Ipswich failed to take full advantage of
Luis Boa Morte's first-half dismissal as Fulham comfortably held on for
a point after Jermaine Wright had equalised Barry Hayles' strike.
Wright gave himself something to celebrate on his 26th birthday when he
drilled a precise 12-yarder past Edwin van der Sar after the Dutchman had
flailed hopelessly at Martijn Reuser's cross, but Town showed a surprising
lack of urgency as they failed to exploit their extra man.
Boa Morte's second booking - for diving on the stroke of half-time - completed
a thoroughly miserable afternoon for the Portuguese, who had earlier horribly
miscued from the penalty spot in front of the drenched Craven Cottage faithful.
The former Arsenal winger would be entitled to count himself a little unlucky
to be sent off, for although his tumble in the face of Herman Hreidarsson's
block was exaggerated, his nimbly-executed nutmeg had clearly flummoxed
the big Icelander.
But there was no excuse for his comically topped spot-kick, which bobbled
well wide on the half hour mark after John McGreal had handled in the area.
A 2-0 lead at that stage may well have finished off toothless Town, but
as it was Fulham had just Hayles' fourth of the season, gobbled up hungrily
after John Collins' free-kick had rebounded off Fabian Wilnis, to show for
a dominant first-half showing.
Hayles was a constant thorn in Ipswich's side, leaving his more illustrious
strike partner Steve Marlet in the shade with his close control and determined
running, while Sylvain Legwinski probed intelligently from the centre of
the field.
But Jean Tigana's side have just eight Premiership goals to their name this
season, and too often their quick breaks down the flanks foundered as Boa
Morte and Hayles ran infield into trouble.
Boa Morte might have gone even earlier than he did, had the referee not
taken the correct view that Wilnis' theatrical fall to the turf on 34 minutes
was out of keeping with the Fulham man's petulantly raised hand: as it was
the booking he did get was to prove decisive.
George Burley brought Reuser off the bench at half-time to capitalise on
the extra space, but his clever turn and cross for the goal apart, the Dutchman
struggled to escape the dogged attention of Steve Finnan.
In fact, once the Cottagers' galloping Frenchman Steed Malbranque had been
introduced to the fray, the home side looked the more likely winners, but
the closest they came was a rasping 25-yarder from fellow French replacement
Louis Saha which Matteo Sereni was relieved to claw away.
The result is of no significant use to either club's efforts to haul themselves
away from the lower reaches of the table, but Ipswich and Fulham now have
nine draws between them, and stalemate will remain the most likely outcome
of their games as long as both continue to display a reluctance to gamble
in pursuit of victory.
Fulham:
Van der Sar, Finnan, Brevett, Melville, Goma, Clark (Davis 62), Marlet (Malbranque
63), Collins, Legwinski, Boa Morte, Hayles (Saha 68).
Subs Not Used: Taylor, Knight. Sent Off: Boa Morte (45).
Booked: Boa Morte, Legwinski. Goals: Hayles 23.
Ipswich:
Sereni, Wilnis (Reuser 45), Clapham, McGreal, Hreidarsson, Holland, Wright,
Makin, Peralta (Magilton 72), Armstrong, George (Stewart 13).
Subs Not Used: Branagan, Naylor.
Booked: Peralta, Armstrong, Wilnis. Goals: Wright 55.
Att: 17,221 Ref: M Riley (Leeds). |