A late leveller from Macauley Zepa earned Fulham’s under 18s a point against league leaders Chelsea in a six-goal thriller at Motspur Park earlier this afternoon.
The young Whites came from behind twice in the second half and substitute Zepa scored within a minute of coming off the bench – finishing from close range at the near post after the persistence of Aaron Loupalo-Bi had forced Harrison McMahon into a last-ditch tackle.
Chelsea, inspired by the outside chance of sealing the league title with a win and other results going their way, began the brighter of the two sides. Ato Ampah forced an early save from Marco Underwood before Tyrique George had a goal chalked off because he was offside. Fulham’s first fluent attack saw Chibby Nwoko overlap the run of Loupalo-Bi along the right flank but the midfielder’s cross was inches away from finding Tom Olyott.
The Whites went in front in fortunate circumstances as Tom Wingate pressurised Kai Crampton as the ball went back to the Chelsea goalkeeper and the forward’s challenge on the edge of the box propelled the ball into the net to give the visitors the lead. Crampton was eventually replaced by schoolboy debutant Jack Austin between the sticks. At the other end, Underwood flew off his line to deny Ampah and then thwarted Donnell McNeilly, who hit a low shot towards goal after being set up by the lively George.
Chelsea came close to an equaliser when Ollie Harrison’s looping cross wrongfooted Underwood and crashed back into play off the far post. The hosts did draw level right on the stroke of half time with Reiss Denny threading a fine through ball to put George clean through on goal. He dummied his way around Underwood and rolled a right-footed finish into the unguarded net.
The Blues began stronger in the second half with Kaiden Wilson having a far post header held by Underwood before the hosts hit the front. Harrison Murray-Campbell forced his way down the right wing and flashed a low cross towards the back post. Denny rather snatched at his finish but the alert McNeilly reacted quickest to score from close range. But the Whites were level within nine minutes as England youth international Seth Ridgeon robbed Denny of possession and ran half the line of the field before firing into the bottom corner.
Chelsea inched ahead again with twelve minutes to play. Skipper Travis Akomeah stepped up from the back and set up McNeilly, who held off his man saw his left-footed finish deflected over the grounded Underwood. But Zepa wasted no time in hauling Fulham level after being introduced as a late substitute with a gleeful finish from a few yards out after Loupalo-Bi had bulldozed his way towards the Chelsea goal.
FULHAM UNDER 18s (4-2-3-1): Underwood; de Jesus, Slade, Amissah, Tabares (Esenga 86); Nwoko, Ridgeon; Olyott (Zepa 82), Gordon, Wingate (Ali Wahid 64); Loupalo-Bi. Subs (not used): Varney, Park.
BOOKED: Nwoko.
GOALS: Wingate (27), Ridgeon (67), Zepa (83).
CHELSEA UNDER 18s (4-2-3-1): Crampton (Austin 42); Murray-Campbell, Wilson, Antwi; Harrison (Ngumoha 75), Ampah (Runham 68), George, Denny; McNeilly. Subs (not used): Wade, Olagunjiu.
BOOKED: Wilson, Denny.
GOALS: George (45+2), McNeilly (58, 78).
REFEREE: Callum Peter.
