A blog of two halves

Win at Hillsborough sees Fulham into play-offs

Sunday’s match will matter more to Sheffield Wednesday than to Fulham but it would be a morale booster for the Whites to extend their unbeaten run to six matches.

9 May 2017
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Neeskens Kebano scores for Fulham. PICTURE: ACTION IMAGES

In my previous blog I mused about the prospects for Fulham visit to Hillsborough on Sunday 7 May: “Jokanovic hopes to reduce the risk of injuries and fatigue while maintain the momentum. Sunday’s match will matter more to Sheffield Wednesday than to Fulham but it would be a morale booster for the Whites to extend their unbeaten run to six matches.”

Could there possibly have been a better outcome? Despite conceding an early goal Fulham won a convincing 2-1 victory, while a much altered Sheffield Wednesday fell from third to fourth and had Mario Malias sent off. 

Jokanovic had fielded a strong side, giving Chris Martin, Dennis Odoi and Neeskens Kebano their chance to earn a Semi Final call-up. After a slip by Tomas Kalas had allowed Sam Winnall to score for Wednesday, Odoi crossed from the right and Kebano hit a confident equaliser through a knot of defenders. 

Referee Graham Scot saw Malias’s foul on Aluko for what it was, wild and peevish, and rightly dismissed him. This gave Fulham a second-half advantage, and they attacked constantly. 

Scott Malone came closest to scoring until the 79th minute when the Wednesday defenders appeared to have prevented Lucas Piazon’s looping free kick from crossing the line, The Fulham players appealed and the referee agreed that the goal was valid. It looked as if the ball had ben deflected by defender David Jones, but Kebano was eventually confirmed as the scorer.

Because of Sunday’s results Fulham face Reading in the first semi- final and Huddersfield entertain Sheffield Wednesday, an arrangement that suits all the travelling supporters.

Fulham have beaten each of their fellow semi-finalists this season. 

On the 3 December Reading suffered a 5-0 defeat at the Cottage, partly because of an own goal and a sending off, and partly because Martin and Johansen were in top form. Seven weeks later Martin was off his best, especially when taking spot kicks. Losing 1-0 at Reading, Fulham were awarded a penalty just before full time. The Scottish striker’s technique was far too predictable to defeat Al-Habsi.  

The club has a dismaying record in play-offs but Jokanovic and his team have shown great resolution this season. 

They have done splendidly, finishing only one point behind Sheffield Wednesday and Huddersfield. The next few days could witness the Londoners’ triumph. We shall know more by midnight on Tuesday.

The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and unless specifically stated are not necessarily those of Hammersmith & Fulham Council.

Morgan Phillips

Morgan is our Fulham FC blogger.

Born in Fulham in 1939 Morgan has lived in the district ever since. His parents (both Fulham supporters) took him to Craven Cottage in 1948 and he was immediately smitten, though it was not until the mid-1960s that he became interested in the club's history.

Articles in the supporters' magazine Cottage Pie were followed in 1976 by Morgan's publication of the first complete history 'Fulham We Love You'.

In the 1980s he wrote occasional articles for the reconstituted Cottage Pie under his own name and under the pseudonym Henry Dubb.

As public interest grew in football history, Morgan compiled 'From St Andrew's to Craven Cottage' (2007) describing the evolution of a church team into a professional organisation with its own stadium.

This led to regular articles in Hammersmith & Fulham Council's h&f news and then to a blog on the council's website.

In 2012 he produced an illustrated history of St Andrew’s Church Fulham Fields and the following year he and the vicar (Canon Guy Wilkinson) persuaded Fulham FC to install a plaque in the church commemorating the origins of the football club.

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