Fulham’s under 21s made it four wins from four in the Premier League Cup group stages after three second half strikes secured a comfortable win over Nottingham Forest at Motspur Park tonight.

Steve Wigley’s side, featuring under-18 full back Luc de Fougerolles alongside Harvey Araujo at the heart of a rejigged back four, had to hold firm after a strong side from the visitors with the experienced Lyle Taylor causing plenty of problems for the Fulham back line from the outset. The former Charlton and AFC Wimbledon striker teed up Billy Fewster from distance but the winger’s effort drifted just wide of George Wickens’ goal. Taylor went even closer on twelve minutes when his audacious overhead kick cannoned back off the crossbar with the goalkeeper beaten.

The Whites struggled to find their usual cohesion in attack and had to wait until midway through the first period to test George Shelvey when Adrion Pajaziti almost surprised the Forest goalkeeper with a near-post effort. Fulham pressed towards the end of the first period but Olly Sanderson was unable to connect with two terrific deliveries from flying full-back Luciano D’Auria-Henry.

It was the Ealing-born right back who unlocked the visiting defence seven minutes after the interval following an early effort from the lively Martial Godo. D’Auria-Henry whipped in a lovely ball again from the right flank and captain Ollie O’Neill produced a sublime strike into the top corner despite being surrounded by a number of away defenders. It was the Irish under-21 international’s fifth goal of a brilliant season so far. Pajaziti nearly doubled Fulham’s lead with a low drive after a clever run but his effort rolled fractionally past the post.

Fulham did make it two with just over a quarter an hour to play when Godo deservedly got on the scoresheet by scoring a brilliant individual goal. He gained possession in midfield and dribbled determinedly past a number of Forest tacklers and found the far corner from a tight angle with a delightful finish. Pajaziti put the gloss on the victory from the penalty spot four minutes later.

Forest kept going until the very end but were denied a deserved consolation when substitute Esapa Osong curled a fine finish off the crossbar from distance in the closing stages.

FULHAM UNDER 21s (4-2-3-1): Wickens; D’Auria-Henry, Parkes, de Fougerolles, Araujo; Williams, Pajaziti; O’Neill, Godo, Šekularac (Works 39); Sanderson (Loupalo-Bi 72). Subs (not used): Allen, Tanton, Okkas.

GOALS: O’Neill (52), Godo (74), Pajaziti (pen 78).

NOTTINGHAM FOREST UNDER 21s (4-4-2): Shelvey; Hammond, Powell (Perkins 76), Collins, Abbott; Donnelly, Gibson-Hammond, Fewster (Johnson 88), D. Taylor; L. Taylor (Osong 63), O. Hammond. Subs (not used): R. Hammond, McAdam.

BOOKED: Fewster, Donnelly.

REFEREE: Aji Ajibola.