Fulham U21 2-2 Everton U21

Fulham Under-21s were held to a 2-2 draw by Everton at Motspur Park on Friday evening.

Hayden Mullins’ side looked set to make it three straight wins following Terrell Works’ early opener, but goals from Corey Ebere and Omari Benjamin meant we headed into the break behind.

An equaliser from Lemar Gordon arrived in the 55^th minute, but we couldn’t find a winning goal in the time that remained.

There was some big team news, as Devan Tanton and Matt Dibley-Dias both made their first Fulham starts of the season after returning in January from loan spells at Chesterfield and Northampton respectively.

And it was one of those returning players who set up the opening goal. The overlapping Tanton was picked out by Imani Lanquedoc, and the Colombia international found Works with a low cutback, and the forward found the back of the net with a driven finish past Fraser Barnsley.

Everton couldn’t deal with Tanton as we nearly scored an identical goal just a few minutes later, but Barnsley beat away Callum Osmand’s shot.

Plenty of joy was coming from down our right hand side as Chris Donnell teed up Lemar Gordon with another cutback, but his strike was wild and well over.

It was only a vital last-ditch challenge from Odin Samuels-Smith that prevented Works from doubling his tally, with the defender alert to cut out Lanquedoc’s almost-killer pass.

Everton’s equaliser came from their first shot on goal, but there was nothing Marco Underwood could do about Ebere’s stunning strike, which flew into the top corner.

A crazy 60 seconds saw Barnsley deny a powerful Donnell piledriver, before Underwood was called into action at the other end after a quick Everton break, with Braiden Graham forcing the save.

An Eddy Nsasi slip allowed Callum Bates to pounce on the ball in a dangerous position, but he dragged a shot from 18 yards narrowly wide.

The momentum had firmly swung by this point, and Benjamin made Everton’s superiority count, almost taking the net off with a powerful left-footed strike past Underwood.

Bradley De Jesus provided a wicked delivery for Donnell to head towards goal in first-half stoppage-time, but it whistled agonisingly past Barnsley’s post.

There was still time for another Fulham chance before the half was up – with Barnsley making his best save of the evening; a fingertip stop to push Osmand’s well-hit strike over the bar.

Osmand would have been sick of the sight of the Everton shot-stopper by the time he’d made another excellent save in the 52^nd minute. Osmand met a cross from the right at full stretch, with Barnsley showing quick reactions to make deny him from point blank range.

He was beaten just a few minutes later as Gordon drilled a strike into the near corner, but his work before the shot was magnificent, twisting and turning in the box to create the chance for himself.

Nwoko fired over the bar shortly after, but following a frantic first-half, chances for both sides were few and far between in the second period.

A last-gasp Graham free-kick was comfortably gathered by Underwood as the points were shared at Motspur Park.

The U21s are next in action on Monday 3^rd March at home to Nottingham Forest, 7pm kick-off.