Fulham’s under-21 side began their pre-season preparations with a thrilling 3-3 draw against Bromley at Hayes Lane yesterday afternoon.
In weather that alternated from glorious sunshine to drizzle – with a torrential thunderstorm in between – both sides proved eager to get the ball down and play. From the outset former Fulham academy graduate Josh Passley impressed down the right flank and the hosts made the early running. Corey Whitely whistled a free-kick just wide of Alfie McNally’s goal but Bromley did go ahead when Passley’s perfectly weighted chip allowed Louis Dennis to find the far corner.
Fulham quickly drew level when they seized possession after a mistake from James Vennings saw the visitors knit together a promising move of precise passes before Ollie Sanderson fired a low finish into the bottom corner from the edge of the box. Sanderson twice went close to giving the Whites the lead shortly afterwards, but he was denied by superb saves from on loan Chelsea custodian Teddy Sharman-Lowe.
At the other net, McNally was equal to an effort from Besart Topalloj but the Fulham goalkeeper was beaten by a brilliant strike from Vennings, who advanced from midfield after winning the ball back easily and found the top corner with an excellent effort from distance. The Ravens were quick off the mark as they sought to extend their lead after the interval, with Jude Arthurs firing over from close range, and McNally doing brilliantly to deny Michael Cheek’s attempted chip.
Just as the home side looked to be applying further pressure, they were punished by the predatory finishing of winger Terrell Works, who capitalised on some defensive hesitation to race through on Sharman-Lowe and level matters. Fulham’s superior fitness appeared to be telling towards the end and substitute Callum McFarlane seemed to have snatched victory with a sublime individual strike only for George Alexander to guide home Rhys Wyborn’s cross from the left within sixty seconds to make it 3-3.
This was a useful exercise for Fulham’s youngsters. Aside from Sanderson, Works and McFarlane who caught the eye in the way they scored the three goals, there was encouraging cameo from young midfielder Josh King, who belied his tender age with the confidence to orchestrate play impressively from the engine room and got a side weakened by several young stars facing Cardiff in a friendly at Motspur Park going forward.
BROMLEY: Sharman-Lowe; Passley, Topalloj, Reynolds, Webster; Arthurs, Vennings, Dennis, Krauhaus; Whiteley, Cheek. Subs: Smith, Trialist A, Woods, Marriott, Trialist B, Alexander, Sablier, Wyborn, Kamara, Joyce, German.
GOALS: Dennis (11), Vennings (26), Alexander (80).
FULHAM UNDER 21s: McNally; Tanton, Slade, Williams, Essenga; Gofford, Donnell; Works, Ablade, Sekularac; Sanderson. Subs: Conway, Okkas, King, Gordon, Loupalo-Bi, McFarlane.
GOALS: Sanderson (14), Works (64), McFarlane (79).
REFEREE: Lloyd Wood (Romford).
