Martial Godo grabbed the winner for the second week running as Fulham’s under 21s made it two wins out of two under new head coach Hayden Mullins by beating Manchester City 2-1 at Motspur Park this evening.
The former Margate winner, who fired home deep into injury-time to seal a come from behind victory at Wolverhampton Wanderers last Friday night, shrugged off the disappointment of seeing a fifth-minute penalty saved to head home the decisive goal on hour after a melee in the Manchester City area. Godo, who recently signed a one-year contract extension with the Whites, was a thorn in City’s side all night.
He set the tone after just five minutes – winning a penalty after he was brought down in the box – but saw his spot-kick smartly saved by teenage City goalkeeper True Grant. The visitors nearly punished Fulham for that failure with sixteen year-old Justin Oboavwoduo surging through on goal, but Alex Borto read the situation impeccably and spread himself well to save after sprinting off his line.
Fulham went in front after Grant’s attempt to play out of the back ended up at the feet of Jamaican international Delano McCoy-Splatt, who deftly chipped the City goalkeeper with a fine finish. But Fulham’s lead lasted just four minutes. City captain Max Hamilton glided away from several challenges before feeding the dangerous Oboavwoduo, who squared for Tal Sodje to tap home from close range.
Terrell Works then took the attack to City all by himself. The young winger breezed past his marker before slipping in Olly Sanderson, who unselfishly sought to find Godo rather than try and a shot, and the covering blue-shirted defenders cleared the danger. The technically-gifted Hamilton almost put the away side in front when he darted in from the right flank but fizzed his shot fractionally over the bar.
Fulham came out on the front foot after the interval forcing Grant into a good save within a minute of the restart. Australian midfielder Chris Donnell tried his luck five minutes later but his shot was easily held by the Manchester City goalkeeper. Godo was furious with himself after dragging a left-footed shot wide after latching onto a searching ball from McCoy-Splatt, but the wide man nodded the young Whites in front after an almighty goalmouth scramble.
City, who were hammered 5-0 by Tottenham Hotspur in their opening outing of the new season, put the Fulham goal under sustained pressure for the final twenty minutes. Mullins’ side emerged unscathed, surviving nine added minutes, and could have extended their advantage when Works unleashed a long-range curler that was terrifically tipped over by Grant. Mullins will be delighted with his new side’s flawless start as attention turns to their Football League Trophy test at Portsmouth on Tuesday evening.
FULHAM UNDER 21s (4-3-3): Borto; Tanton, Parkes (Esenga 33), Odutayo, Araujo; Dibley-Dias, McCoy-Splatt, Donnell (Okkas 81); Godo, Works, Sanderson (McFarlane 71). Subs (not used): McNally, Gordon.
BOOKED: Araujo.
GOALS: McCoy-Splatt (14), Godo (60).
MANCHESTER CITY (4-3-3): Grant; Samuel, Taylor, Simpson-Pusey, Alleyne; Dada-Mascoll, Wright (Galvez 81), Dickson; Hamilton, Oboavwoduo (Lawrence 61), Sodje (Okeke 61). Subs (not used): Murray-Jones, Smith.
BOOKED: Sodje, Taylor, Alleyne.
GOAL: Sodje (18).
