Billy McKinlay’s Development Squad emerged as winners in their final home game of the season, against the prospective Barclays Reserve League South champions, in a game of few chances at Motspur Park. Aston Villa topped the division going into the game, and knew that a win would secure them the title, but they had it anything but easy against a solid Fulham side.
As has become the norm in recent weeks, the Fulham line-up included a number of players with First Team experience. Chris Baird marshalled the defence, Moritz Volz took up a position in the centre of midfield alongside Simon Elliott, whilst Hameur Bouazza and Seol Ki-Hyeon provided width on the wings. January signings Toni Kallio and Eddie Johnson both also featured in the starting XI in left-back and lone striker roles respectively.
The game had barely settled into a rhythm when the home side came close to breaking the deadlock. Forcing an early corner, Hameur Bouazza’s set-piece crossed the whole area and was headed back across the goalmouth to Eddie Johnson at the near post. The American nodded an effort goalwards, but it was stopped on the line by the outstretched leg of a desperate Villa defender.
That early drama contributed to a frantic tempo, as both sides tried in vain to get the ball on the floor and dictate their own pace. But with neither team able to get hold of the game, there was no real fluidity to proceedings and any efforts on goal were restricted to hopeful attempts; a Johnson shot from distance, for instance, not troubling Bevan in the Villa goal as it sailed wide. Similarly, it was 16 minutes before Tony Warner touched the ball at the other end. Even then it was only to safely collect a hopeful cross that never threatened to amount to anything more.
Ten minutes later, Warner was called into action for real. Villa attacked down the right, but as the Whites’ defenders closed the danger, it left Barry Bannon free on the left-flank. The ball was worked to the lively looking youngster, who cut inside and attempted to pass a curling ball into the far corner of the net. The shot lacked real power though and the Fulham keeper was able to get down to smother it.
The tempo had dropped a little, but Fulham burst into life once more on the half hour. Johnson fed Bouazza through on goal, but, forced wide, he held the ball up, before laying it back to Seol whose cross-come-shot was almost deflected into the net by a back-tracking Villa defender. To Bevan’s relief though, it looped over the bar and out for a corner.
The visitors had gradually been venturing further into the final third, but Chris Baird and Adrian Leijer were proving too alert to allow any real danger. But on 35 minutes, it was hearts in mouths time for the Whites, and there was nothing the central defensive duo could do to help. Tony Warner appeared to have plenty of time to deal with a backpass, but the pace of Nathan Delfouneso caught him by surprise. The Villa striker managed to closedown and block the ‘keeper’s clearance, claiming possession for his own. However, Warner showed his experience by forcing the youngster too wide to pull off a decent shot into the empty net, and eventually smothered the ball once more.
With the light dimming, and a fine drizzle beginning to fall, it was Fulham that almost had the last word of the half. Moritz Volz surged free from midfield. Carrying the ball, he appeared to have beaten Nathan Baker for pace en route to goal. However, the defender made a lunging challenge, which had a slight suggestion of professional foul about it, but the referee waved away the appeals, and allowed Villa to clear.
The second period started at a slower pace to the first, as both sides tried to come to terms with the now heavier rain. The first chance of note came just before the hour mark, when a Villa free-kick from the left was headed just wide by substitute Eric Lichaj. Moments later, another set piece, this time a free-kick from deep, caused a moment of panic in the Whites defence, but it was eventually cleared by Bouazza.
Fulham were starting to enjoy more possession than their opponents, but the visiting defence was standing tall to prevent any real incision from the Whites midfield. The most likely source of joy promised to be down the left-flank, where Bouazza was busy. Seol too found himself in space there on a couple of occasions, and both asked questions of the defenders with some searching crosses.
Still, it was the 65th minute before Bevan was forced to make his first save of the evening. One of a number of Fulham corners, this one from the right, appeared to have come to nothing, but a second attempt at a cross by Seol was deflected into the path of Chris Baird on the edge of the box. The defender met the ball first time, but although his fizzing drive flew through a crowded box full of players, it was comfortably gathered by the Villa keeper.
Fulham were beginning to smell a goal though and Simon Elliott came close to breaking the deadlock in spectacular fashion. From 35 yards he attempted a powerful drive, but it flew narrowly over, with the keeper a mere spectator.
Gaps were beginning to appear as both sides pressed for what promised to be a decisive goal in a tight game, and Villa came closest next. A low near-post cross from the right threatened danger, but Kallio was alert to throw himself in front of the ball, conceding a corner instead. But from the resultant set-piece, Lichaj was allowed a free shot, but thankfully for the Whites, he flashed it across goal and wide of the near post.
The game may have been reaching the final stages, but neither team looked intent on giving up the chase, despite the wet conditions and tired legs, and it was Fulham that would get the reward for their perseverance. A poor goal-kick by Bevan was collected in midfield by Elliott. The New Zealander fed Volz, who surged forwards before playing a defence-splitting pass to Eddie Johnson. Through one-on-one, the striker kept his composure, prodding the ball with the outside of his right boot past Bevan and in off the far post.
The Whites may have appeared to have snatched it at the death, but they weren’t content to sit on their lead. Matthew Briggs was brave on the left-hand-side, winning a header and persisting into the box. He squared the ball to the waiting Johnson, but a Villa defender managed to scrap the ball away in desperation.
However, there was to be one last reward for Billy McKinlay’s side. In one final push on goal, Moritz Volz was brought down on the top left corner of the penalty area. Hameur Bouazza lined up the subsequent free-kick and his superb out-swinging cross was perfect for the towering head of Toni Kallio, who rose highest to head home.
Fulham: Warner; Moncur, Kallio (Anderson), Baird, Leijer; Ki-Hyeon, Elliott, Volz, Milsom (Briggs), Bouazza; Johnson.
