Fulham manager Alan Dicks ordered his side to report for extra training tomorrow after the Whites’ season got off to the worst possible start with a dismal 2-0 defeat at Chester City this afternoon.
Life without club record goalscorer Gordon Davies began bleakly as Fulham missed a host of first-half chances before being punished for their lack of ruthlessness in front of goal. Gary Brazil, who had looked so sharp in pre-season, and John Marshall spurned presentable opportunities to put the visitors in front and the Whites were punished right on the stroke of half time when Chris Lightfoot fired the home side ahead from Barry Butler’s precise pass.
Gary Bennett sealed the three points for the Blues with a free header from summer signing Arthur Albiston’s long free-kick. Fulham had further chances to make a game of it before the full time whistle but Scottish defender Albiston cleared Peter Scott’s free-kick off the line and Mark Newson nodded wide from a corner.
A furious Dicks said afterwards: “I was annoyed because we fought hard in the first half and got behind their defence a couple of times. Our finishing has to be better than that. We could have gone in front on four occasions.”
CHESTER CITY: Siddall; Abel, Whelan, Albiston, Butler (McGuinness 80), Lightfoot, Bishop, Barrow, Pugh, Rimmer, Elliott.
BOOKED: Bishop.
GOALS: Lightfoot (45), Bennett (79).
FULHAM: Stannard; Eckhardt, G. Thomas, Pike, Marshall, Morgan, Newson, Onwere (Cobb 60), Scott, Brazil, Haag (Milton 75).
BOOKED: Scott.
ATTENDANCE: 1,444.
