Fulham Under-18s 0-2 West Ham United Under-18s
Anthony Edgar and Balint Bajner struck second-half goals to give Tony Carr's team a deserved derby victory in west London on Saturday morning.
After two defeats in a row, the Under-18s returned to winning ways after Edgar struck early in the second half and Bajner converted a late goal on the counterattack. It was just reward for a polished performance that also saw a first start for Polish right-back Filip Modelski and another late run-out for England Under-16 forward Robert Hall.
Modelski is still only an Under-16 player at the club but already an established youth international with his country. In September, he helped Poland qualify for next spring's Elite round for the 2009 European U17 Championship. He played in the first two qualifiers that sealed Polish progress before sitting out the academic third. Modelski, like the versatile young Austrian Georg Grasser and Hungarian forward Bajner, is fitting in well at Chadwell Heath.
After a first half at Motspur Park that saw both teams have their moments without ever really threatening, the deadlock was finally broken after the interval when Edgar collected a cross from the left-hand side. He showed good footwork to create an opening before firing low through a crowd of players into the corner of the net.
The second came via a quickfire breakaway. The Hammers were defending a corner when Jordan Brown set Edgar away down the right-hand side. The goalscorer turned provider by picking out the on-rushing Bajner with a low cross and the in-form Hungary Under-19 striker slid in to score.
Carr said: "It was a good performance all round and on a cold wintry day it was quite warming to see. It was the result we needed to take into the FA Youth Cup which is our next game [on 2 December]." That third-round tie will see the youngsters head to the City Ground to take on Nottingham Forest.
West Ham United: Street, Modelski, Brown, Brookes, Fry, Okus, Edgar, Lee, Abdulla (Hall 70), Bajner, Montano (Grasser 75)
Subs not used: Loveday, McNaughton