Fulham U21 2-1 Arsenal U21

Fulham Under-21s came out on top of an entertaining London derby against Arsenal at Motspur Park on Friday night.

The Young Whites – who successfully trialled a new formation with three at the back – led at the interval courtesy of Olly Sanderson’s stooping header.

Amario Cozier-Duberry restored parity a matter of seconds into the second period, but Luke Harris ensured the points stayed in Surrey with a smart finish five minutes later.

It was almost the perfect start in the opening minute when a Harris burst put Hubert Graczyk under pressure, but the visiting goalkeeper just about managed to squeeze his clearance beyond the Welshman’s slide tackle.

With Fulham fielding fewer defenders than usual, Arsenal were looking to exploit the wide areas, and their first effort duly arrived from the left flank, but Catalin Cirjan blazed over after cutting inside.

Sanderson then drilled wide at the other end, but the flag was already up.

The Gunners should have taken the lead in the 12th minute when Mauro Bandeira broke through the lines from midfield before playing in Charles Sagoe Jr, who dragged his shot wide of the far post.

It was end to end stuff, with the sea parting in front of Martial Godo as he advanced on goal, inviting him to shoot from 20 yards, but it was straight at Graczyk.

Arsenal were next up to threaten when a wonderful ball over the top picked out the run of Khayon Edwards. He only had George Wickens to beat after bringing the ball down on his chest, but he couldn’t connect properly and the Fulham number one collected.

After a little lull in proceedings, Sagoe Jr livened up the crowd when he connected powerfully with his shot having chopped in from the right, but his effort flew wide of Wickens’ upright.

At the other end, a defence splitting pass from Sanderson almost saw Terry Ablade burst through, but Henry Jeffcott made a terrific last ditch tackle to deny the Fulham centre-forward.

That sniff of a chance awoke something in Ablade, who then drilled in a fine rising strike from an acute angle, that Graczyk did well to parry behind.

The opener came in the 41st minute after George Okkas let fly from range. His shot was full of venom, meaning Graczyk was unable to hold it, with Sanderson there to nod down into the ground and over the stranded Arsenal stopper.

Harris then saw a shot deflect behind, and Ablade headed over, as the Whites ended the half strongly.

Cozier-Duberry was introduced at the break, and within 40 seconds had equalised for his side with a cool finish at the end of a slick Arsenal break.

Godo thought he’d immediately re-established Fulham’s lead when he tapped home at the back stick, but the linesman’s flag extinguished home celebrations.

There was no denying the Young Whites, though, and Harris soon had us back in front when he skipped beyond a challenge in the box before squeezing a low effort between the goalkeeper and his near post.

Fulham were full of confidence now, as demonstrated with Ablade letting rip from an acute angle with a strike that had all the power, but not quite the control to hit the target.

Midway through the half, Matt Dibley-Dias nearly grabbed himself a worldie when he let fly first time from 20 yards after a corner was cleared his way, a slight nick on its way through sending it just over the bar.

The momentum continued as Godo drew saves from Graczyk either side of Sanderson seeing his sweet long ranger clip the top of the bar.

Fulham seemed in complete control but the visitors sent a warning with three to play when a ball from the left was turned goalwards by Edwards, but it span just the wrong side of the post.

Thankfully, that was as close as our guests came to a second equaliser of the evening, with Steve Wigley’s charges seeing things out to claim an impressive three points that moves them up to fifth in the table.