Premier League football resumed last Friday with Fulham playing away at Nottingham. Forest supporters must still be savouring the victory at the Cottage in April of this year that delayed Fulham’s championship and secured the (Garibaldi) Reds a play-off place leading to promotion.
The only goal scored that April evening came from loanee Philip Zinckernagel. He has since moved to Olympiacos and though Forest have spent more than £157million on strengthening the squad, their early results have been disappointing. Fulham have invested less than half that amount and the newcomers have blended in well, thanks to Marco Silva and his confederates.
Friday’s match was preceded by dignified tributes to the late Queen, including a 60-second silence that inevitably morphed into applause.
Anxious to halt a run of defeats (and probably aware that Fulham can be slow starters) Forest swept into action and took the lead in the 11th minute. Brennan Johnson’s corner came off Ryan Yates to Taiwo Awoniyi, who nodded the ball clear of goalkeeper Bernd Leno.
Despite the team’s underpowered display, the resident commentators Jim and Jamie were confident of a second half would see an equaliser leading to a Fulham victory. Few other football predictions have proved so accurate.
Nine minutes after the interval the visitors equalised with a goal that mirrored the Forest opener. While defenders grappled with Aleks Mitrovic, Tosin superbly anticipated Willian’s corner and headed past Dean Henderson. As the match swung in Fulham’s favour, Willian and Kenny Tete supplied Joao Palhinha with an opening that was well outside the penalty area. His curling shot allowed keeper Henderson absolutely no chance. Even the reserved Marco Silva indulged in wild celebration.
More joy
There was more joy for visiting supporters when Bobby DeCordova-Reid’s pass presented Harrison Reed with the neatest of goals.
Why has it taken you so long to score, Harrison? Fulham had netted three in six minutes The only missing ingredient was a birthday goal from Aleksandar Mitrovic, which would have earned him another club record.
There followed a pre-arranged break in play to allow further applause for the late Queen and for King Charles.
Hoping to save a point, the Forest manager sent on Jesse Lingard and Lewis O’Brien and produced an instant improvement. Lingard’s centre was only half-cleared by Tosin, and O’Brien capitalised on the loose ball. However, the home side could not penetrate the Fulham defence again in the remaining quarter of an hour.
This satisfying victory, Fulham’s first away win, prompted the traveling supporters to chorus ‘We’re all going on a European tour’. But in a singularly punishing season, perhaps it is as well if there are not too many demands on our players.
Silva will not be alone in hoping that Mitrovic, Palhinha, DeCordova-Reid and others called away for international duty will return to the club unscathed.
The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and unless specifically stated are not necessarily those of Hammersmith & Fulham Council.
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