Simon Morgan scored a second half equaliser to rescue a point for Fulham at a snowy Boothferry Park this afternoon as the Whites battled back to draw with Hull City.
Graeme Atkinson gave the Tigers the lead on the stroke of half time when he lashed low shot into the corner of Jim Stannard’s goal from Leigh Jenkinson’s cross after Fulham had failed to clear a corner. But the hosts paid the penalty for failing to take a hatful of chances when visiting skipper Morgan headed home at the second attempt after Steve Wilson had parried a diving header from Julian Hails’ cross.
The home side started strongly and Stannard had to be alert to tip over an overhit cross from Jenkinson in the seventh minute. Right back Greg Abbott then blazed over after Russ Wilcox had lured the Fulham goalkeeper off his line and the Whites were indebted to a fine saving challenge from Glen Thomas after Atkinson had raced onto a threaded through ball from the dangerous Dean Windass. Don Mackay’s side only mustered one real chance of note in the first half, when Wilson tipped over Kelly Haag’s header after Thomas had flicked on a corner.
Disaster struck right on half time for the visitors as Fulham’s defence didn’t deal with a corner or Jenkinson’s second cross. Atkinson angled a lovely low finish into the corner of the net to give City a deserved lead. Stannard then made two smart saves at the start of the second half to prevent things getting worse – denying Windass from the edge of the box and Atkinson from a long throw in quick succession.
Mark Kelly hit the outside of the post with a right-footed finish at the other end as Fulham began to threaten and, after Stannard had atoned for a poor clearance landing at the feet of Windass with another save, the visitors equalised with seventeen minutes left. Hails found his captain at the back post with a ball in and, although Wilson saved well from Morgan’s first diving header, the midfielder nodded home the rebound to the delight of the travelling fans.
Fulham held on for an share of the spoils despite a period of late home pressure that saw Jenkinson send a header wide from Atkinson’s cross and Windass fail to test Stannard from the edge of the area.
HULL CITY: Wilson; Wilcox, Mail, Miller, Abbott, Atkinson, Jenkinson, Norton; Windass, Brown (France 67), Jones. Subs (not used): Stowe.
GOAL: Atkinson (44).
FULHAM: Stannard; Nebbeling, G. Thomas, Pike, Marshall, Morgan, Newson, Onwere, M. Kelly, Hails, Haag. Subs (not used): Baah, Ferney.
GOAL: Morgan (73).
ATTENDANCE: 3,645.
