A late leveller from Reading winger Jarae Jones denied Fulham under 18s a win at Motspur Park yesterday afternoon as both sides had to settle for a point in a breathless 2-2 draw.
The visitors took an early lead through a looping header from Luke Howard and Jones’ deflected equaliser ten minutes from time denied Ali Melloul’s side victory over Farhaan Ali Wahid and Seth Ridgeon had scored either side of half-time to put the hosts in the ascendancy.
The young Whites began brightly with only alert defending from Ryan Zie denying them a goalscoring opportunity after Macauley Zepa had sped down the right. The Royals weren’t content to put men behind the ball with Jones showing an early indication of his threat by bursting through the Fulham defence but shooting wide of goal.
The visitors went ahead from a well-worked set play as Howard climbed highest to direct Jones’ corner beyond the clutches of Dino Kaiser in the Fulham goal. They nearly shot themselves in the foot at the other end when skipper Phil Duah went to play the ball back to his goalkeeper having overlooked the fact that Josh Welland was not between the sticks. Fortunately, for Reading the pass rolled just wide of the empty net.
Skipper Jayden Quashie saw a drive deflected over from the ensuing corner before Aiden Evans headed another set piece just over the bar. Welland then scampered off his line to deny Zepa an equaliser after a lovely give and go with the influential Ridgeon. Ali Wahi was next to go close, shooting fractionally wide of the near post after a Fulham free-kick bounced invitingly into his path.
Ridgeon saw an effort deflected in Welland’s arms but the young Whites drew level five minutes before the break. Zepa found Ali Wahid, who turned terrifically just outside the area, and found the bottom corner with a measured finish. Welland made a big save to thwart Evans right on the 45 minute mark and the hosts continued their pressure at the start of the second half. Ridgeon fired them in front with a powerful finish after being teed up by Zepa before the French winger forced a smart save from Welland after excellent approach play from Bashil Lubega and Quashie.
Logan Cooke then came to Fulham’s rescue when he scrambled off the line after Henry Agyekam had prodded a finish past Kaiser, but the Whites couldn’t hold out beyond the 84th minute. Jones took aim from a tight angle with white shirts in the way of him and Kaiser but the deftest of deflections saw the shoot trickle into the net. Kaiser preserved parity with a crucial diving save from Jones after a beautiful by substitute Ryan Beacroft in the last minute, whilst the hosts had a goal ruled out in added time for offisde against Eddie Nsasi.
FULHAM UNDER 18s (4-2-3-1): Kaiser; Nsasi, Picotto, Cooke, Slade; Quashie, Ridgeon; Zepa, Ali Wahid, Evans (White 84); Lubega. Subs (not used): Varney, Walters, Platel, Khan.
BOOKED: Picotto.
GOALS: Ali Wahid (40), Ridgeon (50).
READING UNDER 18s (4-2-3-1): Welland; Zie (Agyekam 57), Source, Duah, Harrison; Howard, Nour (Beacroft 57); Osho, Jones, Saint-Louis; George (Irish 57). Subs (not used): Pullinger, Grant.
BOOKED: Beacroft.
GOALS: Howard (11), Jones (84).
REFEREE: Abdul Oloi.
