Fulham Under-18s put in a lethal performance to smash six past Southampton on Saturday morning.
Two braces from Jay Stansfield and Michael Olakigbe, along with goals from Idris Odutayo and Kieron Bowie helped the boys cruise to a comfortable victory.
Fulham captain Odutayo nearly got his side ahead within the first minute, when his back-post header was dramatically cleared off the line.
Unbelievably, Odutayo scored just seconds later and from the exact same position. Olakigbe’s corner fell nicely to Luke Harris, whose header hit the crossbar before falling to the left-back. It was a dream start for Steve Wigley’s side, who were in control.
A nice piece of build-up play nearly doubled our lead on the 10-minute mark. Bowie cleverly found Harris’ overlapping run but the midfielder’s shot was straight at goalkeeper Oliver Wright. Olakigbe drilled a low effort just wide seconds later.
Stansfield’s first involvement came five minutes later, but his right-footed effort was well blocked by Saints defender Will Tizzard.
The persistent pressure soon paid off, with Kieron Bowie doubling the lead. The chance came courtesy of a superb curling ball from Stansfield, which Bowie tapped in from the edge of the six-yard box.
Stansfield was gifted a goal just before the half-hour mark, pouncing on a poor touch from the Southampton ‘keeper before rolling the ball into an open net.
Bowie was looking lively down the left-hand side and did excellently to get past two defenders and find Imani Lanquedoc on the edge of the box. His effort was smashed over.
Harris should have added his name to the scoresheet on the brink of half-time, but his sliding effort at the back post dribbled just wide.
After a dominant 45 minutes, Fulham went in with a three-goal lead at the interval.
Stansfield was at the heart of Fulham’s creativity again for the fourth goal, finding Olakigbe at the far post, whose fantastic volley cannoned into the far corner. A fantastic pass and a somehow even better finish.
Just a matter of seconds later, Stansfield grabbed his second to make it five, firing a low right-footed effort into the bottom corner.
Substitute Jaylan Wildbore came close to making an instant impact on 70 minutes. After bringing down a lofted Lanquedoc ball with his chest, he cut in onto his left foot and watched as his effort was blocked.
Wildbore found himself through again, but this time his strike was saved by the legs of the goalkeeper.
Olakigbe grabbed his second and Fulham’s sixth on 80 minutes, slotting his shot into the far corner after a deflection fell kindly for the attacker.
Team Lineup:
Borto; D’Auria-Henry (Tanton 68’), Parkes, Williams, Odutayo; Caton (Okkas 62’), Lanquedoc, Harris; Bowie, Olakigbe, Stansfield (Wildbore 68’)
Subs:
Araujo, Tanton, Okkas, Wildbore, Sanderson
