EDS fight back to claim a share of the spoils at Fulham

EDS & Academy

Date confirmed for City's UEFA Youth League last 16 tie

It was a tough start for the EDS at Motspur Park, as Luke Harris put the hosts ahead just five minutes into the action. 

Sonny Hilton then doubled Fulham’s lead after 15 minutes and it looked as though it could be a long evening for Brian Barry-Murphy‘s side. 

But Kane Taylor struck to halve the deficit before the break, and Will Dickson completed the comeback two minutes into the second half, sliding home a loose ball. 

City kept pressing forward in search of a winner, but we couldn’t break down the Fulham defence for a third time, seeing us settle for a point on the road. 

WHAT HAPPENED 

The Cottagers started the game in very confident fashion, immediately driving at the City defence from the first whistle. 

We struggled to get a foothold in the game in the opening stages, and were made to pay when, just five minutes in, Fulham’s top-scorer Harris lashed the ball past van Sas from just inside the area, giving the hosts a deserved lead. 

After falling behind, Barry-Murphy’s side managed to find their feet, producing some very nice patterns of play, almost resulting in a goal when a one-two with Dickson resulted in Alex Robertson‘s shot being saved by Fulham keeper George Wickens. 

But just as it looked we might draw level, the hosts doubled their advantage, capitalising on a mistake from City keeper van Sas which allowed Hilton to pick up the loose ball and poke it into the back of the net. 

Although we were keeping most of the possession, Fulham kept us at arm’s lengths as we struggled to test Wickens, but our breakthrough soon arrived. 

With ten minutes to go in the first half, Adedire Mebude found Joel Ndala in the box, the winger jinked past one defender before the ball was prodded away, but only as far as the on-rushing Taylor, and the left back side-footed the ball into the back of the net, halving the deficit. 

The goal gave us some much needed momentum, and we piled forward in search of an equaliser, with Mebude looking particularly threatening down our right hand side. 

Robertson nearly spectacularly drew us level, with Wickens forced to punch away a powerful free-kick, but Fulham were able to hold on to their lead at the break. 

But whilst the hosts may have hoped the break would stump our momentum, that theory was put to rest just two minutes into the second half when Wickens failed to hold onto Robertson’s shot, seeing the ball fall into the path of Dickson who duly finished into an empty net, drawing us level. 

Soon after, we almost took the lead when Robertson brilliantly worked some space on the edge of the area, unleashing a shot which Wickens managed to get his fingertips to. 

City retained control of the match, but the winner proved hard to come by, as the stubborn hosts defence resisted the pressure as they looked to hold out for a point. 

It looked as though City may be awarded a penalty when Mebude was brought down inside the area, but the referee adjudged that there was no foul and we had to settle for a draw in the capital. 

HOW WE LINED UP

Barry-Murphy continued with van Sas as the Blues’ stopper, but shuffled his pack in defence with Terrell Agyemang making his first start for the EDS, Max Alleyne and Taylor were brought back into the side from the U18s, starting alongside Finley Burns. 

Shea Charles continued in his usual deep-lying defensive role in our midfield, just behind Kian Breckin and Robertson. 

Ndala started in attack, occupying the left-wing spot with Mebude on the opposing flank and Dickson up top. 

Fulham U21s

Starting XI: Wickens, Araujo, Tanton, Odutayo, Hilton (C) (Ablade 77’), Robinson, McFarlane (Sanderson 56’), D’Auria-Henry, Pajaziti, Okkas (Williams 56’), Harris.

Substitutes: Allen, Williams, Godo, Sanderson. 

Manchester City Elite Development Squad

Starting XI: van Sas, Agyemang (McDonald 56’), Burns, Alleyne, Taylor, Charles (C), Mebude, Breckin, Dickson, Robertson (Adam 67’), Ndala (Borges 67’). 

Substitutes: McNamara. 

WHAT IT MEANS 

The draw means we extend our advantage at the top of the Premier League 2 table. 

Our advantage over Chelsea has now grown to three points with the same amount of games played, whilst the draw also sees our unbeaten run reach seven games.  

UP NEXT

Next, the EDS will return to the Academy Stadium as we face Everton. 

Kick off against the Toffees will be at 14:00pm (UK) on Saturday 25 February.