Birmingham City 7-1 Fulham U21s

Fulham Under-21s were knocked out of the Bristol Street Motors Trophy after a 7-1 defeat to a strong Birmingham City side.

Our Young Whites were right in it at half-time after Martial Godo had a stunning strike sandwiched by a Jay Stansfield double, but the hosts ran away with the contest in the second-half thanks to a brace from Ayumu Yokoyama and goals from Alfie May, Keshi Anderson and Lyndon Dykes.

Putting out a strong side, even while making seven changes from Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Mansfield Town, Blues started strongly. Taylor Gardner-Hickman saw a shot whistle past the near post, before Samuel Amissah made a key interception as Stansfield looked to pull the trigger inside the box.

Our defensive resilience was being tested – and Blues took the lead after 17 minutes when former Whites striker Stansfield finished low and hard past Borto after being threaded through by Willum Willumsson.

The lead didn’t last long as Godo brought us level with a rocket from range. He was allowed to shift the ball onto his right foot on the edge of the box and wrapped his boot around it, picking out the top corner in style.

That hard work was nearly immediately undone as May was found with a searching ball over the top of Eddy Nsasi, but the striker didn’t get enough elevation on his attempted lob over Borto.

Josh King put some late first-half pressure on the hosts, wriggling into the box after finding space in the left channel, with Bailey Peacock-Farrell out quickly to deny him from a tight angle.

But on the stroke of the interval, Stansfield scored again, cooly slotting past Borto following another Willumson assist.

Some high pressing at the beginning of the second period nearly saw us equalise again, with Kristian Šekularac forcing Peacock-Farrell into a full stretch save to deny him.

Not satisfied with just being ahead, Birmingham threatened to extend the lead as Stansfield saw a snapshot comfortably gathered by Borto, before Willumson put an effort from a similar position over the bar.

The margin was extended on 55 minutes as the tricky Yokoyama teased Ollie Gofford down the left and fired a powerful strike into the roof of the net.

Birmingham’s fourth was a real team goal as Stansfield squared to Willumson when he could have had a shot, before the Icelandic midfielder moved the ball on once more for May to finish from close range.

Yokoyama was having a devestating impact in the second period and it was his dipping half volley that made it five with 15 minutes to play.

Anderson flashed a shot narrowly past the post shortly after, but he got his goal in stoppage-time as he slotted the ball under Borto. 

There was still time for a seventh as substitute Dykes got in on the act.

Hayden Mullins' side are next in action on Friday 1st November with an away game at West Ham United in PL2, 7pm kick-off.