Harry Wilson’s ninth-minute goal has given Premier League Fulham a 1-0 half-time lead over the Blues in this evening’s Carabao Cup fourth round tie at Portman Road.
Town boss Kieran McKenna made 11 changes from the team which beat Plymouth 3-2 at Portman Road on Saturday with Axel Tuanzebe making his Blues debut at the centre of the defence and keeper Christian Walton returning to the team for the first time this season.
In front of Walton, who suffered a plantar fascia tear in pre-season, Tuanzebe was joined at centre-back by Cameron Burgess, who started his career with the Whites, with Janoi Donacien at right-back and Harry Clarke left-back.
Dom Ball and Jack Taylor were the central midfielders with Kayden Jackson, Sone Aluko, skippering against his old club, and Marcus Harness behind striker Freddie Ladapo.
Town named a strong bench featuring Conor Chaplin, Massimo Luongo, George Edmundson, George Hirst and Omari Hutchinson, as well as young midfielder Ryan Carr.
Fulham made eight changes from the team which drew 1-1 at Brighton and Hove Albion on Sunday.
Wilson, Marek Rodak, Fode Ballo-Toure, Sasa Lukic, Tom Cairney, who captained, Andreas Pereira, Rodrigo Muniz and debutant Luc de Fougerolles all came into the team.
Fulham struck the game’s first shot in the fourth minute, the ball deflecting through to Walton from Lukic’s strike following the second of two Cottagers corners.
The Premier League side saw most of the ball in the early stages and in the ninth minute they went in front.
With the Town defence all over the place, De Cordova-Reid was given time and space to sweep the ball into the path of Wilson in acres of space on the right. Walton rushed off his line to intercept the pass but the Wales international was first to it, took it past the keeper and stroked into the empty net from just outside the box.
Ladapo hit the Blues’ first shot in the 14th minute, a snap effort which he completely mishit and the ball looped out for a throw on the far side.
But aside from that, the Whites were well in control and a minute later they went close to a second, Ballo-Toure’s deflected cross looping over Walton but striking the bar.
Town seriously threatened for the first time on the quarter hour when Ladapo put Rodak under pressure, forcing the keeper to pass out to Jackson on the edge of the Fulham area. The Blues forward was forced wide but hit an effort from a tight angle that Rodak palmed behind for a corner.
The West Londoners continued to dominate, moving the ball around at pace in the middle of the park with Town unable to maintain a spell of possession.
However, as the game moved towards the half-hour mark, Aluko did well on the right and fed in Donacien but the full-back’s low cross was blocked.
Soon after, with the Blues having put together a few passes, Taylor slammed a shot against a defender as the former Peterborough man looked to replicate his brilliant winner against Wolves in the last round.
Moments later, Fulham went close again, Pereira wafting a shot which looped beyond Walton but over the angle of post and bar to the keeper’s left.
On 32, Harness was cautioned for a foul on Cairney, which seemed a little harsh on the former Pompey man.
Nine minutes later, Lukic joined him in the book for waving an imaginary yellow card towards referee Lewis Smith after Taylor had fouled Cairney.
Fulham remained firmly in charge of the game as it moved towards half-time and went close to adding to their lead on 44 when Calvin Bassey shot sharply from the left of the area and Walton reacted quickly to divert it on to his right post.
That was the last action of a half which had been dominated by the visitors, who had been in charge from virtually start to finish.
While Wilson’s goal was well-worked from a Fulham perspective, Town’s defending was all over the place as a back four which hadn’t lined-up previously sought to find their feet.
The Whites went close to adding to their lead on a couple of occasions, which wouldn’t have flattered them, with the Blues’ only real chance Jackson’s opportunity from a tight angle.
Town aren’t out of the tie at 1-0 but manager McKenna may need to throw on some of his regular first-teamers early in the second half in order to get more of a foothold in the match.
Town: Walton, Donacien, Tuanzebe, Burgess, Clarke, Ball, Taylor, Jackson, Aluko (c), Harness, Ladapo. Subs: Slicker, Edmundson, Chaplin, Hutchinson, Luongo, Baggott, Hirst, Humphreys, Carr.
Fulham: Rodak, Bassey, Wilson, Cairney (c), Ballo-Toure, De Cordova-Reid, Pereira, Muniz, Castagne, Lukic, De Fougerolles. Subs: Benda, Reed, Jiminez, Ream, Iwobi, Palhinha, Vinicius, Robinson, Tanton. Referee: Lewis Smith (Wigan).