Our men’s under-18s secured an opening day win in Premier League South on Saturday with a 2-0 victory over Fulham.
Remiero Moulton had gone close for us early on with a curling effort, before Albion took the lead in slightly fortuitous circumstances after 12 minutes.
Jack Hinshelwood’s fantastic long-range effort struck the crossbar, bouncing down and in off the back of goalkeeper Michael Allen.
Aaron Loupalo-Bi went close to finding an equaliser when he pinched the ball deep in Albion territory but fired wide, before Harvey Araujo poked an effort off target from Jonathan Esenga’s free-kick for the visitors.
Araujo should have equalised just after the restart when he went through on goal, but he sent his effort over the crossbar and Albion had the goal that put the game beyond reach on the hour mark.
Josh Duffus tried to round Allen, but the Fulham keeper brought the forward down and slotted the resultant penalty into the bottom left corner.
Coach Gary Dicker said, “It was a really good performance. We’ve taken our form from pre-season into the league. I am really happy with the group, even the boys who weren’t playing have been just as important as they’ve pushed the boys who have been starting on.
“It was a mature performance and we controlled the game well which we didn’t always do last season against a good Fulham team. It was a good start.”
The line-up: Reid, Tasker, Penman, McConville, Mills, Hinshelwood, Smith (Lee 77), Jenks (Knight 61), Duffus, Moulton (Bashir 69), Gee.