A brace from midfielder Tom Olyott ensured Fulham’s under 18s got their league campaign off to the perfect start with a 2-0 win over Reading at Motspur Park this morning.
Ali Melloul’s first line-up of the new campaign featured four of the academy scholars with Dino Kaiser handed the number one jersey, Samuel Tabares and Bradley Slade starting as part of the back four and the highly-rated Josh King featuring in the centre of midfield. With last season’s top scorer Aaron Loupalo-Bi ruled out through injury, Welsh forward Callum Osmand led the line.
The home side made a blistering start with the dangerous runs of winger Lemar Gordon catching the eye. He almost found a way through to goal early on but was denied by a fine challenge from Shay Spencer. Fulham took the lead shortly before the half hour mark with a well-worked move. De Jesus’ delightful diagonal released Gordon, whose cross broke kindly for Olyott and the Irish midfielder shifted the ball on his right foot before firing home.
Gordon and Osmand both had shots blocked after the opener and the Whites kept up the pressure on the Reading defence after half time. King cantered forward to profit from a smart lay-off by Osmand but his shot lacked the power required to truly test Royals goalkeeper Harrison Rhone.
The visitors enjoyed a strong spell of pressure midway through the second period. William Ramirez saw a powerful shot bravely blocked by a combination of Tabares and Slade before Kaiser denied Jerae Jones with his feet after the winger had waltzed past several Fulham defenders. Fulham responded with a rasping drive from Olyott that rattled the post but they had to wait until the first minute of stoppage time to make the game safe after Rhone made superb saves to deny Gordon, substitute Jayden Quashie and Chibby Nwoko.
Olyott made sure of the points in the first minute of added time when he raced onto a perfectly weighted through ball from substitute Farhaan Ali Wahid and finished with real composure.
FULHAM UNDER 18s (4-2-3-1): Kaiser; de Jesus, Slade (Esenga 21), Tabares, Park; Nwoko, Gofford; Gordon, Olyott, King (Quashie 69); Osmand (Ali Wahid 90). Subs (not used): Varney, Nsasi.
GOALS: Olyott (29, 90+1).
READING UNDER 18s (4-2-3-1): Rhone; Osho (Hay 45), Field, Beacroft, Golding; Spencer, Sackey (Fiddes 78); Jones, Smith, Ramirez (Rohart-Brown 61); Barough. Subs (not used): Sharlott, Dunk.
BOOKED: Hay.
REFEREE: Kai Morgan.
