Two controversial decisions – both involving Jeff Eckhardt – dented Fulham’s promotion push as the Whites went down to a damaging defeat at Bury this afternoon.
The referee, George Tyson, awarded a controversial penalty against the Fulham defender when he adjudged that Eckhardt had fouled David Lee. Liam Robinson, who had earlier given the Shakers a 1-0 lead when he struck a superb 30-yard effort past Jim Stannard to score his fiftieth league goal for the club, sent the Fulham goalkeeper the wrong way from the penalty spot in the 67th minute. The visitors had only just hauled themselves back into the contest when Gary Barnett scored his sixth league goal of the campaign from Clive Walker’s clever cross and Fulham’s hopes of a comeback were ruined when Eckhardt was sent off five minutes later for what the referee ruled was a two-footed tackle on Phil Parkinson.
Bury clinched all three points when Jamie Hoyland made the most of their numerical advantage by heading home Steve Elliott’s cross to give Martin Dobson’s men a two-goal cushion just a minute after Eckhardt had been handed his marching orders.
A raging Ray Lewington said afterwards: “Those two decisions cost us the game”.
BURY (4-3-3): Farnworth; Hill, Higgins, Valentine (Bishop 36), Clements; Hoyland, McIllroy, Parkinson; Elliott, Lee, Robinson.
GOALS: Robinson (15, pen 58), Hoyland (63).
FULHAM (4-4-2): Stannard; Eckhardt, Thomas, Elkins, Marshall, Scott, Barnett (Skinner 70), Wilson, Walker, Cole (Gordon 54), Davies.
BOOKED: Scott, Gordon.
SENT OFF: Eckhardt (61).
GOAL: Barnett (56).
REFEREE: George Tyson (Sunderland).
ATTENDANCE: 3,582.
