Town’s U21s fell to only their second Premier League 2 defeat of the season as they were beaten 2-1 by Fulham at the JobServe Community Stadium this evening.

The Whites took the lead against a younger than usual U21s side - Cameron Humphreys has moved on loan to Huddersfield, while Elkan Baggott and Fin Barbrook will be in action with the first team against Blackpool in the FA Cup tomorrow - in the 38th minute through Aaron Loupalo-Bi.

Three minutes later, it was 2-0, Jayden Quashie doubling the visitors’ lead with Town’s only reply Afi Adebayo’s 73rd minute strike.

Town, whose two Premier League 2 defeats have come in their last two matches, remain top of the table but now only a point ahead of Fulham in second and Manchester United in third with the Cottagers having a game in hand and the Red Devils two.

U21s: Williamson, Mthunzi, Boniface, Shabazz-Edwards, Wilkinson, Carr (c), Adebayo (Lewis 85), Compton (Wood 46), L Fletcher, Pitts, Ayinde (Oudnie-Morgan 46). Unused: W Fletcher, Sains.

Fulham, McNally (c), De Jesus, Esenga, Nsasi, Walters (Cooke 90), Chingwaro, Zepa, Gofford (Ali Wahid 69), Loupalo-Bi (Wingate 90), Quashie, Olyott (Casey 69). Sub not used: Kaiser.

Photo: Action Images via Reuters