As the season has progressed, the Under-18s have had to deal with injuries and the call-up of a number of their players to Development Squad duty. This encounter against Watford was a prime example, and a number of the new scholars for next season were called upon.
Nevertheless, Fulham demonstrated in periods the type of slick, fast passing movement that has characterised their play throughout the campaign. It was a very open encounter as Watford looked to take the game to the home side as well.
Although the Hornets were pushing numbers forward, the Whites looked solid in defence and were keen, when in possession, to move the ball out from the back and through midfield to the strikers. It was a crafted move like this that saw Fulham take the lead; Jordan Wilson shot from inside the area and the Watford keeper could only half save, Pierre Hall was alert, and pounced to slot home his first goal of the season.
The second-half however, started in the worst possible fashion as Watford, having rarely posed a real threat on goal in the first period, struck back to bring the scores level. The visitors hadn’t created many chances, yet they were willing to push men forward and ask questions of the Fulham back line.
The equaliser didn’t deter Fulham from playing and they rightly regained the lead courtesy of Jordan Wilson, whose pace was causing problems. The Watford defence backed off him on this occasion and he took the chance to shoot from the edge of the area to give Fulham a 2-1 lead.
Fulham capped off a stirring display with a third goal to confirm the points. It came via Alex Smith and was arguably the pick of the three. Michael Uwezu held up play on the edge of the box before crossing into the middle. Smith, rushing in from his flank, met the ball on the volley and sent it past the despairing dive of the Watford keeper.
Fulham: Etheridge; Laribi, Brown, Briggs, Anderson; Wilson, Jackson, Hall (Harris 46), Marsh-Brown (A. Smith 29); L. Smith, Uwezu