Fulham Beat Pompey

Goals from Mladen Petrić, Hugo Rodallega, Stanislav Manolev (2) and Urby Emanuelson saw a Fulham XI defeat Portsmouth 5-2 in a behind-closed-doors friendly at Motspur Park as part of a training exercise on Tuesday afternoon.

After Pompey had taken the lead through John Akinde, Fulham levelled just before the break when Petrić headed home. After the restart, Rodallega nodded the Whites in front, with Manolev’s brace and Emanuelson’s volley making it 5-1. Pompey bagged a late consolation when Ashley Harris tapped home Jack Maloney’s cross from close range.

At a sunny Fulham Training Ground, the Whites named a strong side. Neil Etheridge started in goal, behind a back four of Manolev, Aaron Hughes, Chris Baird and Kieran Richardson. The midfield comprised of Simon Davies, Emmanuel Frimpong and Eyong Enoh, with Emanuelson tucking in just behind the front pairing of Petrić and Rodallega.

Fulham dominated the early proceedings but the first incident of note came on 15 minutes when burly Portsmouth striker Akinde bustled his way into space but saw his cross-cum-shot cleared for a corner by Baird.

The Whites were inches away from opening the scoring on the half-hour mark. A wonderful cross-field pass by Richardson was trapped by Emanuelson who shifted the ball onto his left foot before unleashing a fierce shot which Pompey goalkeeper Phil Smith did brilliantly to tip onto the far post. Five minutes later, Liam Triggs bravely blocked a Rodallega shot from close range after Petrić’s cross from the right had been nodded into the six-yard box by Emanuelson.

But it was Pompey who went in front in the 36th minute. Akinde picked up the ball on the left, cut inside and sent a right-footed shot from the edge of the area beyond the reach of Etheridge and into the far corner of the net. The Whites were level just before the break. Davies played in Richardson on the left and the former Sunderland man’s cross was inch-perfect for Petrić who rose to head beyond Smith.

Rodallega blazed over at the start of the second half, before Frimpong saw a shot deflected wide for a corner from which Fulham went in front in the 55th minute. Davies’ delivery was met by the towering leap of Rodallega who headed home from six yards. Akinde almost hauled Pompey level two minutes later, beating Baird to a loose ball but seeing his vicious drive flash just over the bar. Fulham then made a change, with Kerim Frei replacing Frimpong.

Manolev made it 3-1 on 61 minutes. There seemed to be no danger when he picked up a pass from Emanuelson 30 yards from goal, but with no challenge forthcoming, the Bulgarian arrowed a shot that flew straight and true and in off the far post.
Petrić could have made it 4-1 on 65 minutes, wrestling free of a weak challenge by Rafael but shooting over under pressure, before Boumesca Tue Na Bangna replaced Davies.

Manolev grabbed his second and Fulham’s fourth on 70 minutes. Neat interplay by Na Bangna and Rodallega saw the Colombian slip the ball to the overlapping Manolev who fooled a Pompey defender by feigning to shoot before firing home with his left foot.

Rodallega couldn’t quite meet a Na Bangna cross on 73 minutes, before the impressive Manolev was withdrawn for Jack Grimmer. Etheridge palmed a Harris free-kick behind with eight minutes left, but it was Fulham who notched the sixth goal of the game when Grimmer’s cross from the right was volleyed home by the left foot of Emanuelson.

Petrić went close with a free-kick, with Frei then forcing Smith into a good save after a jinking run, before Pompey grabbed a late consolation when Harris slotted home after meeting Maloney’s pullback from the byline.

Fulham: Etheridge, Manolev (Grimmer 74), Hughes (c), Baird, Richardson, Davies (Na Bangna 66), Frimpong (Frei 57), Enoh, Emanuelson, Petrić, Rodallega. Sub (not used): Somogyi.

 

Great to see some of the fringe squad do well, not to mention the return of Mesca!

 

Some of the fringe? That's the whole fringe!