The Match:
After early home pressure, Mills conceded the first corner in the fourth minute when he charged down a Radzinski shot. From the corner James was forced into a save when a Jensen shot took a wicked deflection.
And a minute later the hosts took the lead. Boa Morte broke down the left and into the area, and his square ball found Malbranque in space four yards out with the simple task of sidefooting the ball in.
Barton received the first yellow card of the game 11 minutes in for clattering the goal scorer. From the resulting free kick, an under pressure James flicked the ball across the goal, with Distin on hand to boot it clear.
City had been unable to impose themselves at all in the first quarter of an hour, and the home fans were giving their side huge vocal support.
But on 20 minutes City were level! Vassell sprinted down the left and found Ireland, who’s first time sidefooted pass found Lee Croft in the area in acres of space. The midfielder had time to steady himself and place the ball past Warner’s right hand, and he wheeled away with delight at his first senior goal in only his second Premiership start.
The game was lively now, with Mills the pantomime villain to the home fans. Croft went over in the box but his appeals for a penalty were waved away.
Ireland was looking after his defensive duties, and he put a great tackle in after 32 minutes to deny Radzinski. A minute later James was down to his right to save a shot from Collins John.
Boa Morte was booked with five minutes to go before the break for a challenge on Barton, but he was lucky to stay on the pitch after his subsequent verbal confrontation with the referee, which was accompanied with a jabbing finger in Rob Styles’ direction.
Sibierski replaced Musampa with three minutes to go, the Dutchman having struggled to make the game fully fit.
But just on half time the hosts were ahead, scored by rumoured City target Steed Malbranque again. Diop’s pass bisected the defence and Malbranque touched it away from James before sliding the ball into an empty net.
Barton started the second half with a speculative shot from 35 yards that had little power, Warner collecting with ease.
Croft went on a great run on 50, and a testing cross was put out for a corner. Less than a minute later Cole had a great chance to score against his old team, but he missed the ball completely as he attempted a first-time shot.
The former Fulham man was the target of an Ireland free kick from the right, but his header flew well wide.
Radzinski put a great cross in from the left that only just evaded a fully-stretched McBride, and on 55 a Croft cross was similarly just away from Vassell, attempting a scissors kick. Just after the linesman somehow failed to spot that Warner had stepped out of his area when collecting a cross, which even the most ardent Fulham fans had seen. Hefty challenges on Barton and Cole also went unpunished by Rob Styles.
Lee Croft did go into the book for a sliding effort on Boa Morte after 65 minutes.
With 19 minutes to go, James was the hero as he made a fantastic double save. First, he used his feet to deny John, and a split-second later he was diving at McBride’s feet to show his undoubted class.
City went all-out for a goal with Wright-Phillips coming on for Jordan with 11 minutes left.
The hosts were still going on the attack, and City were unable to make their possession work, with their forward line being caught offside on several occasions.
With 88 on the clock Vassell forced a fine save with a superb flick-header. A minute later, Wright-Phillips had the ball in the net but he was rightly called a foot offside, this coming just after James had gone up for a corner.
A frantic injury time ensued, with James again going up for attack. He had Sun to thank, as Fulham broke upfield and John looked certain to score, but his tame effort was scooped clear by the Chinese player.
However, that was the final action. Overall, Fulham deserved their win but Lee Croft can look back with pride at his first senior goal. Referee Styles left to a cacophony of boos from all sides.
