Dave Bamber’s first half header proved enough for Swindon Town to beat Fulham and move into the FA Cup fourth round at Craven Cottage this afternoon.
The 6ft3in centre forward, making his first start of the new year, frightened the life out of Fulham’s back line throughout this Cup tie and Bamber punished the Whites for some dreadful marking at a corner seven minutes before half time. He brushed off the attentions of both Shaun Gore and Keith Oakes to send Leigh Barnard’s inswinging delivery into the roof of the net from five yards out.
Bamber could easily have had a hat-trick. He was denied by a brilliant save from John Vaughan in the second half after climbing highest to reach a cross from the right by Mark Jones, before John Marshall cleared another goalbound header from underneath the Fulham crossbar. Whilst the home defence struggled to deal with Bamber in the air, they also couldn’t keep his strike partner Steve White quiet.
Vaughan had to produce a full-length dive to repel White’s first-half effort and the centre forward was only thwarted by a brave block from Wayne Kerrins after rounding goalkeeper Vaughan after the interval. Fulham enjoyed far more possession than their visitors but sorely missed the finishing instincts of the injured Gordon Davies.
Town goalkeeper Fraser Digby wasn’t unduly tested despite Dean Coney, Kerrins, Marshall and Barnett all getting into good shooting positions. Manager Ray Lewington admitted afterwards that his side had been ‘outfought’ by Swindon and that there was ‘plenty of work to do’.
FULHAM: Vaughan; Marshall, Gore, Parker, Oakes, Scott, Donnellan (Achampong 63), Hoddy, Kerrins, Barnett, Coney. Subs (not used): Skinner.
BOOKED: Marshall.
SWINDON TOWN: Digby; Ramsey, Hockaday, Calderwood, Parkin, Jones, Coyne, Bamber, Barnard, Quinn, White. Subs (not used): Gilligan, McLoughlin.
GOAL: Bamber (38).
REFEREE: Ray Lewis.
ATTENDANCE: 7,077.
