Fulham halted ten-man Wycombe's FA Cup run
four rounds earlier than last season at Craven Cottage tonight, despite
heroics from Wanderers goalkeeper Martin Taylor.
He made four fantastic saves to keep last year's surprise semi-finalists
in the contest - but Barry Hayles' 67th-minute drive proved to be enough
to clinch victory in this third round replay.
Lawrie Sanchez's men, assembled at a fraction of the cost of Fulham who
splashed out £30million in the summer, adopted ultra-defensive first-half
tactics and contained the ninth-placed Barclaycard Premiership team in a
blank first period.
|
|
|
| |
 |
|
| |
Bazza Hayles gets his 9th goal
|
|
| |
|
|
The home side's goalscoring troubles were not helped when Louis Saha was
substituted in the 19th minute with blood splattered across his shirt, after
being accidentally kicked in the face by Chris Vinnicombe.
After the interval, the visitors did offer more in terms of attack - but
they were undone by Hayles in the 67th minute.
He seized the ball when Steve Brown lost possession and rifled into the
bottom corner from 18 yards.
The Wanderers' misery was complete when Jason Cousins was dismissed six
minutes later for his second yellow card, both from fouls on Hayles.
Sanchez's injury-hit side, on the fringes of the Second Division play-off
race, lined up without Paul McCarthy (knee) and Andy Rammell (ankle).
But the good news for Wycombe, who were agonisingly within three minutes
of knocking Jean Tigana's side out of the competition last Tuesday, was
that Vinnicombe returned to the first team after a ban.
In the third minute, Fulham goalkeeper Maik Taylor - who deputises for Edwin
van der Sar in cup matches - had to be alert to cut off a clever Dannie
Bulman through-ball just a yard in front of dangerous Chairboys forward
Jermaine McSporran.
Saha then turned Wycombe's Dave Carroll inside-out and whistled an 18-yard
strike just past the post, before the forward raced onto a loose ball just
inside the Wanderers half in the 16th minute.
As Vinnicombe attempted an overhead kick to clear, he only succeeded in
whacking the Frenchman in the face, giving him a broken nose.
Saha was forced off the field with blood splattered over his shirt, being
replaced by Steve Marlet, while the Wycombe defender was booked for his
high challenge.
Barry Hayles cracked a 25-yarder wide at the midway point in the half, and
after 42 minutes, left-back Rufus Brevett made a rare excursion over the
half-way line.
He amazed the home faithful by continuing into the penalty box, where he
made a poor attempt to gain a spot-kick - diving over Vinnicombe's half-challenge.
Brevett was booked for his attempt to con referee Graham Barber, while Wycombe's
Steve Brown was shown the yellow card for confronting the Fulham man.
After the break, the top-flight team had a goal disallowed for offside when
Marlet, standing on the six-yard line, clipped home Knight's 20-yard side-foot
effort.
The Frenchman's celebrations were cut short by the linesman's flag.
Hayles finally opened the scoring for Fulham in the 67th minute after Brown
- who scored against the Cottagers last week - needlessly gave away the
ball deep inside his own half.
Hayles danced to the edge of the Wanderers area, where he earned himself
space to shoot and dispatched a smart right-foot strike into the bottom
left corner of Taylor's goal.
Wycombe's task was made far harder when Cousins, booked in the first half
for a challenge on Hayles, fouled the goalscorer from behind in the 73rd
minute. Barber showed him his second yellow, followed by a red.
Wanderers goalkeeper Taylor made a magnificent block after Hayles put Marlet
clear on goal with 11 minutes left.
The shot-stopper made another fine parry from Malbranque seconds later,
followed by a point-black save from Marlet's follow-up, which he scrambled
off his goal-line.
Hayles also tested Taylor with a firm header moments afterwards, but the
inspired keeper made another brilliant save.
Fulham: Taylor, Finnan, Brevett, Melville, Goma, Knight (Stolcers
67), Malbranque, Davis, Saha (Marlet 21), Hayles, Boa Morte.
Subs Not Used: Hahnemann, Betsy, Trollope.
Booked: Finnan, Brevett.
Goals: Hayles 68.
Wycombe: Taylor, Vinnicombe, Cousins, Rogers, Ryan, Carroll (Roberts
42), Currie, Simpson, Brown (Lee 71), Bulman, McSporran (Devine 79).
Subs Not Used: Osborn, Johnson.
Sent Off: Cousins (75).
Booked: Vinnicombe, Cousins, Bulman, Brown, Roberts.
Att: 11,894 Ref: G Barber (Tring)