A lovely lob from Gary Brazil gave ten-man Fulham an opening day win over Hartlepool United at a sunkissed Victoria Park.
The Whites’ longest journey of the season began brightly as Brazil latched onto a clever ball from Sean Farrell ahead of the home goalkeeper Tim Carter. With Carter way too far off his goal-line, Brazil took a second to assess the situation and coolly chipped the stranded custodian to the delight of the travelling fans.
The home side immediately went in search of an equaliser with Jim Stannard saving smartly from Brian Honour before Nicky Peverell had a shot bravely blocked by Glen Thomas on the follow up. At the other end, Mark Cooper wasted a free header by nodding wide from an excellent Julian Hails cross.
Stannard was called into action again to smother Paul Wratten’s header from a ball in by Paul Cross, before the Fulham goalkeeper received lengthy treatment having been caught by Colin West as the pair contested a fifty-fifty. The Cottagers were then reduced to ten men when Thomas received a harsh second yellow card for an accidental handball. Don Mackay reacted by bringing on Terry Angus for Duncan Jupp – and the debutant helped Fulham nullify the hosts’ numerical advantage well.
The home side penned Fulham back for a good 25 minutes after the interval but spurned the best chances they created. John McPhail somehow stabbed wide from close range after Ian McGuckin had nodded Ryan Cross’s ball back across the box before the Pools defender fluffed an even greater opportunity, firing past an open goal. Fulham might have rode their luck but substitute Peter Baah almost created a second goal for Brazil.
Mackay’s charges held on to claim a gritty victory over MacPhail had lashed an effort high and wide of Stannard’s net when the luckless centre back had found space at the far post from a late corner.
HARTLEPOOL UNITED: Carter; P. Cross, McGuckin, MacPhail, R. Cross; Gallacher, Honour, Emerson (Southall 45); Wratten, West, Peverell (Gilchrist 85).
BOOKED: R. Cross.
FULHAM: Stannard; Morgan, Pike, Ferney, Jupp (Angus 38), G. Thomas, Hails, Cooper, Farrell (Baah 53), Brazil, Marshall. Subs (not used): Harrison.
BOOKED: G. Thomas, Ferney.
SENT OFF: G. Thomas.
GOAL: Brazil (12).
REFEREE: R. Shepherd (Leeds).
ATTENDANCE: 3,133.
