Fulham (1) 3 Bolton Wanderers (0) 0
Fulham, if success can be measured by survival in the Premiership — and it can
for many clubs — have had a successful season.
Deep in debt they might be, but their biggest league win of the campaign, against
Bolton Wanderers at Craven Cottage last night, at least assured them of another
campaign in the top flight.
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Sean Davis worked hard in midfield
making he avoided any illegal right turns. It did not appear to affect his
on-field mobility and Fulham were grateful for his endeavours
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For Bolton Wanderers, the wait to confirm their Premiership status will go on
a bit longer. A win for them would also have secured their place among the elite,
but if Ipswich Town lose at home to Middlesbrough this evening, they will join
Fulham in celebration.
Sam Allardyce, the Bolton manager, will not watch the match at Portman Road. “I’m
a bag of nerves as it is,” he said. “The nerves are really jangling, believe me.
It’s not done and dusted yet.” He should not worry too much. Bolton are seven
points ahead of Ipswich, who must also play Liverpool and Manchester United.
For Fulham, whose appearance in the FA Cup semi-finals has tended to overshadow
their slide down the league, retaining their Premiership place was of paramount
importance. Earlier in the day, it was revealed that the club had made the biggest
annual loss in British football — £24 million for the year to June 30, 2001. The
wage bill had risen to £19.3 million, as they won promotion from the Nationwide
League, and that was before the arrival of Steed Malbranque, Steve Marlet and
Edwin van der Sar, among others, during the summer.
Returning to the Nationwide League could have ended the extravagant dreams of
Mohamed Al Fayed, the Fulham chairman, and perhaps signalled the departure of
Jean Tigana, the manager. Now, they can plan ahead, though maybe on a reduced
budget, and even contemplate a possible European venture via the InterToto Cup.
“To stay in the Premiership is very important,” Christian Damiano, Tigana’s assistant,
said. “Now we can play a bit more free in our last two games. When you arrive
in the Premiership, you know it is one of the biggest leagues in the world. It
is a discovery, you have to learn, and we have learnt.”
Whereas Tigana has has spent £30 million on recruitment this season, Allardyce
has laid out only £1.4 million. At first, it was the paupers who called the tune
last night. Bolton dominated at will, without making the breakthrough.
| Match Stats |
Fulham |
Bolton |
| Goal attempts |
12 |
7 |
| On Target |
7 |
2 |
| Hit woodwork |
1 |
3 |
| Fouls |
5 |
9 |
| Offsides |
3 |
4 |
| Corners |
5 |
0 |
| Yellows |
0 |
0 |
| Reds |
0 |
0 |
| source: www.sports.com |
Fulham gradually made inroads, with Sean Davis working hard in midfield only hours
after he had been convicted of a drink-driving offence, for which he was banned
for a year and fined £600. It did not appear to affect his on-field mobility and
Fulham were grateful for his endeavours — as they were, too, when Anthony Barness
blazed over from a good opening created by Fredi Bobic.
It needed something to turn the tide and it was a mistake from Jussi Jaaskelainen,
the Bolton goalkeeper, that did it. He had already erred once, a poor clearance
allowing Barry Hayles to lob the ball on to the crossbar, when he punched weakly
at a Malbranque corner and Bjarne Goldbaek drove in his first goal of the season
from the edge of the area.
Fulham made the most of it. They were transformed in the second half and romped
to an easy win, Marlet letting fly with his left foot in the 72nd minute and,
five minutes later, Barry Hayles jinking his way through to add the third.
Splashing the cash had paid off. Just.
FULHAM (4-4-2): E van der Sar — S Finnan, A Melville, A Goma, R Brevett
— B Goldbaek, S Legwinski, S Davis (sub: J Collins, 80), S Malbranque — B Hayles,
L Saha (sub: S Marlet, 58min).
Substitutes not used: M Taylor, Z Knight, A Stolcers.
BOLTON WANDERERS (4-4-2): J Jaaskelainen — A Barness, G Bergsson, B N’Gotty,
S Charlton — N Southall (sub: M Espartero, 69), P Frandsen, K Nolan, Y Djorkaeff
— R Wallace (sub: M Ricketts, 74), F Bobic (sub: D Holdsworth, 74).
Substitutes not used: K Poole, K Konstantidis.
Referee: P Durkin.