Burnley Youth 2 Fulham Youth 1: Burnley sealed their place in the fifth round of the FA Youth Cup on Wednesday evening following an impressive win over Premiership Academy side Fulham at Turf Moor.
With goals from Jay Rodriguez and Rob Turner, the Clarets were deserved winners too, out-scrapping and often out-playing their opponents, who had seen off opposition from fancied Middlesbrough in the previous round.
With many of the regular players from the team ineligible due to age restrictions, it was a young side for Terry Pashley and Burnley fielded two under 16 players for the majority of the game, with impressive QEGS pupil Turner netting the winner.
The visitors were unfortunate not to take the lead after six minutes though, when winger Andrew Ottley saw his curling free kick from the left hand side of the area bounce back off the bar.
Cayne Hanley and Turner always looked threatening up front for Burnley though and smart link-up play between the pair almost saw Hanley break through on goal, but for a timely challenge by Fulham's Tom Moncur in the 12th minute.
Hanley then returned the favour, with Turner not quite reaching his cross into the box following a decent flick-on by Jay Rodriguez.
It was Fulham keeper Corrin Brooks-Meade who was forced into the first real save of the match in the 28th minute, when he made a terrific stop to lift Ali Akbar's powerful left footer over the bar after the Clarets winger had expertly controlled a throw-in to give himself the space for a shot.
Brave defending in the six yard box by skipper Nicky Platt and Tom Blackler prevented Fulham striker Bradley Hudson-Odoi from getting a shot in after he was set up by fellow forward Saheed Sankoh from the left, before Hudson-Odoi flashed a shot over the bar following another free kick delivery from Ottley on the left just before half time.
Burnley's breakthrough came five minutes after the re-start though, when Turner was dragged down in the area following a powerful run through the middle. Rodriguez stepped up from the penalty spot and slotted home, sending the keeper the wrong way.
Fulham found some urgency after that though and when Hudson-Odoi slipped Yanka Casal into the box, the pacy winger made no mistake to level things up
in the 78th minute which looked to be taking the game into extra time.
However, when Rodriguez crossed in added time, Hanley flicked a header into the box where it was bravely met by Turner to seal a deserved win for Terry Pashley's side.
Burnley: Mann, Henry, Casey, Smith, Overson (Evans, 25) Blackler, Akbar, Platt, Hanley, Turner, Rodriguez.
Subs not used: Underwood, Donlan, Stott, Young.
Fulham: Brooks-Meade, Omozusi, Anderson (Goncalves, 71) Orelaja (Migull, 56) Moncur, Watts, Ottley (Hall, 59) Brown, Sankoh, Hudson-Odoi, Casal.
Subs not used: Gowland, Noble.
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