Birthday boy Aaron Loupalo-Bi fired Fulham under 21s into the knockout stages of the Football League Trophy by scoring the winner at Gillingham this evening.
The in-form England under-19 international lashed in a cross from Chris Donnell after excellent play from Luke Harris just before half time to seal a vital win over League Two outfit Gillingham at Prestfield and ensure Hayden Mullins’ men progressed from the group stage with a hard-fought victory following impressive draws at Portsmouth and Leyton Orient in their previous two fixtures.
The three points Fulham picked up in Kent – combined with Orient’s defeat against Portsmouth – ensured the under-21s progressed to the knockout stages of the tournament for the first time. It was a fitting reward for the young Whites’ sense of adventure, typified by the way the visitors flew out of the blocks. They might have been in front inside ninety seconds when Imani Lanquedoc watched his deflected effort fall just wide after Harris had charged down a clearance from Gills goalkeeper Glenn Morris.
Lanquedoc then forced a smart save from Morris after Loupalo-Bi had shielded the ball superbly from the home defenders before Steven Benda, making his second start at under-21 level having returned to full training following the knee injury that has kept him out for the best part of the year, held a Max Ehmer header. Harris hammered a half volley wide and Benda did well to keep out an effort from Matty Macarthur before the away side finished the first half on the front foot.
Loupalo-Bi nearly punished an errant throw with an audacious strike that flew fractionally wide and then turned provider for Ollie O’Neill, with the skipper’s volley diverted over the bar by a defender. The Irish under-21 international had enough strike blocked from a well-worked short corner but the Whites’ pressure told two minutes before half time. Harris unlocked the home defence with a brilliant ball for Donnell and the Australian’s ball was clinically converted by the lively Loupalo-Bi.
Fulham were fluent in their passing and movement after the break but clear cut chances took a while to materialise. Donnell perhaps should have done better than head over the bar from a lovely Lanquedoc cross, but the hosts eventually laid siege to the visitors’ goal in the closing stages. Harris did brilliantly to head away a goalbound free-kick from Tom Nichols before Benda made a magnificent stop to keep out a drive from Lewis Walker.
The Londoners came close to a killer second goal on the counter-attack when a lovely left-wing link-up between O’Neill and Jon Esenga saw the full back shoot over the top and Loupalo-Bi had a shot deflected over after latching onto more outstanding vision from the captain. Instead, Mullins’ men had to resist a late Gills onslaught as Walker shot into the side netting and two diligent bits of defending from Harvey Araujo in the seven minutes of stoppage time preserved Fulham’s slender advantage.
GILLINGHAM: Morris, Orji, Ehmer, Ogie (Masterson 45), Clark, Chambers (Clarke 75), Dieng (Coleman 62), Walker, Lapslie (Jonny Williams 61), MacArthur (Bonne 75), Nichols. Subs (not used): Turner, Alexander.
FULHAM UNDER 21s: Benda; Tanton, Esenga, Araujo, Odutayo; Donnell (Okkas 90+2), Francois (Pajaziti 64); Lanquedoc (Gordon 85), O’Neill, Harris; Loupalo-Bi (Sekularac 85). Subs (not used): Borto, Jay Williams, Gofford, Osmand.
BOOKED: Odutayo, O’Neill.
GOAL: Loupalo-Bi (43).
REFEREE: Craig Hicks.
ATTENDANCE: 1,226.
