Substitute Chris Malkin scored the winner as Tranmere Rovers made a triumphant return to Third Division football after a ten year absence with an impressive opening day win at Fulham this afternoon.
An end-to-end game at Craven Cottage saw chances at either end inside the first two minutes. Fulham captain Jeff Eckhardt headed just wide from a free kick before Jim Steel came even closer at the other end from Jimmy Harvey’s set-play.
John Morrissey enjoyed great success against Fulham full back Alan Kimble down the Tranmere left and the pair’s individual battle was one of the highlights of a very watchable contest. Both men were booked in the first half as the duel became more of a physical affair but Morrissey had the last laugh after tormenting the home right back with a succession of twists and turns before winning a free-kick in a dangerous position. Harvey’s set-piece was flicked on by centre back Mark Hughes and headed powerfully into the roof of the net by Eddie Bishop to give Rovers a half-time lead.
Fulham came flying out of the blocks at the start of the second half with veteran winger Clive Walker going close before Welsh striker Gordon Davies was denied by a superb one-handed save from Eric Nixon. Dave Higgins produced a superbly timed intervention to slid in and prevent Walker from levelling matters four minutes later but the hosts did equalise just before the hour mark when Eckhardt headed home from close range after John Watson had flicked on a Walker corner.
Fulham pushed hard for a second but were caught out at the other end with twenty minutes to go. Tony Thomas picked up possession just inside the home side’s half and unlocked the Fulham defence with a threaded ball for substitute Malkin, who had replaced an injured Steel in the first period, and the forward forced the ball past the advancing Stannard to restore Tranmere’s lead. Rovers had Nixon to thank for their fine victory after the excellent goalkeeper tipped a goalbound John Marshall header around his near post with seven minutes left.
FULHAM: Stannard; Eckhardt, G. Thomas, Marshall, Bremner (Lewington 72), Skinner, Mauge, Kimble, Davies, Sayer (Walker 51), Watson.
BOOKED: G. Thomas, Eckhardt, Sayer, Kimble.
GOAL: Eckhardt (59).
TRANMERE ROVERS: Nixon; Hughes, Vickers, McCarrick, Higgins, T. Thomas, Bishop, Harvey, Morrissey, Muir, Steel (Malkin 25).
BOOKED: Morrissey, Thomas.
GOALS: Bishop (37), Malkin (70).
REFEREE: Mike Bailey (Impington).
ATTENDANCE: 4,811.
