Fulham Under-23s fell to their first PL2 defeat of the season on Friday evening, losing 2-0 to Norwich City at Craven Cottage.
After going two down in the 77th minute, the young Whites created chances but couldn’t quite find a way back into the game.
The visitors created the first half-chance inside the opening five minutes. Striker Tyrses Omotoye received the ball inside the Fulham box but his effort deflected wide.
Norwich certainly came out the stronger of the two sides and put the young Whites under a lot of pressure early on.
Fulham threatened a couple of minutes later, however. Jean-Pierre Tiehi received the ball from Terry Ablade before powering down the right side. His attempted cross failed to reach Ryan Jones, who was waiting at the back-post, but nearly snuck into the far corner.
On 15 minutes, Adrion Pajaziti swung in a dangerous ball and after a minor scramble in the box, Reece McAlear cleared.
We had to wait until the 23rd minute for the next real attack. Ziyad Larkeche played a clever through-ball over the top to Ablade, but the goalkeeper came rushing off his line to smash the ball away.
Just seconds later, the Canaries opened the scoring down the other end. Omotoye was played in on goal and calmly slotted the ball under the onrushing Luca Ashby-Hammond.
Norwich created another half-chance 31 minutes in. Josh Giurgi found space down the right and played the ball across to William Hondermarck whose effort fired just over the crossbar.
Colin Omogbehin and Mark Pembridge’s side came out with a point to prove in the second half. Soon after the whistle was blown, Luca Murphy bombed down the right-hand side but his searching cross was a little too high for Tiehi.
In the 55th minute, Ablade found himself charging towards the Norwich goal but his effort was skewed and fizzed wide.
We had the woodwork to thank in the 66th minute, when Zac Dronfield’s long-range attempt cannoned off the corner of the crossbar.
A few minutes later, Tiehi rose highest to get on the end of a Jayden Harris cross but his header was straight down the ‘keeper’s throat and comfortably dealt with.
Ashby-Hammond kept Fulham in the game in the 73rd minute. The ball was headed goalbound by Andrew Omobamidele but our shotstopper dived to his left to claw it away.
Norwich doubled their lead in the 77th minute, with Tom Dickson-Peters converting as the ball was swung in.
Minutes later, we came inches away from pulling one back from a corner. Pajaziti curled in and the ball looked to be heading into the far corner before goalkeeper Jon McCracken somehow pushed it towards safety.
We fought for a way back into the game but it was the Canaries who took all three points.
Team Lineup
L Ashby-Hammond (GK), L Murphy, C McAvoy, J Mundle-Smith, Z Larkeche, J Harris, A Pajaziti, B Davis, T Ablade, R Jones, JP Tiehi
Subs:
D Las (GK), E Ameyaw, O O’Neill, J Stansfield