had the ball in the net again – but his conversion of Logan Cooke’s flick on from a free-kick was correctly ruled out for offside. Ruddy then made a stunning double save to paw away a Picotto piledriver and then thwart Khan from the rebound whilst he was still grounded.
Norwich weathered the storm and continued to play their pretty passing football – even if it was mostly now coming on the counter-attack. La’Sean Sealey had a go from long range but the audacious effort was meat and drink to an underemployed Kaiser. Fulham kept probing but Wingate was looking skywards in exasperation again after missing the target altogether from five yards after getting on the end of an excellent Zepa cross.
But Wingate’s creative side made the difference with twenty minutes remaining as he produced a perfect pass to put Khan in space in the box and the cultured midfielder measured an accurate finish inside the far post. Norwich had a potential equaliser ruled out for an apparent foul in the build-up as the young Whites held on to claim a hard-fought victory.
Melloul’s side have a trip to Derby County to look forward to on Wednesday in the quarter finals of the Premier League Cup.
FULHAM UNDER 18s (4-2-3-1):Â Kaiser, Walters, Cooke, Slade (Schutter 45), Picotto; White, Ridgeon (Deagle 84); Zepa, Khan, Ali-Wahid; Wingate (Lubega 90). Subs (not used): Varney, Hall.
BOOKED: White, Wingate, Kaiser, Picotto.
GOALS: Wingate (30), Khan (69).
NORWICH CITY UNDER 18s (4-3-3):Â Rudd; Oligbo, Gwanzura, Keita, Owen, Chilvers, Domeracki (Ofori-Manteaw 61), Rowland (Bracking 61), Sealey (Daley 77), Corke, Tree. Subs (not used): Binnie, Valencia Gomez.
BOOKED: Ruddy.
GOAL: Chilvers (25).
REFEREE: Joshua Langley-Fineing.
