A contentious late penalty from Paul Wimbleton gave Bristol City a spot in the third round of the FA Cup after the Robins came from behind to beat Fulham at Ashton Gate.
Referee Danny Vickers gave the home side a curious late penalty – to round off a day when he had started by upsetting both sides before a ball had even been kicked. He ordered Fulham into their third strip to avoid a colour clash and then incensed Bristol City manager Joe Jordan by refusing Gary Shelton permission to play with a light cast that protected his broken wrist – even though the wily midfielder had worn it in his last two league outings without complaint.
City utterly dominated the first half but couldn’t find a goal to go with their undoubted superiority. Mark Gavin forced a fine save from Jim Stannard in the very first minute and continued to torment Fulham’s defence throughout. On the opposite flank, Dave Smith was also a problem for the visitors and went close to scoring himself – blazing wildly over from a well-worked corner before hitting a free-kick against the post. Stannard also spread himself to save well from Dave Rennie and Paul Wimbleton, the man who had to replace Shelton in the starting line-up.
Bob Taylor headed fractionally wide before Fulham took the lead massively against the run of the play two minutes before the interval. Vickers ruled that Peter Scott’s 25-yarder had bounced over the line after crashing back off underside of the crossbar, despite his linesman – who had a much better view – waving play on. City’s players were furious that the referee, who gave the goal from closer to the half way line, refused to consult his linesman.
Jordan dragged his players away from the officials and into the dressing room at half time. It appeared as if the Scot’s stern words had gone in one ear and out the other as Fulham started the second period in the ascendancy, with Andy Sayer clipping the outside of the post when he put through by a slide-rule Scott pass.
Gavin curled a free-kick from 20 yards out against the crossbar and you wondered whether it would be Fulham’s day. Instead, the Robins levelled within five minutes. Taylor took down a wonderful Wimbleton cross on his chest and shot clinically past Stannard from twelve yards out. There was controversy ten minutes from time when Smith spun in the box and was challenged by Leo Donnellan. The winger didn’t go to ground but referee Vickers pointed to the spot anyway – leaving the Whites incandescent with rage.
Wimbleton stepped forward and tucked the decisive penalty past Stannard to take City to the third round.
BRISTOL CITY: Sinclair; Llewellyn, Bailey, Rennie, Humphries, Newman, Wimbleton, Gavin, Smith, Taylor, Turner. Subs (not used): Pender, Eaton.
GOALS: Taylor (56), Wimbleton (pen 80).
FULHAM: Stannard; Marshall, Peters, Nebbeling, Mauge (Skinner 22), Lewington (Barnett 68), Scott, Donnellan, Langley, Watson, Sayer.
BOOKED: Peters.
GOAL: Scott (43).
REFEREE: Danny Vickers (Ilford).
ATTENDANCE: 7,677.
