Last-gasp Fulham equaliser stuns Under-18s

Having overturned a 1-0 half-time deficit to lead 2-1 thanks to a brace from striker Phoenix Offiah on his first Under-18 start, we seemed on course to maintain our 100 per cent record at this level so far in 2026/27 going into the dying seconds.

But after giving away a 95th-minute free-kick, a back-post header from Isaiah Onwuegbusi-Allen ensured the battle of the league’s second and first-placed sides ended all square at 2-2, leaving our youngsters kicking themselves at the final whistle.

It felt like a harsh outcome in what is always a tough game across the capital after we’d staged a second-half turnaround and controlled the play for large spells for a second straight weekend, but we weren’t quite able to get over the line on this occasion and instead saw our run of consecutive victories to start the season go up in smoke. We remain top of the table by a point, though, and are yet to lose a game at Under-18 level this term.

Armend Muslika cracked a wide free-kick against the woodwork while Offiah’s first-time shot from an excellent right-sided delivery from George Jobling was well stopped on his line by Fulham goalkeeper Zack Brief as we gradually worked our way into the game, but it was the Cottagers who took the lead at the end of a burst of pressure, Leo Hamilton sliding a through ball in behind our defence for Kayden Sessegnon – nephew of our former full-back Ryan – to fire low into the far corner with 20 minutes gone. We had to stand strong with a couple of vital blocks in our box thereafter, while Muslika’s rising shot was saved by Brief before one of his trademark free-kicks deflected off the wall and looped just behind for a corner.

We seemed to be getting into some useful areas without managing to capitalise, but Offiah provided the remedy to that with two goals in five minutes at the start of the second period to turn the scoreline on its head. The first on 49 minutes was a sharp conversion of Joel Vidal-Philbert’s low cut-back from the left before Toju Wellspring’s cross from the other side left him with a tap-in on 54.

Vidal-Philbert, who produced some excellent work in the build-up to our first goal, saw an angled drive turned away by Brief but again we hand to stand our ground at the other end with a couple of key blocks as Fulham began throwing caution to the wind in search of an equaliser.

A couple of chances for us to put the game to bed fell by the wayside as Conall Glancy’s effort from distance was met by a flying save from Brief while Vidal-Philbert saw a shot blocked and then hit the base of the post with a second bite of the cherry – how we would come to rue those missed opportunities in the end.

We’d seemingly done enough to see the game out after Fulham’s Tarrell Cavell headed wide and Mikel Jack saved a lot shot from distance from Lewis Konadu-Wall, but after winning a free-kick at the side of our box deep into stoppage-time, the hosts stole a point when Onwuegbusi-Allen rose highest at the back post to plant a header home.

‘It’s a general learning piece for the players’

Under-18s Coach Jamie Carr was frustrated with elements of the performance, particularly prior to the interval: “It was a disappointing first half,” he reflected. “We knew going to Fulham, it was always going to be a tough game and they’ve started really strongly this season so we knew it was going to be a tough challenge, but we were probably just disappointed with our own standards more than anything. There was a change in the second half, we improved and had large spells of control, particularly in the first 20 or 30 minutes of that period and that’s when we managed to score and get ahead.

“It was important for us to try to get a third to kill the game, we didn’t manage to do that with the chances we had and then as the game goes on, they’re throwing caution to the wind, putting balls into the box from corners, throw-ins, free-kicks, and although we defended okay at times, we probably needed to be a bit more streetwise in those moments and make sure our clearances were right and our decision-making around where we’re putting the ball was better.

“It’s a general learning piece for the players, especially some of the younger lads coming up into the group, in terms of trying to survive at the back end of a game where it’s been a tough challenge. I do think the boys need to show more hunger and desire to keep clean sheets as well. As it stands at the moment, we’re conceding too many goals as a team and that stems from individual defensive actions that we’re trying to push every week, but we need to make progress on that. There were moments today that probably didn’t adhere to the standards that we’d expect.”

Line-up

Spurs: Jack, Jobling, Olajide, Hanson, Sandiford, Wellspring, Boast, Glancy (c) (Beckles 85), Offiah (Coffi Smith 67), Muslika, Vidal-Philbert (Salter 79). Substitutes (not used): Doran, Agyekum, Evans, Philogene-Bidace.