Fulham manager Ray Lewington offered a fulsome apology for his side’s defensive tactics after watching the Whites grind out a gritty goalless draw at Bolton Wanderers this afternoon.
An angry Burnden Park crowd labelled an injury-hit Fulham side as ‘boring’ as the visitors largely put ten men behind the ball to stifle Bolton’s best efforts at injecting some excitement into a dreary draw. Lewington told the press afterwards that the Londoners’ injury crisis was the reason for their safety first approach:
“We only had eleven fit players. Before the game, I would have settled for a draw, but we didn’t deliberately set out for one. We could not afford to open the game out as Bolton would have cut us up. Because of our injuries, I’m afraid we had to concentrate on the negative side of the game and that’s something we do not like doing. I suppose the fact that it was a draw means that we were successful”.
Bolton boss Phil Neal slammed Fulham’s ‘defensive’ tactics and claimed that his side were affected by the away team’s efforts at time wasting. But the hosts struggled to create clear-cut chances and visiting goalkeeper Jim Stannard did not have a save of note to make throughout the ninety minutes. David Reeves volleyed wide of the far post, whilst Tony Philliskirk missed the target with three efforts as Wanderers extended their unbeaten run to eighteen games. Given the dominance the home side enjoyed, this draw felt like a defeat.
BOLTON WANDERERS: Felgate; Crombie, Winstanley, Cowdrill, Brown, Storer, Thompson, Darby, Savage, Reeves, Philliskirk. Subs (not used): Hughes, Henshaw.
FULHAM: Stannard; Nebbeling, G. Thomas, Marshall, Scott, Skinner, Mauge, Barnett (Bremner 82), Walker, Sayer, Watson (Kimble 76).
BOOKED: Nebbeling.
REFEREE: Paul Vanes (West Midlands).
ATTENDANCE: 5,524.
