A brace from Sylvester Jasper helped Fulham’s under 21s beat Nottingham Forest 2-0 tonight at the Impact Arena.
The Bulgarian under-21 international, who returned early from an unsatisfactory loan at Bristol Rovers earlier this month, opened the scoring with a clinical finish after excellent wing play from Martial Godo. Fulham had weathered a strong start from Forest, who had threatened through the lively Alex Gibson-Hammond and Dale Taylor, with the latter rounding Alex Borto but taking the ball to wide to find the net.
Matt Dibley-Dias crashed a long-range effort off the woodwork as the visitors went close to extending their lead midway through the first period and the Whites were desperately unfortunate not to head into the break 2-0 up when Ibane Bowat’s looping header came back off the crossbar after the defender had connected with a cross from captain Ollie O’Neill.
Steve Wigley’s side kept up the pressure in the second half. Olly Sanderson perhaps should have converted a cross from Godo before Jasper forced a fine save from George Shelvey after pulling the trigger from distance. At the other end, Borto gathered a tame header from Gibson-Hammond and, although Forest pressed gamely for an equaliser, the visitors still looked threatening on the break.
Only a superb saving tackle from Jamie McDonnell denied O’Neill the opportunity to seal victory for Fulham, but the Irish under-21 captain turned provider with ten minutes left. The skipper produced a precise cross for Jasper to put clear water between the sides and the Cottagers held on to claim a clean sheet and three points in Alfreton.
NOTTINGHAM FOREST UNDER 21s (3-5-2): Shelvey; Hammond, Abbott, Mbe Soh; Donnelly, Powell; Collins (Hemmings 29), McDonnell; Gibson-Hammond; O. Hammond (Perkins 81), Taylor (Salmond 61). Subs (not used): Bott, McAdam.
BOOKED: McDonnell, Powell.
FULHAM (4-2-3-1): Borto; D’Auria-Henry, Bowat, C. Robinson, Parkes (Araujo 45); Pajaziti, Dibley-Dias; Godo, O’Neill, Jasper; Sanderson. Subs (not used): McNally, Tanton, Williams, S?ekularac.
GOALS: Jasper (14, 80).
REFEREE: Aaron Bannister.
ATTENDANCE: 121.
