The youngsters kick off the season on 12th August with a home game against the Arsenal. Playing in the Premier League South this year, all the big London names are in there with us. Here's a link to the full fixture list: http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2017/july/31/u18-fixtures-release
Fulham 4 Arsenal 1 (U18s) What a fantastic start to the new season, as the youngsters keep banging in the goals. It was 0-0 at half time thanks only to the Arsenal goalie and almost straight after the restart the Gunners went ahead. Step up our goal machine Cameron Thompson with a hat trick. Sonny Hilton got the other. The team: L. Ashby-Hammond, Felix, Asare, Mundle-Smith, Spence, Harris, Francois (De Havilland 70'), Hilton, Thompson, Abraham (kelly 33'), Santos-Clase (York 80') Unused Subs: J. Schwarzer and Garrido
The draw has been made for the Group stage of the U18 Premier League Cup: please log in to view this image
Swansea 1 Fulham 1 (U18s) A game of two ends. Swansea scored in the first minute and the lads equalised in the first minute of injury time. Our scorer was, of course, Cameron Thompson. The team: T.Ashby-Hammond, Spence, Mundle-Smith, Garrido, Cover, Harris, Francois (Tahir 76'), Kelly (York 57'), Thompson, Santos-Clase, Abraham (Frei 45') Subs: J. Schwarzer and Drameh
Fulham 2 Southampton 0 (U18s) Biggest surprise in this match was that Cameron Thompson didn't score - although he did hit the post twice. Our goals came from Chris Kelly and a penalty by Nicolas Santos-Clase. The team was: L. Ashby-Hammond; Spence, Mundle-Smith, Garrido, Martin; Francois, York; Kelly (Tahir 77'), Hilton (De Havilland 76'), Santos-Clase; Thompson Subs: Wickens, Abraham and Asare
Reading 2 Fulham 5 (U18s) The lads are back on the goal trail and that after being two down. The goal king Cameron Thompson getting his second hat trick of the season, with the others coming from Nicolas Santos-Clase and Reece York. Not sure but think that goal by Reece (a close in header from a Timmy Abraham assist) may be his first for the Club. The team was: L.Ashby-Hammond, Asare, Martin, York, Mundle-Smith, Garrido, Kelly, Francois, Thompson (Abraham 77'), Hilton, Santos-Clase Subs: Wickens, Tahir, Frei and Armsworth
Fulham 4 Aston Villa 0 (PL Cup - Group Stage) The youngsters keep cracking them in. Dominating the first half they nonetheless went in at half time only 1-0 up, thanks to a close range thunderbolt from Timmy Abraham. The second saw them really turn it on though starting with captain Jose Garrido getting his first for the Club. That was followed by a debut goal by Elias Frei and full back Djed Spence rounding off a great personal performance with our fourth. The team was: L. Ashby-Hammond, Spence, Martin, York, Asare, Garrido, Frei, Francois, Abraham, Harris, Tahir Subs: Santos-Clase, Wickens, Davis, Armsworth and Kelly
Fulham 3 Brighton 0 (U18s) The lads are balling along. Great win over a decent Brighton side. A double from Timmy Abraham, ably assisted by Camer Tompson and then Sonny Hilton, followed on by full back Djed Spence, yet again on the scoresheet. This time running half the length of the pitch and thumping it in from 25 yards. The team was: L. Ashby-Hammond, Spence, Martin, Harris, Mundle-Smith, S. Sessegnon, Hilton, Francois, Abraham, Thompson, Santos-Clase Subs: Kelly, Tahir, Frei, Asare and York
Chelsea 6 Fulham 1 (U18s) The league's two unbeaten teams faced up this morning at Cobham and regrettably the Dark Side came out on top. Didn't look that way for the first 20 minutes as Fulham dominated and went ahead through Jayden Harris - the first goal the opposition have conceded this season. However, a blitzing 5 goals in 14 first half minutes by them put paid to the lad's ambition. No team details as yet.
