Missing from the Maidenhead match were Izzy Chapman, Oceana Adams and Gabby Ford, resulting in starting berths for Sophia Wickenden, Jess Faires and Laila Malcolm, who was back after serving a one-match ban at York Road. New signing Taylor Chamberlain began on the bench.
Newly-promoted Fulham didn’t mess about in the opening stages, going in front after only eight minutes. An unmarked Ellie Olds headed home Lily Steven’s pinpoint corner to hand the visitors the initiative.
Olds then turned provider, when she saw her deep cross from tight to the left-hand touchline nodded down at the back stick by Naomi Bradley, for Kayleigh Stead to convert from close-range.
Two goals in two minutes left the Rebels with an early mountain to climb but Lauren Amerena broke on the right and forced Cottagers ‘keeper Mathilde Barbier into parrying her low effort. Skye Bacon fired back into the pressure cooker only for the danger to be cleared.
Unfortunately, that proved to be a false dawn for the hosts, with Olds making it one goal, two assists by picking out Stella Gandee-Morgan for an easy finish.
One again though, Reds rallied via a miskick on the edge of the box that meant Izzy Milne couldn’t quite round off a flowing move, which incorporated good link-up play between Stevens and Gandee-Morgan.
Amerena didn’t require an invitation to burst clear and find Bacon making hay through the inside-left-channel; the ball finally falling at the feet of Wickenden who could only watch as Barbier held her low, 20-yard drive.
Home number one Ella Hunkin was then called into action, as Tilly Jones misjudged a long pass to allow room for Bradley to get in and test the netminder.
Our Lady in purple repeated the trick moments later, courtesy of a smart smother to deny (Olivia) Dale, after a neat turn from Gandee-Morgan had created the opportunity.
Just before the break, Bradley beat Jones and handed the baton over to Gandee-Morgan, who laid off to Stead but Hunkin was there again, this time pulling off a brilliant save at the expense of a corner.
While the subsequent set-piece came to nothing, there was still enough remaining on the referee’s watch for a Fulham counter-attack and Gandee-Morgan to reverse roles with Bradley; the latter taking her turn to sting the palms of Hunkin.
Both teams made changes during the interval, Keira Morris coming on to take the place of Faires, alongside goalscorer Gandee-Morgan making way for Sasha Adamson.
Although, it would be another to have struck in the form of Olds who would next examine the reflexes of Hunkin, in the opening exchanges of the second period.
Ella avoided a fourth for the South Londoners by sticking out a leg to divert the danger, following a fine swivel in the penalty area by Olds herself.
An entertaining encounter continued thanks to Barbier racing out of goal at one end to launch downfield, preventing Jasmine Smith from doing further damage and leading to an opening for half-time introduction Adamson to come within a whisker of putting the result beyond any lasting doubt.
Undeterred, the Reds maintained an improved second-half showing by Mia South going long to Amber Hazlewood, the hard-working centre-forward combining well with Amerena and the fleet-footed winger seeing a low, fizzing attempt end up flashing agonisingly the wrong side of the far post.
However, ‘Loz’s’ moment would soon be upon us, via a venomous free-kick that threatened to demolish anything that got in its way; instead cannoning back off the inside of the left-hand upright before, finally, nestling fractionally inside its opposing equal.
Travelling skipper Megalie Mendes caused problems when she drove a delivery into the mixer but Hunkin’s alertness saved the day, as she dived bravely at the feet of Olds, after the ball had run loose.
Regrettably though, Olds did complete her brace and round off the scoring in the very last minute. Ignoring offside calls, the Fulham forward found the finish for a fourth; reacting quickest to substitute Katie Dungate’s long-ranger smacking the crossbar and leaving Hunkin, for once,
