Premier League 2

Fulham U21 2 (Osmand 53’, 73’)

Leeds United U21 1 (McDonald 5’)

Fulham: Borto (GK), Gofford, Nwoko, Park, Nasi, Donnell (C), Osmand, Sekularac, Loupalo-Bi (Olyott 82’), Gordon (Khan 90’), Works. Subs not used: Underwood (GK), Schutter, Picotto.

Leeds: Mahady (GK), Richards, Bird, Chadwick, Lopata-White, Toulson, Douglas (Lane 75’), Cresswell (C), Chambers (Vincent 64’), Snowdon, McDonald. Subs not used: Grainger (GK), Dudley, Pickles.

Venue: Motspur Park

Referee: Andrew Humphries

Booked: Sekularac (Fulham) Snowdon, Chadwick, Richards (Leeds)

Sent off: Chadwick (Leeds)

Leeds United Under-21s fell to a narrow defeat in London as they were edged out by Fulham Under-21s, despite Josh McDonald’s first-half goal putting the Whites into an early lead.

The hosts started brightly on a bitterly cold evening in the capital when forward Aaron Loupalo-Bi drove into the area, twisting and turning as he looked to create space to shoot, but fine positioning from Reuben Lopata-White saw the United defender stand firm before Rhys Chadwick cleared.

And within moments, how important that passage would prove to be. Sam Chambers, again deployed in a more advanced false-nine role, spun away from his opposite number on the half-way line and played an inch-perfect pass into the path of flying winger McDonald.

With just the onrushing Alexander Borto to beat, the young Scot kept his composure to lift the ball over the keeper and put Scott Gardner’s side into the lead after just five minutes!

Keen to respond, attacker Terrell Works darted in-field from the left flank, though as he looked destined to pull the trigger, great defending from a yellow shirt saw Leeds avert the danger.

Fulham attacked once more, through both Oliver Gofford and Callum Osmand, before the services of Lopata-White were again called upon to maintain his side’s early lead.

Loupalo-Bi had found space on the right and cut an inviting delivery back into the path of Kristian Sekularac, though the defender recovered superbly to divert a goalbound strike past the post.

Sekularac was once more involved in the action as the hosts searched for a leveller, crossing dangerously for skipper Chris Donnell who saw his header crash off the underside of the upright and across the face of goal.

The Whites’ defence was standing firm despite the Cottagers’ pressure whilst the side still offered a threat on the break. Chambers marauded into Fulham territory in typical fashion and found the overlapping run of Connor Douglas, only for the retreating Works to make a crucial block on the edge of the area.

Approaching half-time, excellent tenacity and skill from Alfie Cresswell allowed the captain to latch onto a loose ball and surge forward, picking out the run of Chambers on the right. The Scotland youth international chopped back in-field, lashing a powerful effort narrowly over the bar with Borto left rooted to the spot.

Moments before referee Andrew Humphries brought proceedings to a halt, further chances came and went for both sides.

Fulham winger Osmand initially dragged a low strike beyond Rory Mahady’s far post, before Chadwick’s well-struck free kick from distance was parried away well by Borto.

HALF TIME: Fulham U21 0-1 Leeds United U21

Both sides emerged for the second 45 minutes unchanged and it was the hosts who created an early opportunity through the lively Works who drew a fine save from Mahady, with Loupalo-Bi unable to convert the rebound.

There was nothing the Leeds stopper could do to prevent the leveller coming a little under 10 minutes after the break however, when quick feet from Osmand worked space before the winger rifled a powerful low shot into the bottom corner.

Now in the ascendency, the hosts went close to taking the lead through Loupalo-Bi’s darting run and shot, though the striker’s left-footed effort sailed over the crossbar with the home side beginning to enjoy longer spells of possession in attacking areas.

An incisive threaded pass from Lemar Gordon then sent full-back Chibby Nwoko through down the left, only for a superb recovering block from Lopata-White allowing United to clear their lines.

A first change from Gardner saw winger Harvey Vincent join the action, replacing Chambers as the frontline shuffled with the Whites keen to wrestle back momentum.

Leeds immediately launched electric counters down the left, with McDonald’s dangerous delivery blocked crucially for Fulham by Eddy Nsasi as Joe Snowdon lurked on the penalty spot, before Coban Bird’s testing cross was claimed well by a worried Borto.

A quick move down the hosts’ right brought a second with just under 20 minutes of normal time remaining, as Osmand was well placed to bundle Loupalo-Bi’s pass home for his second of the evening.

As the fixture, frenetic in nature but stop-start due to the referee’s whistle, entered its dying stages, Chadwick went within inches or restoring parity, when his swirling corner kick evaded everyone in the middle and cannoned off the crossbar, somehow bouncing away from danger.

Substitute Freddie Lane then almost picked out the run of Snowdon bearing down on goal as the Whites threw everything forward in search of a late equaliser, though the ball skidded off the wet surface and ran through for Borto to collect.

Vincent was next to go close as he was picked out in space thanks to an inch-perfect delivery from the left, but the winger was unable to trouble the Fulham stopper with his volleyed strike.

With the final attack of the evening, quick one-touch football eventually worked a half-chance for skipper Cresswell, who stung the palms of Borto, before Chadwick received his marching orders after a second yellow card deep into stoppage time.

FULL TIME: Fulham U21 2-1 Leeds United U21