Fulham U18 2-1 Norwich U18

Fulham Under-18s returned to winning ways with a 2-1 victory over Norwich City at a drizzly Motspur Park.

The character of the lads was once again highlighted as our Young Whites came from a goal down to beat the Canaries, with goals from Tom Wingate and Ruban Khan earning us a comeback victory.

Ali Melloul made four changes from last Friday’s FA Youth Cup defeat to Arsenal, with new signing Seth Chingwaro handed his debut.

Eager to impress on his first start, Chingwaro almost opened his Fulham account after just four minutes, but failed to keep his shot down when meeting a Luca Picotto cutback on the edge of the box.

That chance arrived just seconds after Wingate forced a reactions save from Jack Ruddy after our striker had pinned a defender and rifled an effort towards goal.

Dino Kaiser stood tall at his near post as Finlay Corke drilled a shot at goal, but there was nothing he could do when Toby Chilvers’ looping header at the back post dropped into the back of the net to give the Canaries the lead.

Khan was playing in a more advanced role to usual, and he was linking up well with Wingate. Ruddy was down low to deny Wingate, who had plenty of time to pick his spot after being played in by Khan.

Despite early frustrations, Wingate’s goal did come when he converted Picotto’s fizzed cross. It was a great turn of pace by the left-back, who cruised past his opponent before putting the ball on a plate for Wingate in the box.

With momentum behind us, the barest of margins denied Macaulay Zepa giving us the lead deep into the first-half, as his right-footed strike whistled over the bar.

Speaking of fine margins, a tight offside call was all that stopped Wingate from bagging a brace as he showed poacher’s instinct to get on the end of a Logan Cooke nod down from a free-kick.

Ruddy then palmed away a Picotto effort, before he kept out Khan while still lying on the surface following his initial save.

Down the other end, an ambitious La’Sean Sealey strike was comfortably dealt with by Kaiser.

Wingate timed his run to perfection as Zepa put another teasing cross in towards the six yard box, but the striker missed the target from six yards.

However, the winning goal finally came in the 69^th minute as Wingate turned provider, picking out Khan in the box, with the midfielder finishing calmly into the corner.

The visitors had an equalising goal chalked off due to a foul in the build-up, but other than that scare, Melloul’s side were convincing as we saw out the game.

Our Under-18s are next in action on Wednesday 12^th February as we travel to Derby County in the Premier League Cup Quarter-Finals, 12pm kick-off.