Fulham 1 (1) Middlesbrough 0 (0)
England hopeful Sean Davis grabbed the goal which ensured a worrying day for Fulham finished with a morale-boosting 1-0 victory against terrible travellers Middlesbrough.
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Fulham midfielder Sean Davis brings home the points |
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Sven-Goran Eriksson was in the directors' box to assess Davis before the friendly with Australia next month - and he saw the midfielder slot home in the 39th minute to condemn Boro to their eighth away league defeat on the trot.
Before the game, off-the-field issues had dominated conversation at Loftus Road.
The 'Back to the Cottage' fans' pressure group dished out leaflets urging chairman Mohamed Al Fayed to resurrect plans to return the club to their traditional Craven Cottage home.
But Al Fayed, who has poured more than £100million into the club, hit back in the match programme.
"There seems to be a general perception I will continue to bankroll Fulham with limitless funds. I will not," he warned.
"I may have deep pockets but I am not a fool with my money. We must tighten our belts and introduce prudent budgetary control."
On the field Davis struck at the end of an uneventful first half.
The second period was far more entertaining, with Boro surviving an incredible goalmouth scramble and Facundo Sava hitting the crossbar.
The best effort by Steve McClaren side's was Joseph-Desire Job's fierce strike, flipped over the bar by Fulham goalkeeper Maik Taylor.
So Boro again failed to find the net - just as they have in their last eight league games away from the Riverside - and it was Fulham who clinched the three points to edge away from the Barclaycard Premiership relegation zone.
Early on, Sava caused Boro big problems at the back. But his wayward finishing - sending headers well wide and blasting a shot on the turn into row Z - ensured the game remained goalless at the quarter-hour mark.
Fulham moved up a gear at the half-way point of the first period, Mark Schwarzer saving spectacularly from Davis and Steve Marlet seeing his strike deflected wide.
Boro's attacking efforts were frequently halted by the linesman raising his flag for offside.
Fulham were timing their runs much better - and from one such forward burst, by Davis in the 39th minute, the home side bagged the opener.
Sava laid the ball off to Sylvain Legwinski on the half-way line, and the Frenchman threaded a fine through ball down the inside-left channel.
| Match Stats |
Fulham |
Boro |
| Goal attempts |
18 |
8 |
| On Target |
9 |
4 |
| Woodwork |
- |
- |
| Offsides |
- |
- |
| Corners |
8 |
4 |
| Fouls |
12 |
12 |
| Yellows |
0 |
1 |
| Reds |
0 |
0 |
| source: www.sportinglife.com |
Davis raced on to the precise pass and cut in on goal, ahead of Gareth Southgate, to poke the ball beyond Schwarzer and into the bottom right corner.
Djetou preserved Fulham's lead by heading off his line when Taylor misjudged a long punt up field and allowed the ball to bounce over his head and towards an open net.
Boro somehow survived two minutes after the interval when Steed Malbranque's first effort was blocked on his line by Massimo Maccarone, his follow-up was charged down and then Marlet saw his header half-cleared before skying yet another attempt.
Then the Teessiders finally showed some attacking invention and went close to the equaliser.
A minute after Tony Vidmar's shot trundled wide, half-time substitute Job produced a sparkling run and shot which was met by an equally impressive Taylor save.
Sava's sublime mid-air flick almost created Fulham's second - but Marlet, just five yards out, was unable to control the ball.
Southgate ironically went closer just after the hour, slicing Malbranque's cross over his own bar.
It was all Fulham now, with only the woodwork and Schwarzer's heroics preventing the Cottagers doubling their lead.
Sava prod
uced a crashing header from Davis' corner which smacked against the Boro crossbar.
Then Schwarzer brilliantly palmed Bjarne Goldbaek's dipping 25-yarder round his right-hand post.
Fulham: Taylor, Finnan, Brevett, Djetou, Goma, Goldbaek, Legwinski, Davis, Malbranque, Sava (Boa Morte 90), Marlet.
Subs Not Used: Herrera, Melville, Collins, Hammond.
Goals: Davis 39.
Middlesbrough: Schwarzer, Queudrue, Southgate, Vidmar, Parnaby, Geremi, Wilson, Wilkshire (Job 45), Greening, Maccarone, Whelan (Nemeth 64).
Subs Not Used: Crossley, Boksic, Cooper.
Booked: Southgate.
Att: 14,253
Ref: M Halsey (Lancashire).