Fulham 0 Aston Villa 3 (U18s) Unlike the big team, the U18s weren't able to pull back from a 2-0 half time deficit. By all accounts the score flattered Villa however. The team was: T. Ashby-Hammond; Spence, Asare, Garrido, Felix; Harris, Francois; Kelly, Hilton, Santos-Clase; Abraham (York 60') Unused subs: Wickens, Frei, Davis and Cover
Tottenham 1 Fulham 2 (U18s). What a win over Scotty Parker and his Spurs side. The first half was full of missed chances, with both teams hitting the woodwork a fair few times but the lads went in at half time 1-0 up, thanks to an early goal by Cameron Thompson. The second half was equally ding dong and it was that man again - Cameron Thompson - who got the winner 8 minutes from the end, with a penalty. The team was: L. Ashby-Hammond, Spence, Cover, York, Asare, Garrido, Kelly, Francois, Thompson, Hilton (Felix 82'), Santos-Clase (De Haviland 75') Subs: Wickens, Frei, and Abraham
Tottenham 1 Fulham 2 (PL Cup - Group Stage) Great going for the lads with their second win over Spurs in as many weeks; this time in the Cup. We went ahead in the 4th minute with a deft chip from Sonny Hilton The team went on to dominate the first half, with Hilton proving to be a right live-wire but couldn't add to their lead. Second half Spurs got back into it and equalised on the hour. It didn't take long before the we were back in front though. Five minutes later the busy Tahir was brought down in the box and Nicolas Santos-Clase banged it home from the spot. The team was: L. Ashby-Hammond; Felix, Asare, Garrido, Spence; De Havilland, York; Kelly, Hilton, Tahir; Abraham (Santos-Clase 60') Unused subs: Frei, Wickens, Armsworth and Sylvester
Cameron is only just breaking into the U23s rosc. Well, not quite 'breaking in' even - he's been getting games coming off the bench, because he's good enough, but it's about giving him experience and part of his development. The wee man is a terrific athlete, with a real nose for goal - think Jermain Defoe. However, he is only 17 and needs time to mature. Stevie Humphrys is a strange one. He's gone missing for the last 6 weeks or so; probably an injury but he's also shared social media stuff from abroad. Last season he had a few cameo outings in the first team after a really good pre-season with the main squad. Then he spent the second half of the season on loan to Shrewsbury, which went okay but wasn't exactly ground breaking. This season, I suspect to his surprise, Jokanovic didn't include him in the main squad pre-season. He played in the first five U23 games; scoring 2 and getting 1 assist. However since the middle of September he hasn't featured. Stevie is an incredibly confident lad but seems to have stepped over the dividing line between that and arrogance. Probably being very unfair but his absence may be more to do with attitude than fitness.
The U18s have drawn Huddersfield Town in the FA Cup proper (3rd round). It's an away match at the John Smith stadium to be played sometime before 16th December. There are no replays, so games are decided on the night with use of extra time and penalties if necessary. Won't be straightforward but sitting 3rd in the League with some impressive performances this season and a whack of goals, the lads have nothing to fear from this trip oop North. please log in to view this image
Fulham 2 Leicester 2 (U18s) Shock horror, Cameron Thompson didn't score. There was plenty of excitement though. In a game that the lads mainly controlled, they went ahead in injury time of the first half with a wonderful free kick from Tyrese Francois. Fast forward to injury time in the second half. In the 92nd minute Lucas Asby-Hammond made a brilliant penalty save, only to be beaten by a Leicester equaliser in the 96th minute. In between, had their first equaliser a minute after half time before a mazy run and pass from Nicolas Santos-Clase put Sonny Hilton in to blast the ball into the roof of the net and give the lads a 2-1 ahead. Then came that late,late second equaliser. The team was: Ashby-Hammond; Felix, Asare, Garrido, Spence; Francois, York; Hilton, Thompson, Santos-Clase; Abraham (De Havilland 80') Unused subs: J. Schwarzer, Tahir Martin and Armsworth
Fulham 2 Norwich 2 (U18s) Solid performance from the lads, a couple of whom were out with the U23s last night. Keeps them in third spot. Good goals too, by all accounts. The first with Cameron Thompson assisting Timmy Abrahams. The second when those two combined again before Timmy put Nicolas Santos-Clase through. That's some front three when they're on song! The team was: Schwarzer; Felix, Asare, Armsworth, Martin; De Havilland, York; Tahir (Kelly 63'), Thompson, Santos-Clase; Abraham (Hilton 75') Unused subs: Wickens and Davies Link to Club reporter's write up: http://www.fulhamfc.com/under-18s/2017_2018/league/home/norwich-city-u18s
Leicester 1 Fulham 1 (PL Cup) The lads march on into the quarter finals. The draw this afternoon sees the youngsters topping their group, having already beaten Spurs and Aston Villa. In an even but open ended first half it was surprisingly 0-0 at half time. The second started just as briskly but we changed tactics a bit, lying a bit deeper and trying to catch them on the break. Paid off in the 70th minute however, when full back Djed Spence made a brilliant run down the wing before chipping the ball into the 6 yard box for Sonny Hilton to pop it home. Leicester did get the equaliser only two minutes later but the team then showed an awful lot of maturity in managing the game to a successful conclusion. Great to see Julian Schwarzer following in his father's footsteps and by all accounts he had a stormer of a game. Bit worrying that Cameron Thompson had to come off late in the first half though. The team was: J. Schwarzer; Spence, Asare, Mundle-Smith (Armsworth 46'), Felix; Francois, Harris; Hilton, Thompson (York 41'), Santos-Clase; Abraham (Martin 75') Unused sub: Wickens
Understand that Cameron has just had an operation - don't know any specifics however. This is really cruel luck for the 17 year old, who as well as banging in goals for the U18s was beginning to play himself into the U23 set up. Let's hope his recovery goes well and that the lad returns to his fine form really soon.
West Ham 2 Fulham 2 (U18s) Another draw for the youngsters but that's now 6 games undefeated. All the goal action came in an eight minute spell in the second half. Ben Davis getting an equaliser for us - could be wrong but think that's a first for the young lad from Singapore - from an assist by Joe Felix. Nicolas Santos-Clase then put us ahead from the spot after Chris Kelly was brought down in the box. The team was: J. Schwarzer; Spence, Asare (Felix 28'), Mundle-Smith, Martin; Francois, York; Kelly, Davis (Hilton 57'), Santos-Clase; Abraham (De Havilland 57') Unused subs: Wickens and Jasper
