Fulham’s under 21s registered their fifth successive league victory of the season after easing to a 3-0 win over West Bromwich Albion earlier this evening.
Matt Dibley-Dias celebrated his call-up to the New Zealand senior side by lashing in a fine opener before Chris Donnell drove in the second and Callum McFarlane emphatically headed home an excellent cross from Davon Tanton to complete a classic away display from Hayden Mullins’ men.
Kristian Šekularac was handed the task of leading the line and initially seemed to be implementing a shoot on sight policy with an audacious effort from distance that lacked the power to seriously trouble Baggies goalkeeper Ronnie Hollingshead. Luke Harris then threaded a lovely ball behind the home defence but Hollingshead repelled a strike from Adrion Pajaziti. Harris headed straight at the goalkeeper from a deep Šekularac set play but the talented Welshman knew he should have nodded the Whites ahead.
Pajaziti pulled the trigger from outside the box forcing a scrambling save from Hollingshead, but with the hosts coming under incessant pressure, the home side were unable to hold out until the break. Dibley-Dias drilled a wonderful effort into the top corner – demonstrating the terrific technique and an eye for goal that has earned him international recognition.
Ollie O’Neill went close on two separate occasions at the start of the second half before Mullins opted to replace Dibley-Dias and Harris with Okkas and Donnell. It was the later who put Fulham two up, powering home from a clever Jon Esenga cross. McFarlane also came off the bench and nearly scored straightaway, but he couldn’t connect on the stretch to turn home a devilish cross from O’Neill.
McFarlane did get his goal six minutes from time – powering a bullet header home from Tanton’s terrific ball in.
WEST BROMWICH ALBION UNDER 21s (4-2-3-1): Hollingshead; Pipa (Fellows 45), Williams (Shaw 18), Mohammed (Taylor 8; Whitwell 55), Hall; Mfuamba, Haper-Bailey; Higgins, Heard, Chalobah (Richards 45); Love.
BOOKED: Harper-Bailey, Higgins, Whitwell, Shaw.
FULHAM UNDER 21s (4-2-3-1): Wickens; Tanton, Esenga, de Fougerolles, Araujo (Odutayo 45),; Dibley-Dias (Okkas 60), Pajaziti, Works, O’Neill, Harris (Donnell 60); Sekularac (McFarlane 77). Subs (not used): Allen.
BOOKED: Araujo, O’Neill, Harris.
GOALS: Dibley-Dias (43), Donnell (68), McFarlane (84).
REFEREE: Ritchie Watkins.
