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Fulham striker Bobby Zamora gets his goal |
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Fulham 2 West Brom 2
Fulham striker Bobby Zamora finally ended his long barren streak as Fulham
condemned the top-flight's bottom side to a hopelessly one-sided 2-0 defeat.
Zamora had played more than 29 hours of Premier League football since his last
goal but tapped home the opener from point-blank range before strike partner
Andy Johnson added his ninth of the season to seal a well-earned victory.
The home side struck the woodwork four times with Clint Dempsey, Brede Hangeland
and Danny Murphy, twice, the men to miss out, while Roman Bednar missed an
injury-time penalty for the visitors.
Johnson showed an early willingness to run at the opposition, tempting
Zuiverloon into a trip 25 yards from goal after four minutes.
Captain Murphy struck the free-kick brilliantly, curling his shot towards the
near corner only for Scott Carson to tip the ball onto the post at full stretch.
| Match Stats |
Fulham |
West Brom |
| Goals |
2 |
0 |
| Possession |
58% |
42% |
| Goal attempts |
23 |
12 |
| On Target |
6 |
6 |
| Corners |
12 |
4 |
| Off-sides |
4 |
1 |
| Saves |
6 |
4 |
| Fouls |
12 |
10 |
| Yellows |
0 |
1 |
| Reds |
0 |
0 |
| source: Soccernet |
Zamora was alert to the rebound but Abdoulaye Meite won the race to clear.
Fulham's dominance continued as Johnson collected a wonderful pass from Davies
and sprinted towards goal.
He appealed for a penalty after tumbling under pressure from Leon Barnett but
there did not appear to be any significant contact.
The hosts' confidence continued to grow and in the 19th minute Dickson Etuhu
stung Carson's palms with a sweetly struck first-time volley from the edge of
the area.
The visitors were holding on for dear life at times but were helped in the 23rd
minute when Dempsey scooped his shot high and wide after good work from Johnson
and Zamora.
The American was merely finding his range, though, and moments later took
advantage of some reticent defending to arrow a swerving effort goalwards from
nearly 25 yards.
Carson was comfortably beaten in the air but for a second time the woodwork came
to West Brom's rescue.
Luck remained with the midlands side, Murphy striking the woodwork for a third
time in the 33rd minute.
Johnson and Zamora carved the chance and Murphy's measured effort once again
left Carson sprawling, only for the ball to clip the crossbar and bounce out.
The danger was not over for West Brom, though, with Murphy's chipped through
ball causing a mix-up between Barnett and Carson.
With the goalkeeper set to collect, Barnett dived to head clear but only
succeeded in steering the ball towards the line.
Carson scrambled back to paw the ball wide but Tony Mowbray's side looked
shell-shocked and Zamora volleyed over from another fine chance moments later.
West Brom started the second period as they had ended the first, fumbling for
possession and firmly on the back foot.
Mowbray threw on Northern Ireland winger Chris Brunt after 50 minutes in an
attempt to make something happen and his first contribution, a free-kick from
the right, handed Marc Antoine-Fortune a decent headed chance.
His second touch, just three minutes after coming on, was even better.
The former Sheffield Wednesday man broke down the flank and sent in a vicious
left-footed cross which again found Fortune.
The striker was just six yards out but opted to take a touch and could not bring
the ball down in time to get his shot away.
Carson was back in action soon enough, pulling off a smart reflex save after the
ball ricocheted off Barnett from close range.
With an hour gone Zamora finally broke the deadlock from a yard.
Etuhu sent the ball in from the right, Johnson glanced the lightest of headers
to the far post and his partner touched home for only his second goal of the
season.
After a 21-game barren streak, the relief was tangible and he almost scored a
second when he lashed just over two minutes later.
Robert Koren and Borja Valero both went close from distance as the Baggies tried
to hit back.
Normal service was soon resumed, though, with Fulham striking the frame of the
goal for a fourth time.
This time the unlucky man was defender Hangeland, whose header was kept out by a
combination of Carson and the bar.
But with 71 minutes gone the Cottagers had a richly deserved second, the
newly-confident Zamora taking a long ball on the chest before drilling
powerfully towards the top corner.
The ball rebounded off Carson and into the path of Johnson, who took a touch
before slotting into the vacant net.
Mark Schwarzer then capped things off when he saved Bednar's stoppage-time
penalty, awarded for a trip on the striker by Hangeland.
Fulham manager Roy Hodgson:
"Until we pass that magical 40 (point) mark we won't even contemplate that things are looking easier.
"If we get past that mark we can start raising our heads a little bit and hoping for the higher places in the league.
"But I'm really happy today. In a game we did need to win it was important to get that victory and the points in the bag.
"Zamora's kept at things well, formed a partnership with Johnson and that's been very important for us.
"It's great credit to his strength of character and his determination that he's been able to ride though the bad spell and today he's got his reward."
West Brom Manager tony Mowbray:
"Fulham thoroughly deserved to win.
"We rode our luck right from the start. We were better second half but lost
goals through poor defending.
"On any given day you've got to keep going because you can catch teams on a day
when you can beat them.
"We'll try to pick up points at home and try and catch a team on a bad day away
from home."
Fulham: Schwarzer, Pantsil, Hughes, Hangeland, Konchesky, Davies, Murphy
(Dacourt 85), Etuhu, Dempsey, Johnson (Kamara 80), Zamora (Nevland 80).
Subs Not Used: Zuberbuhler, Gray, Kallio, Baird.
Goals: Zamora 61, Johnson 72.
West Brom: Carson, Zuiverloon, Meite, Barnett, Robinson, Morrison
(Menseguez 77), Koren, Borja Valero, Filipe Teixeira (Brunt 50), Fortune (Bednar
81), Simpson.
Subs Not Used: Kiely, Cech, Moore, Martis.
Booked: Robinson.
Att: 22,394
Ref: Martin Atkinson (W Yorkshire).
Man of the match: Fulham's Danny Murphy