Saydee strikes as U21s defeated by Fulham
AFC Bournemouth
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AFC Bournemouth’s under-21s were defeated 3-1 by Fulham in a pre-season friendly at Canford this afternoon.
The visitors took the lead early on in the second half, before Christian Saydee levelled it up minutes later. However, Fulham found the extra gear with two late goals and headed back to the capital with the win.
Shaun Cooper fielded a relatively experienced side, with the likes of Brennan Camp, Ben Greenwood, Jake Scrimshaw and Saydee, all of whom were involved with the first team against Chelsea, featuring at Canford.
The game got off to a quick start and it was Fulham who had the first chance after Greenwood’s pass was deflected and fell into the visiting striker’s path.
Through on goal, Will Dennis made himself big and diverted the danger.
Moments later and the ‘keeper was called into action again as the Fulham forward raced through once more, this time Dennis doing well to save with his feet.
Up the other end of the pitch, Ryan Glover looked to make inroads and tested the visiting defence, cutting in from the right-hand side and forcing an excellent stop from the ‘keeper.
Scrimshaw then looked to cause trouble after trying to turn the Fulham centre-back, but the back four recovered and hoofed clear.
However, Dennis had to stay alert before the half was out, after a deep cross was put in from the right, but the striker couldn’t quite direct his header and it sailed over the bar.
Following the interval, the Cherries almost took the lead immediately, Greenwood putting in a superb corner which was met by the head of Camp, but the Fulham shot-stopper held it well.
A flurry of chances then followed for the hosts, who continued to apply the pressure.
Glover fizzed it in from the right-hand side and a triallist, who had just been introduced off the bench, saw his low shot rebound off the post.
Brooklyn Genesini reacted quickest as the ball bobbled up on the edge of the area, the right-back hitting it on the half-volley before it was expertly headed off the line by the Fulham defender.
Nevertheless, the deadlock was broken shortly after and it was the visitors who made the breakthrough.
A free-kick from 20 yards was saved by Dennis, but the striker reacted to the loose ball first and tapped home to give the visitors the lead.
Cooper’s side reacted well and were back on level terms in no time, Saydee trying his luck from range as his shot took a hefty deflection of a Fulham body to leave the ‘keeper wrong-footed.
With the hosts applying the pressure, a triallist, who was introduced at the start of the second half, found himself racing through on goal following a fine ball from Jack Wadham, but his effort went over after slipping as the shot was taken.
In an end-to-end second half, it was Fulham who bagged the all-important second as their striker was played in down the left, before taking a touch and finding the bottom corner.
A third followed shortly after, this time directly from a free-kick as their number ten struck from 25 yards and extend the margin.
There were still chances for the Cherries to get back into the game as Genesini smartly played in the triallist down the left, but his effort went high and wide.
Substitute Euan Pollock also went close, this time latching onto a delightful ball over the top from Jack Wadham, but he couldn’t quite engineer a strong shooting position as Fulham cleared and held on for the win.
Next up for the under-21s is the visit of Portsmouth on Tuesday in a behind-closed-doors friendly.
The under-21s are proudly sponsored by iPro Hydrate.