WHAT HAPPENED
Bayli Spencer-Adams struck twice as our under-18s ran out 4-0 winners over Fulham in the U-18 Premier League Cup on Saturday.
Substitute Josh Martin made an almost instant impact off the bench, while forward Folarin Balogun scored his sixth goal of the season.
We started well and, pressing high up the pitch, Ben Cottrell regained possession on the halfway line. He picked out Balogun, who rounded the keeper before seeing his goalbound effort cleared off the line.
We went on to dominate possession for the remainder of the first half, but it was the visitors who came closest to breaking the deadlock. Ryan De Havilland received the ball 30 yards from goal and fired a right-footed effort off the outside of the post.
We made our pressure count on the hour mark when Spencer-Adams leapt high from a corner to head the ball into the back of the net. Cottrell delivered the inswinging ball and the Cottagers defence were unable to clear the danger.
Less than five minutes later we’d doubled our advantage. Trae Coyle forced Toni Stahl into a misplaced pass and substitute Martin was there to pick up the scraps and find the bottom left corner with a composed right-footed finish.
Spencer-Adams then scored his second of the afternoon with yet another thumping header from a corner, before Balogun was denied from close range following a weaving run.
We showed no signs of slowing down in the final third as we entered the closing stages - and deep into stoppage time Balogun rounded off the scoring with a powerful strike into the top left corner.
WHAT IT MEANS
We’ve climbed up to second in Group D of the U-18 Premier League Cup
WHAT’S NEXT
We now turn our attention to our U-18 Premier League clash with Tottenham on Saturday, November 24.
The game will take place at Tottenham’s training centre with kick-off at 11am (UK time).
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