Aaron Loupalo-Bi scored a late winner as Fulham’s under 21s made it two wins from two in the PL2 by beating Everton 4-3 at Walton Hall Park this evening.

Hayden Mullins’ side had to recover from conceding an opening goal to Justin Clarke after only three minutes and showed commendable character to lead at the interval through goals from Tom Olyott and Eddy Nsasi. Sixteen year-old Seth Ridgeon’s first goal of the season gave the young Whites some breathing space, but strikes from Braiden Graham and Isaac Heath brought the home side level.

It was left to Loupalo-Bi to seal all three points with ten minutes to go. The in-form forward scored his sixth goal in three games to win an epic encounter and continue his superb start to the new season after latching onto a lovely ball from Jon Esenga.

By then, Clarke’s opener seemed an age ago. Graham was the provider of Everton’s electric start, surging in field and setting up the winger, who placed a precise finish past Alfie McNally and into the bottom corner having wonderfully worked a shooting angle. Ridgeon rifled an effort against the crossbar almost immediately, with Willian Tamen bravely blocking the follow-up from Terrell Works.

Charlie Robinson then cleared off the line at the other end after striker George Morgan had rounded McNally, but the skipper suffered an injury blow midway through the first half and had to be replaced by Nsasi. The visitors hauled themselves level when winger Olyott seized upon a defensive mistake to score his fourth goal of a productive campaign and Mullins’ men might have gone in front only for George Pickford to deny Ollie Gofford and Loupalo-Bi in swift succession.

Gofford spurned the chance to put Fulham ahead by shooting past the post after being fed by Works, but the winger soon set up a second with a brilliant cross that was emphatically headed home by Nsasi with six minutes to go until half-time. Loupalo-Bi was dreadfully unlucky not to make it 3-1 after using his strength to hold off Tamen and beating Pickford with a drive that hit the post.

Fulham made a fantastic start to the second half when Olyott put pressure on Pickford from Everton’s kick-off, pinching possession from the panicked goalkeeper and setting up Ridgeon to roll the ball into an unguarded goal. But the hosts didn’t let their heads drop. They took just six minutes to hit back as Graham converted a clever ball from Clarke and Pickford then kept his team in the contest by saving an Olyott free-kick and superbly repelling a deft header by Loupalo-Bi.

Paul Tait’s side equalised when substitute Isaac Heath finished from close range after excellent play from full back George Finney and both teams went looking for a winner. Loupalo-Bi found it with ten minutes left, tucking home an excellent Esenga cross from six yards out and Fulham held on to claim an outstanding away win.

Next up for young Whites is the visit of Valencia to Motspur Park in the Premier League International Cup on Wednesday evening, with kick off at 7pm.

EVERTON UNDER 21s (4-2-3-1): Pickford; Finney, Samuels-Smith, Thomas, Tamen (van Schoor 45); Gomez, Patterson; Clarke (Beaumont-Clark 71), Graham, Bates (Heath 45); Morgan (Catesby 71). Subs (not used): Barnsley.

BOOKED: Morgan.

GOAL: Clarke (3), Graham (52), Heath (64).

FULHAM UNDER 21s (4-2-3-1): McNally; de Jesus, Slade (Esenga 66), Amissah, C. Robinson (Nsasi 26); Nwoko, Gofford; Olyott, Works, Ridgeon (Ali-Wahid 80); Loupalo-Bi (Wingate 80), Subs (not used): Bagot.

BOOKED: Amissah, Slade.

GOALS: Olyott (18), Nsasi (39), Ridgeon (46), Loupalo-Bi (80).

REFEREE: Declan Brown.