FA Youth Cup: Fulham 3-1 CarlisleFulham’s FA Youth Cup campaign opened in positive fashion on Tuesday night with a Ronny Minkwitz double and Omri Altman penalty capping an entertaining, yet hard-fought victory over Carlisle United.
The Whites entered the game having lost four of their last five fixtures, and having warned his side of complacency ahead of kick-off, Under-18 Manager Kit Symons will have been left delighted by his players’ response.
In charge of an undoubtedly talented group, Symons holds high hopes for the competition and will be looking to better last season and go beyond the Fifth Round.
Opponents Carlisle certainly impressed en route to this encounter, bettering their 2010/11 run, in which they reached the Second Round, by knocking out both Sheffield Wednesday and Kidderminster Harriers.
With both teams starting brightly it was the home side that registered the first real chance of the night when Charles Banya and Omri Altman combined to find Cauley Woodrow on the edge of the box with the striker drawing a fine low save from Jordan Parker.
A similarly impressive stop came at the other end moments later, with Grant Smith doing well to tip Lance McGlan’s strike from the angle to safety, while David Symington struck the foot of the post as Carlisle pushed Fulham back.
The Whites responded in typically positive fashion though, with Woodrow heading over from Lyle Della Verde’s teasing delivery and Mahrez Bettache firing a decent opportunity wide.
Della Verde then played a lovely pass into Altman’s stride, but with the goal in sight the Israeli forward drew another fine stop from Parker.
However Fulham went in front from the resulting corner, with Della Verde floating a deep delivery on to the head of Ronny Minkwitz, who powered home in convincing fashion on 24 minutes.
Five minutes later Fulham had a second after Brad Staunch tripped Altman in the box; Fulham’s talented number 10 stepped up and despatched a cool finish to send Parker in the opposite direction.
Despite the home side’s two-goal advantage Carlisle continued to press, and their endeavour was rewarded on the stroke of half-time when Dale Minor’s shot from the left found its way beyond Smith and into the Fulham net.
Fulham opened the second-half on the front foot with Altman firing wide and Della Verde forcing Parker into a brave low stop.
But again the visitors hit back with Mark Beek forcing Smith into action, while Symington was denied a clear strike at goal by a brilliant last-ditch tackle by Josh Passley.
As the game swung in favour of both teams Symington had a good chance to draw level, while Bettache and Altman both had close-range chances bravely blocked.
With 15 minutes left the game remained finely balanced as Fulham looked for the relative safety of a third, while Carlisle looked towards an all important leveller.
And that goal almost fell to the visitors when Beek rose above Daniel O’Reilly, only to see his downward header superbly held by a grateful Smith.
At the other end the impressive Parker made an incredible double save to keep out Muamer Tankovic and then Banya as the game flowed back in Fulham’s favour.
In using that momentum, Fulham grabbed that third goal, with Minkwitz lashing home with five minutes remaining following a clever move involving Tankovic and Banya.
Fulham Under-18s: Smith; Brister, Passley, O’Reilly, Kavanagh (Richards 88); Minkwitz, Bettache, Della Verde (Tankovic 75), Banya; Altman, Woodrow (Tieku 85).
Carlisle United-U18s: Parker; McGlan, Staunch, Morse, Minor; Todd, Symington, Lynce (Gwinnott 68), Brough (Clarey 70); Potts (Jones 90), Beek.
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