Dion Dublin headed Cambridge United into the third round of the FA Cup as John Beck’s side battled back from a goal to beat Fulham at the Abbey Stadium this evening.
The Whites made the perfect start when Gordon Davies put them in front after just fifty seconds of the replay getting underway. The Welsh striker won a free-kick after being brought down by Phil Chapple. Gary Brazil’s shot deflected off the wall and former Fulham goalkeeper John Vaughan did well to tip it onto the crossbar but Davies was in the right place to poke home Mark Kelly’s ball across goal from the rebound.
Fulham’s travelling fans were in good voice, but they were silenced when Mike Cheetham tumbled over Simon Morgan’s challenge to win a penalty in the eighth minute. Laurence Batty got a hand to Alan Kimble’s spot-kick but couldn’t keep it out. Gary Brazil drilled a 20-yard effort just over the bar as the Whites dominated possession before the break, but Cambridge should have gone ahead when John Taylor somehow scooped a superb cross from Richard Wilkins over over the bar from the point-blank range.
It was Beck’s brand of long ball football that delivered victory as the home side went more direct int he second half. Taylor headed a straight free-kick from Chapple out to the left and Philpott’s cross was headed over Laurence Batty by Dublin. Alan Dicks sent on John Marshall and Jeff Eckhardt to try and force extra time, but Eckhardt headed wide from Mark Kelly’s cross as Fulham failed to find a late equaliser.
A disappointed Dicks said afterwards: “I didn’t think we deserved to go out tonight. We played a lot more football in their half that we did in the first match.”
CAMBRIDGE UNITED: Vaughan; Fensome, Kimble, Bailie, Chapple, O’Shea, Cheetham, Wilkins, Dublin, Taylor, Philpott. Subs (not used): Claridge, Dennis.
GOALS: Kimble (pen 8), Dublin (75).
FULHAM: Batty; Newson, Pike (Eckhardt 77), G. Thomas, North, Morgan, Kelly, Skinner (Marshall 75), Brazil, Davies, Rosenior.
GOAL: Davies (1).
REFEREE: Peter Foakes (Clacton).
ATTENDANCE: 4,966.
