A superb strike from Viv Busby in the last-minute of extra-time kept Fulham in the FA Cup as the visitors forced a second replay at the end of a dramatic duel with Hull City at Boothferry Park this evening.
Busby, who had missed chances in Saturday’s original tie to put the game beyond the Tigers, gave the visitors the lead midway through the second half but Hull stunned their visitors through two opportunist strikes from Peter Fletcher and Stuart Croft. Croft’s goal looked to have knocked Alec Stock’s side out of the Cup – coming as it did with just five minutes of extra-time left, but the Cottagers had other ideas.
Busby burst onto a brilliant ball from Alan Slough and through a gaping hole in the home defence to fire a fierce finish past a distraught Jeff Wealands in the Tigers goal. The forward’s magic moments means that the two teams will contest a third replay at Filbert Street on Monday to try and determine who will take on either Tottenham Hotspur or Nottingham Forest in the fourth round.
Just like the first meeting at Craven Cottage, Fulham were calm and controlled from the outset along this time it was the composed Bobby Moore organising the defence – whose offside trap regularly caught the Hull forwards out – rather than a wave of white-shirted attacks. It took City more than half an hour to test Peter Mellor in the visiting goal and he wasn’t really extended by Malcolm Lord’s ambitious effort from long-range, either.
At the other end, John Conway should have done better when presented with a sight of goal by a dreadful mistake from full back Peter Daniel, who then made amends by heading an Alan Mullery effort off the line. On the stroke of half time, Peter Fletcher forced a fine save from Mellor – but Alec Stock would have been frustrated again that his side hadn’t put clear water between the two teams.
As in the original tie, the second period proved much more even. Fulham still looked the more likely scorers and so it proved in the 64th minute when Busby scored at the third attempt from John Conway’s cross. Wealands got his hands on the striker’s original header and blocked the follow-up shot, but the ball ran free in an ensuing melee and Busby buried it. Referee David Richardson, far from Fulham’s favourite official, made them wait by consulting his linesman – but the goal was eventually awarded.
Fulham’s lead lasted just four minutes. Les Strong played a backpass that seemed to be straightforward enough for Mellor, but the visiting goalkeeper hesitated where Fletcher gambled and the striker’s outstretched leg guided the loose ball into the net. John Conway spurned another glorious opportunity before Wealands and Banks blocked goalbound headers from Ernie Howe, whilst Mellor made sharp saves of his own to deny Lord and Fletcher. That meant thirty minutes of extra time.
Hull looked happy to hang on for another bite at the cherry but they began to dream of the fourth round when Mellor calamitously dropped a Lord free-kick over his head and Croft hooked home to send the home fans into ecstasy. But Busby produced a late leveller to give Fulham another chance at Leicester in five days time.
HULL CITY: Wealands; Banks, Burnett, Croft, Daniel, Grimes, Lord, Galvin (Deere 79), Greenwood, Fletcher, Hemmerman.
BOOKED: Croft.
GOALS: Fletcher (68), Croft (115).
FULHAM: Mellor; Cutbush, Strong, Moore, Howe, Mullery, Slough, Jimmy Conway, John Conway, Barrett, Busby. Subs (not used): Mitchell.
BOOKED: Cutbush.
GOALS: Busby (64, 120).
REFEREE: David Richardson (Blackburn).
ATTENDANCE: 11,850.
