U18 Fixtures - Season 2013/14

The fixtures for the 2013/14 Barclays Under-18 Premier League season have now been released.

As is the case with the Under-21s, there is a new format for the coming campaign, with the Under-18 sides now split into two regional leagues; North and South. Fulham are in the 11-team Southern Regional League alongside Arsenal, Aston Villa, Chelsea, Leicester City, Norwich City, Reading, Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur, West Bromwich Albion and West Ham United.

Every Academy side in each league holds Category One status, with Fulham playing each team in the Southern League home and away. Additionally, we will play each side from the Northern league once. That's one heck of a competitive schedule!

The first match is at home (Motspur Park) on 17th August to one of the Northern lot - Stoke City. Unfortunately all of the London derby games in the first half of the season, but that in turn should make for a 'bumper' series of games at Motspur Park in the New Year, starting with the Arsenal.


Here is a link to the full U18 fixture list: http://www.fulhamfc.com/the-teams/u18s/u18-fixtures-201314

 

" Cottager,"heard that there are to be restrictions on watching games at MP,
any ideas on what these may be.

 

Haven't heard anything specific rosc. The Club site says you can "apply for Academy game tickets". As you know, season ticket holders could just turn up for U18 games so maybe they are changing that. Hope not.

 

Fulham 2 Stoke 0 (18s)



The U18s kicked of their season with a terrific win against Stoke at Motspur Park this afternoon. Debuts for Tayo Edun and Foday Norbay. The team was:


Rodak. Donnelly. Baba. Burgess. Edun. Hyndman. Nabay. Roberts. Williams Dembele. Evans


Fulham were well on top in the early stages with Emerson Hyndman pulling the strings in midfield. It wasn’t until the half hour however before they had the first clear cut chance - Liam Donnelly flashing a header just wide. And the same player nearly opened the scoring just before half time with a bullet header which brought out a fine save by the Stoke keeper.

All Fulham in the first half then but they couldn’t get past a Stoke team playing very deep and looking to hit on the break.

The deadlock was broken half an hour into the second though, when Jordan Evans whacked it in after a terrific cut back by Pat Roberts.

Confidence was high a Moussa Dembele was very unlucky not to seal the game ten minutes later. However he didn’t have to wait long and shortly afterwards he slotted the ball home to put Fulham 2-0 up. The team continued to press and five minutes from the end Pat Roberts broke free but his shot came back off the post.

 

Good weekend with all three teams winning. 4 games so far this season...all wins.

 

Could not make it today Cottager ,thanks for the update .
See one of my future star prospects EH is still turning it on,as is Dembele & Roberts.

 

I guess you would be pleased to see Briggs get a game today and do well once he settled down. Also Kasami and Stocky, although not long term academy products are still "youngsters" who we have brought on.

 

Here are video highlights of the goals against Stoke -



[video=youtube;SFKhvyXGKfw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFKhvyXGKfw&feature=player_embedded[/video]

 

Arsenal 2 Fulham 4 (18s)


The U18s were also playing Arsena today and went one better than the seniors with a fantastic away win. The team was:


Rodak, Donenlly, Edun, Baba, Burgess, Smile, Roberts, Hyndman, Dembele, Evans, Williams



"The Whites raced into a three goal lead as strikes from Jordan Evans, George Williams and Moussa Dembele put Steve Wigley’s side firmly in the ascendancy, but Arsenal hauled themselves back into the contest with two goals before half-time.

The sixth goal was always going to be crucial and each side went close to grabbing it in the early stages of the second half, with the Gunners hitting the post and Fulham centre-back Cameron Burgess seeing his header cleared off the line.

Fulham did grab another, though, with 20 minutes left of the game as a great break from Tayo Edun saw the ball worked to George Williams who cut in from the right before unelashing an unstoppable shot into the bottom corner of the net to make sure of the points.

 

The U18s maintained their 100% winning start to the season in a thrilling game at Motspur Park today. Star man was Moussa Dembele.

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The full team was:


Norman, Donnelly, Baba, Burgess, Edun (Nabay 70), O'Halloran, Sambou (Smile 76), Hyndman (McDonald 86), Williams, Evans, Dembele.

Subs (not used): Rodak, Sheckleford


"In blazing hot sunshine at Motspur Park two of the stand-out teams at this level (who competed in the U18s National Play-Off Final last season) played out a frantic match.

George Williams forced Reading keeper Moore into a diving save at his feet as early as the first minute. Two minutes later, the impressive Williams again got into space down the left but saw his shot parried away by Moore. Dembele pounced on the rebound but his effort was turned away by the goalkeeper again. It was the visitors who went in front when a cross from the right by Nana Owusu was met at the back post by Kelly and his fine volley flew past Magnus Norman.

But Fulham were level on 13 minutes. Jordan Evans freed Williams down the left and his cross-cum-shot was turned into his own goal by Dickie.

It should have been 2-1 to Fulham on 23 minutes when Williams showed brilliant technique to beat two Reading players on the edge of the box. His curling right-footed effort came back off the far post and Dembele blazed the rebound over from three yards. At the other end, Jack Stacey raced clear but saw his toe-poke come back off the post, before Solomon Sambou and Dembele went close for Fulham once more.

Fulham took the lead in the 56th minute when Moussa Dembele beat Moore to Evans’ floated ball over the top and slotted into an empty net. Moussa then made it 3-1 seven minutes later, prodding home Williams’ excellent crossfield pass.

