Terrell Works celebrated turning professional with a late winner as Fulham’s under 21s beat Braintree Town in an impressive pre-season outing this evening at Cressing Road.
Hayden Mullins used sixteen squad members as the young Whites put together a strong showing two weeks before the start of their season at Sutton United on August 12. The National League outfit provided a stern test and had a couple of early chances of their own with Chay Cooper drawing an early save from Marco Underwood with a speculative strike from long-range and Aidan Francis-Clarke drilling a long-distance drive over the crossbar.
Underwood got down to his right to repel an angled effort from Cooper on the half hour mark before Fulham’s under 21s found some fluency. Freddie Hockey deflected a cross-cum-shot from Macauley Zepa over his own bar before Works raced into the box only to be denied by a brilliant challenge from a Braintree defender.
Braintree’s Trialist A goalkeeper than made a sharp save at his near post when Tom Olyott tried to squeeze a shot in from an acute angle after an excellent switch of play from the alert Works. Farhaan Ali Wahid, who also signed professional terms with the Whites yesterday, shot wide from 25 yards as the visitors finished the first half strongly.
Works, who roamed from a free role behind the centre forward, was the creative force behind the Fulham forays in the second period. He teed up right back Ollie Gofford, introduced as a second half substitute, but the full back’s low shot was well saved. Tom Olyott had a shot tipped over the bar before Underwood did well to keep out an effort from Hockey at the other end.
Just when it looked like the contest was set to end all square, Works scored a superb winger. Fulham’s most dangerous operator on the night found space on the right flank and cut in to slide a low shot under the Braintree goalkeeper to put the young Whites in front. Fulham survived a serious let off in the first minute of injury time with Langston heading just wide of Underwood’s goal after excellent play from Trialist G.
Mullins’ side held out to earn a good win after a tough workout in Essex this evening and return to action against Woking at Motspur Park on Tuesday evening.
BRAINTREE TOWN: Trialist A; Francis-Clarke (Pinnington 61), Langston, Trialist B, Clampin (Trialist F 72), Vennings (Trialist G 72), Miranda (Trialist H 72), Blackwell (Trialist C 45), Judge (Trialist E 45), Cooper (Trialist D 45), Akinde (Hockey 29).
FULHAM UNDER 21s (4-3-3): Underwood; de Jesus (Gofford 45), Slade, Nsasi, Amissah; Nwoko, Quashie (White 70), Olyott (Wingate 70); Works, Zepa (Ali Wahid 60), Sanderson (Walters 88).
GOAL: Works (88).
ATTENDANCE: 283.
