 | Arsenal 4 Fulham 0 | |
Arsenal had been beaten 1-0 by hosts Southend United in the second semi-final on Saturday, whilst Fulham suffered a 2-1 reverse against Everton, leaving them with only third-place to play for.
During the opening forty minutes, it appeared that both teams were unable to rouse themselves for the occasion, with chances few and far between in a cagey encounter. The Gunners' Conor Henderson blasted wide from 30 yards in the 13th minute with the first shot in anger, and his waywardness was indicative of much of the first half.
Defender Rhys Paul blocked Luke Freeman's shot after Benik Afobe had taken the ball too far wide of goal to shoot, whilst further excellent defending from the Cottagers, this time courtesy of Joshua Pritchard, denied Freeman when Courtney Harris' skipping run had put the forward through.
Former Gillingham front man Freeman was at the centre of much of the good work that Steve Bould's Arsenal put together, and his vicious shot was brilliantly turned away by Marcus Bettinelli five minutes before half-time. By the time that Jernade Meade turned the rebound home, the offside flag had been raised.
Fulham's only previous opening had seen Keanu Marsh-Brown's low centre slashed over his own crossbar by Arsenal skipper Luke Ayling, but just two minutes before the break they should have taken the lead. Harris' beautiful reverse pass slipped Aaron Scott in, and faced with just James Shea to beat, he drilled a low shot wide of the left-hand post.
Within three minutes of the restart, Fulham had been made to pay for that miss as Arsenal's persistence finally told. Meade pushed a low cross into the six-yard box having reached the bye-line, and Jordan Wynter stabbed home from close-range.
Charles Banya, who had only just been introduced to the action, almost made an immediate impact when he darted into the penalty area but, having beaten Shea, he dragged the ball too far and his eventual cross was easily claimed at the near post.
Shea then scrambled across his goalmouth to save Banya's half-volley as the Cottagers enjoyed their best period of the match. Unfortunately for them, the spell was to prove short-lived, and just after the hour mark, Arsenal doubled their advantage, Freeman receiving the ball down the inside-left channel and guiding it underneath the advancing Bettinelli from ten yards out.
The third goal arrived nine minutes later, with the Gunners now showcasing their excellent passing football. Ayling picked out Cedric Evina just inside the penalty area and the substitute showed no rustiness in smashing past the goalkeeper.
Freeman should have added his second when set-up by Roarie Deacon, but he pushed his shot wide from besides the penalty spot and Sam Byles also flashed an effort across the face of goal in a frenetic conclusion. Finally, in stoppage time, Deacon found Chuks Aneke, and the tall midfielder curled inside the left-hand post to conclude proceedings.
Arsenal U18s: James Shea; Rhema Obed, Luke Ayling (Sam Byles 50), Ignasi Miquel, George Brislen-Hall; Jordan Wynter (Ayling 57), Chuks Aneke, Conor Henderson, Jernade Meade (Cedric Evina 50); Benik Afobe (Roarie Deacon 50), Luke Freeman.
Substitute not used: Sean McDermott.
Goals: Wynter (43), Freeman (61), Evina (70), Aneke (80+2).
Fulham U18s: Marcus Bettinelli (James Dunn 40); Joshua Pritchard (Charles Banya 48), Rhys Paul (Reece Jones 60), Michael Kamau (Aaron Pierce 49), Lewis Thomas (Ollie Monguel 40); Keanu Marsh-Brown, Courtney Harris (Tyrell Rodney-Miller 58), Jones (Jack Dean 16), Aaron Scott (Paudie Quinn 40); Richard Peniket (Matthew Reece 40), Albert Owusu-Ansah (Johnny Cosgrove 40).
Thanks to the Shrimpers Trust website for the reprinting of these reports, to read all the latest updates of the Blues under-18's throughout the season go here: