Clive Walker scored the only goal of the game as ten-man Fulham clung on to beat Notts County and increase the pressure on beleaguered boss John Barnwell.
The home side only had themselves to blame as they failed to take anything from a match they dominated after strikers Garry Birtles and Gary Lund missed glorious chances to put County ahead. Birtles somehow sidefooted wide from six yards and Lund had a shot bravely blocked by Jim Stannard from three yards out and then saw his effort from the rebound scrambled off the line by Glen Thomas.
The dismay continued for the home side after the break when Paul Barnes, who replaced the disappointing Birtles twenty minutes into the second half, headed over with his very first touch and was easily marked out of the game by the Fulham defence. Barnwell admitted afterwards that his side are struggling in the final third – having scored just twelve goals in their first twelve league games.
They have conceded eight goals in their last four games – and the one that cost them anything this afternoon was eminently preventable. Former Chelsea winger Clive Walker took it well but he was not closed down as he sauntered through a horribly square County defence before rounding Mick Leonard and tucking a simple finish into an empty net. Fulham were ruthless in front of goal in stark contrast to their hosts – with Gary Mills, Geoff Pike and David Norton all spurning good chances to give Barnwell’s boys the lead.
The Whites had to survive the last half an hour with ten minute after Gore was shown two yellow cards for bad tackles in the space of six minutes but County couldn’t make the most of their numerical advantage. Indeed, the home side hardly tested Jim Stannard in the Fulham goal after Gore’s sending off.
NOTTS COUNTY: Leonard; Norton, Withe, O’Riordan, Yates, Law, Mills, Lund, Birtles (Barnes 65), Pike, Thorpe. Subs (not used): McStay.
BOOKED: Yates.
FULHAM: Stannard; Eckhardt, Gore, Thomas, Marshall, Scott, Barnett, Wilson, Walker, Gordon, Sayer (Kerrins 62). Subs (not used): Davies
BOOKED: Stannard, Barnett, Gore, Wilson.
SENT OFF: Gore.
GOAL: Walker (23).
ATTENDANCE: 5,514.
