Fulham were held to a goalless draw by Huddersfield Town at Craven Cottage this evening.
The Whites struggled to create clear-cut chances in the first half after kick off had been delayed the late arrival of the away side’s coach. New loan signing Iain Dowie, who arrived earlier this week from Luton Town, looked impressive on his debut up front – holding the ball up well and bringing his team-mates into play effectively early on. Steve Hardwick in the Huddersfield goal bravely claimed a cross from Clive Walker that flashed across his six-yard box before making a superb save to deny Andy Sayer in a one-on-one after the Fulham striker had beaten the offside trap. Sayer followed up and seemed set to open the scoring from the rebound, but somehow managed to blast the ball over the bar from close range.
Town certainly didn’t come to SW6 merely to make up the numbers. Former Fulham midfielder Robert Wilson, who was harshly booed by the home fans, and the impressive Chris Marsden controlled the engine room and Eoin Hand’s side probably had the better of the first period. They looked dangerous on the break throughout and could have taken the lead through a long-range strike from midfielder Chris Hutchings were it not for a smart save from Jim Stannard. Huddersfield were unfortunate not to take the lead when striker Mike Cecere clipped the far post with an angled drive at the start of the second half.
Walker briefly put the visiting defence under pressure with one fine mazy dribble that produced three corners without rewarded but Fulham laboured without much reward for the remainder of the contest against a well-drilled Huddersfield defence. Their best chance saw Skinner sent Sayer scampering clear of the away back line with a brilliant through ball but Hardwick tipped over the striker’s rising drive.
FULHAM: Stannard; Eckhardt, Nebbeling, G. Thomas, Marshall (Bremner 73), Scott, Skinner, Mauge, Walker (Barnett 73), Dowie, Sayer.
BOOKED: Dowie.
HUDDERSFIELD TOWN: Hardwick; Lewis, Mitchell, O’Doherty, Hutchings, May, Marsden, Wilson, Smith, Byrne (Onoura 79), Cecere. Subs (not used): O’Regan.
BOOKED: Marsden, Wilson.
REFEREE: Paul Durkin (Portland).
ATTENDANCE: 4,445.
