Outgunned
Fulham 3 Burnley 1
Report by Tim Quelch
On Saturday we rode our bucking luck with the
determination of a grizzled rodeo veteran. But for forty-five minutes tonight we had no
need of such blessings, although we were quite prepared to snaffle a slice of outrageous
fortune when Cook’s wickedly deflected free-kick left Taylor totally stranded.
In that first half we defended brilliantly. We
man-marked all over the place. We gave them no space and no time. Our work rate was
phenomenal. Fulham had over 75% of the play but we restricted them to just one good
chance, and that was a due to an error by Cox. For all their pretty patterns, Fulham
didn’t seem able to hurt us. Cox (the error apart) and Thomas dominated Saha and
Hayles while Weller, Little, Cook and Mullin erected an almost impregnable midfield
cordon.
However, come half-time, despite Barry’s
drooling hyperboles, deep down, we knew the score. One error or one act of sublime skill
was liable to turn this game around. And so it proved. After the wretchedly incompetent
Parkes had refused Cooke’s legitimate shout for a penalty, Goldbaek punished a clumsy
midfield tackle. His free kick from thirty yards out thundered into the top right hand
corner. The wall had been breached.
Shortly afterwards, Saha slipped Thomas to fire
venomously past Crichton. Game over. Payton and Branch tried to return the fire but for
all our gallant efforts, it wasn’t enough.
Briscoe’s dismissal for another clumsy
tackle (his second bookable offence) set up the long free kick, which Saha beat everyone
else to. Fulham had won at a canter. No reason to be downhearted, though. This was a
terrific display of bottle, skill and togetherness. Stan said as much. So did the Fulham
lads. Let’s hold onto that for now.
Team: Crichton,
Thomas, Cox, Armstrong, (Payton 67), Weller, Briscoe, Cook (Branch 61), Ball, Mullin
(Mellon 74), Little, Cooke. Subs not used: Jepson and Maylett.
Scorers: Cook
(9) / Goldbaek (53), Saha (64, 81).
Attendance: A
disgraceful 11,863, the lowest away crowd of the season so far.
Referee: The
incompetent Trevor Parkes.
London Clarets Man
of the Match: Ian Cox.
John Pepper's
reflections and the story of Firmo's night plus the home match
