AFC Bournemouth kept Fulham at bay as the Europa-League bound Londoners drew their latest pre-season friendly tonight at Dean Court.
Roy Hodgson picked probably his strongest available side but Bournemouth were competitive and not short on the quality in front of more than 3,000 fans. Brett Pitman brought the best out of David Stockdale with an angled drive from the right edge of the penalty area early on and Sammy Igoe looked lively in midfield. Fulham played the prettier football and fashioned chances of their own – the best two best openings coming courtesy of slide-rule Danny Murphy passes, but Shwan Jalal denied both Erik Nevland and Andy Johnson with smart saves.
The Cherries’ goalkeeper was in outstanding form and made a good block from Bobby Zamora in the second period with the game becoming much more disjointed due to a succession of substitutions from both managers. Bournemouth fashioned a couple of late chances, but couldn’t force a winner. The most pleasing element of the evening for Hodgson probably would have been the return of Brede Hangeland to the heart of the Fulham back four following injury – it looked like the towering Norwegian had never been away.
BOURNEMOUTH (4-4-2): Jalal; Thirwell, Cummings, Garry, Pearce; Molesley, Robinson, Fenney, Igoe; Goulding, Pitman.
FULHAM (4-4-2): Stockdale; Kelly, Konchesky, Hughes, Hangeland; Etuhu, Murphy, Gera, Seol Ki-Hyeon; Nevland, A. Johnson.
