Recent Silverware

Recent Silverware
Carling Cup 2008

Saturday, November 15, 2008

League Report: Fulham 2 spurs 1

Courtesy of Official Site-

Our six-match unbeaten run came to an end at Craven Cottage where a late Fraizer Campbell goal did not lead to a two-goal deficit being overturned.

A goal in each half from the home side proved enough and, if truth be told, they were value for their win as Roy Hodgson's side dictated the tempo for the majority of the match.

It was a frantic beginning down by the Thames without either goalkeeper being caused undue alarm until, on 12 minutes, Andy Johnson got the run on Jonathan Woodgate and his cut back was directed back on goal by Danny Murphy and looked promising for the home side until Vedran Corluka produced a timely block.

Moments later Gareth Bale let Clint Dempsey cut inside of him and the American elected to let fly with an effort that was arrowing towards the top corner until the outstretched hand of Heurelho Gomes was able to tip over. The Brazilian looking a bit battered after his appointments with the dentist this week.

Fulham were edging the contest, Johnson had an appeal for a penalty instantly waved away before Bobby Zamora got himself booked for attempted to beat Gomes with a deliberate handball.

The boys began to assert some control with patient passing before Luka Modric stepped it up a bit with a darting run and shot on goal that flashed just wide on 27 minutes. Two minutes later David Bentley fired inches wide following a deflected centre from Modric before the midfielder set Darren Bent on the run with a high ball into the area, but Mark Schwarzer was alert to the situation.

Fulham took a fortunate lead with 33 minutes on the clock when Simon Davies fizzed a ball into the area that clipped the head of Woodgate before flying into the chest of Gomes and agonisingly rolled over the line.

Harry Redknapp made two changes at the break, bringing on Aaron Lennon and Roman Pavlyuchenko for Luka Modric - who appeared to be struggling with injury in the first half - and Tom Huddlestone.

Jimmy Bullard smashed in a free-kick that Gomes parried to relative safety as Fulham pretty much picked up where they left off in the opening ten minutes of the second half. The team in blue were finding fluency hard to come by as darkness closed in around Craven Cottage.

Davies tried his luck with a low drive from distance that Gomes foiled to his right before a speedy dash from Lennon required a last-gasp lunge from Brede Hangeland to stop in its tracks.

The momentum was switching to Spurs with Ledley King doing brilliantly to take down a Bale cross, only to flash his shot narrowly over.

However, it was only a temporary shift of power, as with 20 minutes to go, Davies jumped higher than Bale from a Paul Konchesky corner, his header was blocked but Johnson was sharp on the turn in the area and drilled into the net from close range.

Gomes then produced a fine save to thwart a Bullard free-kick that was zipping towards the corner.

The deficit was reduced against the run of play with ten minutes remaining. A surge forward by Jenas led to Bentley feeding the ball left and into the path of substitute Fraizer Campbell, who rolled a cool finish beyond Schwarzer.

It should probably have been 3-1 but for a absolutely stunning save by Gomes from a Bullard free-kick, but this action and the subsequent substitution of Bullard ate into injury time and Fulham held on.

Linked here.

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