Cardwell fired home from close range to reduce the arrears on 76 and Reading then made it all square when Ismajli’s shot went in off the inside of the near post. A free-kick from Ismajli then forced a good save from Norman but it was Fulham who nicked the points when Dembele controlled a high ball forward on his chest, flicked it over his opposing defender and fired a volley at goal. Moore beat his effort away but George Williams hit the rebound home from close range to snatch victory for the Fulham.

 

Another game i missed.
But as my nerves are on edge,i must get down to MP to get my fix of confidence, in watching
our tallented enthusiastic young team, well drilled, and coached by a good managerial tactian SW.

 

Here are all the goals on video - Fulham's fourth (scored by George Williams) is well worth waiting up for:



[video=youtube;Ya7aPUt_5i4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ya7aPUt_5i4&feature=player_embedded[/video]

 

Fulham 4 Reading 3 (U18s)


Here is a video of the goals from last week's thriller -



[video=youtube;CN_DvtufZLA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CN_DvtufZLA&feature=player_embedded[/video]

 

Sunderland 4 Fulham 4 (18s)


The team scored four goals for the third game on the trot but a late penalty robbed them of their 100% record. The team was -

Rodak, Sheckleford, Baba, Burgess, Evans, Hyndman, Sambou, McDonald (Nabay 46), Roberts, Williams, Dembele


"Fulham fell behind in the third minute but George Williams levelled the scores just before the half-hour mark when he finished off a good team move.

Almost immediately, however, Sunderland were back in front, scoring from the penalty spot after Noe Baba had fouled a Black Cats player in the box. Seven minutes later it was 3-1 to the hosts after a good individual goal, but Pat Roberts pulled one back just before half-time when he got in behind the Sunderland defence and slotted home.

Steve Wigley changed things around at the break, with Foday Nabay replacing Wesley McDonald in a move that saw Emerson Hyndman pushed further forward.

And the switch paid off as Fulham made it 3-3 five minutes after the restart, Moussa Dembele finishing off a fluid passing move. Five minutes later Fulham were in front for the first time in the game when Pat Roberts grabbed his second and the Whites saw chances to increase their lead squandered by a combination of good goalkeeping and poor finishing.

And those misses came back to haunt Fulham as Sunderland snatched a point with five minutes remaining. A long ball forward saw a Black Cats player beat the offside trap before being brought down by the onrushing Marek Rodak. The Black Cats then scored the subsequent spot-kick to ensure a share of the spoils."

 

Having watch Steve Wigleys under 18 teams over the past few years, i am allways
amazed how he can change his format ,with the adding and swopping of players
positional, and tactical direction, quite often so confusing to an onlooker, that ones
mind thinks are we looking at the same team .
For me this makes our youth set up so exciting

 

And here is a video of the goals. The Moussa Dembele control and assist for our fourth is an absolute delight to watch:



[video=youtube;R9lf6ahbVbw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9lf6ahbVbw&feature=player_embedded[/video]

 

Fulham 4 Manchester City 3 (U18s)


By George it’s Four Goals Again


That makes it four goals in each of their last four games for the table topping U18s. The team was:


Rodak, Sheckleford, Evans, Donnelly, Burgess, Sambou, O’Halloran, Hyndman, Dembele, Roberts, Williams

Subs: Norman, Smile, Baba, Nabay, Leacock-McLeod



” After Charlie Oliver was denied by Rodak early on, it was the Whites who took the lead when Moussa Dembele slotted home after connecting with Dean O’Halloran’s cross from a wide position. Rodak was in action again shortly after when he kept out a City free-kick, before Dembele doubled the lead from the penalty spot following a foul in the box on Williams.

With the second half under way, Pat Roberts got in on the action when he finished into the far corner following good work by Dembele, although the visitors pulled one back through Jorge Intima.

The in-form [George Williams[/B] soon restored the three-goal advantage, though, with a fine solo effort, but when Cameron Burgess turned into his own net it ensured a nervy finale for the Whites. It could have been even more tense when substitute Noe Baba gave away a penalty with three minutes remaining, but the excellent Rodak managed to tip the subsequent spot-kick around the post.

Thierry Ambrose did grab a third goal for the Blues in stoppage time, but it proved to be nothing more than a consolation as Steve Wigley’s charges held on to secure all three points.

 

Here is a video of the goals and a fantasic penalty save from young Rodak.



[video=youtube;pygAsbbBwjE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pygAsbbBwjE&feature=player_embedded[/video]

 

Bolton 1 Fulham 4 (U18s)


Dembele Rattles in a Hat Trick


Incredibly it it is now four goals in each of the last five games. The team was:


Norman; Baba (Leacock-McLeod), Donnelly, Burgess, Evans; Sambou, Hyndman; O'Halloran, Roberts, Williams (Smile); Dembele.


"Solomon Sambou struck the opener for Steve Wigley's side on 23 minutes before Moussa Dembele made his presence felt, doubling the advantage only two minutes later.

The French forward added another on 35 minutes as our Barclays U18 Premier League champions cruised into the interval with a three-goal cushion.

The young Whites continued to control the tempo after the break, although Wanderers managed to grab a foothold in the game, scoring a repreive midway through the second half. But the fightback was soon nipped in the bud when Dembele was on the mark to complete his hat-trick, making it ten goals in six games for the powerful striker."

 

Dembele, Sambou, and Handyman are class acts,no doubt the scouts were sniffing again.