Report: Fulham v Bolton Wanderers

Wanderers were denied victory at the death at Craven Cottage in their latest Sky Bet Championship clash against Fulham on Saturday afternoon.

Sammy Ameobi's first half effort looked to have secured victory for the Whites with him notching inside the opening half hour.

But Tom Cairney's injury-time header ensured that the spoils were shared come full time.

TEAM NEWS

Wanderers remained unchanged from the side that drew to QPR seven days’ earlier at Macron Stadium as they went in search of their first league victory at Craven Cottage for a quarter of a century.

FIRST HALF

Wanderers had an early sniff at goal just moments after the hosts got the game underway when Josh Vela intercepted the ball deep inside the Fulham half. His cross, intended for Gary Madine, took a deflection off a defender and fell into the grateful grasp of David Button.

The home fans thought their team had taken the lead on 15 minutes when Floyd Ayite slid the ball beyond Ben Alnwick after latching onto a pass from Tom Cairney. The assistant’s flag though dampened the premature celebrations after the frontman was caught offside.

Moments later Alnwick redeemed himself when his clearance when straight into the path of Cairney, whose probing run culminated in a weak shot straight at the Wanderers ‘keeper.

Adam Armstrong went on a charging run down the right hand side after picking up a through ball from Mark Beevers. But the on-loan frontman’s thunderous drive didn’t really trouble Button.

Wanderers took the lead just before the half hour mark thanks to Ameobi’s second of the campaign. Alnwick’s huge clearance was allowed to bounce by the Fulham defence and as a result Ameboi attracted the ball like a magnet before fending off the attentions of several defenders before slotting past Button to send the thousand-strong travelling Wanderers fans into a frenzy.

Kamara spurned a glorious chance to equalise after the hosts broke away at pace after a Wanderers foray. The striker tried to beat the advancing Alnwick from a tight angle but his shot clipped the outside of the post much to the dismay of the Craven Cottage faithful.

The Cottagers trudged off the field at half-time to a chorus of boos from their supporters, while Wanderers – who rode their luck at times – were good value for their lead.

SECOND HALF

Wanderers lost the services of Andrew Taylor moments after the restart after the defender received a painful looking blow to the hip area with Antonee Robinson coming on for him.

Alnwick was pressed into action when he dived to his right to gather a Ryan Sessegnon drive but Fulham had Button to thank for a spectacular save on 56 minutes when he tipped away an Armstrong curler that seemed destined to evade him.

Despite this, the hosts were stepping up their attacking threat with Wanderers defending like titans, throwing bodies in the way of everything to try and preserve their lead.

That said, they still harboured their own ambitions to add to the tally with Armstrong appearing intent to get off the mark in the league for Wanderers.

Parkinson made his second change after 68 minutes with Filipe Morais coming on for the goalscorer Ameobi.

David Wheater, epitomising the dogged resolve at the back, yet again found himself thwarting the Fulham frontline after he got in the way of numerous Fulham attacks.

Alnwick, too, was forced into a stunning crucial save when Kamara was put through. The Wanderers shot-stopper superbly got in the way of the forward’s effort after he looked destined to equalise for the hosts.

Adam Le Fondre came on for Vela as Wanderers looked to stymie Fulham’s late resurgence.

But the home side were rewarded in the fourth minute of injury time as Cairney headed home to snatch a point for the Cottagers.

FULL TIME

 

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