Saturday, 11 July 2015

Met Police vs Fulham U21

Met Police secured a solid win over Fulham U21 at Imber Court. To be honest the game was pretty awful, but the Met had their tactics spot on and the Championship side had no answer throughout. Fulham had plenty of ball possession early on but didn’t really do anything with it, although the Fulham number 9 ought to have done better after a cross came into him from the right wing. Out of nowhere, Met Police took the lead in the 16th minute through Rob Bartley. The delivery of the freekick was perfect and Fulham failed to deal with it completely, giving Bartley a free header. Fulham did not really react and the Met keeper did not have a single save to make in the first half!

The Fulham side improved in the second half and finally tested the Met Police keeper, albeit from a tough angle. However it was Met Police who came closest to scoring again, having a corner cleared off the line and then an effort from a further corner hitting the woodwork. Fulham had to start attacking more and they did; it was only a fantastic double save from the Met Police goalkeeper preventing an equalising goal going in. For all their possession, the Whites rarely threatened after this and it was in fact the hosts who looked the more likely, with one effort skidding just wide of the post. Fulham’s best chance came late on but a perfect cross was headed wide when really it should have been 1-1. The Ryman League side never really looked troubled and saw out the game with little problem


Met Police lost out in the playoffs last year and have a very new-look side this time around. Early signs are positive and they are always well set up tactically. They will certainly be aiming to reach the playoffs again, and once you’re in the playoffs anything can happen. We obviously don’t cover youth football too much so don’t have too much to give on the bigger picture for Fulham’s under-21 side, but the fact is they looked toothless in this one. It is perhaps coincidence, but in all 3 Fulham U21 games I’ve seen it’s been much the same story – they’ll need to be better than in this one to succeed at any level 


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