Two goals in two minutes from Jeff Eckhardt and Sean Farrell saw Fulham register an important away win over below-par Reading at Elm Park this afternoon.
After a dull first half, Don Mackay’s men took the lead on the hour mark when Jeff Eckhardt forced home a corner after some slack marking. Within sixty seconds, the Whites had scored again. Gary Brazil raced clear of a horribly square home defence and crossed for Farrell, who buried a brilliant diving header to the delight of the travelling fans, who celebrated the goal glut with glee.
The visitors started the sharper with Reading affected a flu bug that had ravaged their first-team squad and seemingly sapped several starters of their energy. David Byrne continued his impressive run of form since joining the Whites on loan from Watford and might have opened the scoring in the third minute, cutting in from the right to let fly with his left foot from the edge of the box but John Keeley saved well.
Farrell was almost gifted the opener by an untimely slip from Keith McPherson but Keeley advanced off his line to narrow the angle and blocked the Fulham forward’s finish with his feet. Jim Stannard saved well from Mick Gooding and a deflected Craig Maskell drive either side of the half-time break, but the visitors looked much the more likely to take the lead, not least because Mark McGhee’s side continually struggled to hold on to possession.
It was no surprise when Fulham took the lead on the hour mark. Byrne’s inswinging corner caused carnage at the near post, with Eckhardt bundling the ball home at the near post after Reading couldn’t clear their lines. Brazil then burst clear down the right flank and supplied a superb cross that Farrell fabulously headed home to give Mackay’s men a bit of breathing space.
Keeley then pulled off brave saves to thwart Brazil – after another awful mistake from Danny Bailey – and Farrell in quick succession. In truth, Reading were lucky to escape with just a two-goal defeat. YTS graduate Aaron Giametti came off the bench and should have scored a debut goal with his first touch, heading over Trevor Senior’s flick before McPherson denied Farrell a third in the final minute with a vital intervention.
READING: Keeley; McPherson, Williams, Richardson, Jones, Bailey (Giametti 67), Gooding, Taylor, Streete, Senior, Maskell. Subs (not used): Lovell.
BOOKED: Taylor.
FULHAM: Stannard; Eckhardt, G. Thomas, Pike, Marshall, Morgan, Byrne, Scott, M. Kelly, Brazil, Farrell. Subs (not used): P. Kelly, Haag.
BOOKED: Byrne.
GOALS: Eckhardt (60), Farrell (62).
REFEREE: Keith Cooper (Pontypridd).
ATTENDANCE: 4,388.
