An extraordinary goal by Fulham goalkeeper Jim Stannard gave the Whites all three points as the Cottagers edged a five-goal thriller against plucky Crewe Alexandra despite being reduced to ten men.
Stannard sealed the outcome of a topsy-turvy contest with his late winner after Dario Gradi’s side had twice equalised in the second half. The Fulham goalkeeper’s long kick downfield bounced over his unfortunate opposite number, Mel Rees, with three minutes remaining. Sayer claimed to have got the final touch on the goal-line but press pictures confirmed that the striker scored just once this afternoon, with his classy chip over the stranded Alex goalkeeper on the hour mark proving pretty important.
There appeared no hint of the drama to come in a tight first half where chances were at a premium. The home side played the better football but Fulham fashioned the clearer openings without finding the net. Their best opportunity came when Gary Barnett intelligently headed across the face of goal only for John Watson to drive into the side netting. Crewe had done a good job of keeping Clive Walker quiet in the first half but the veteran winger fired Fulham ahead from ten yards with a fierce drive five minutes after the interval.
Striker Alex Sussex drew Crewe level eight minutes later when he kept his cool to deftly chip the tall Stannard impressively after latching onto a clever ball from his strike partner Paul Clayton. But Fulham needed barely sixty seconds to restore their lead as Sayer surged onto a huge kick from Stannard and lifted a lovely lob over the unfortunate Rees, who endured barracking from the home fans in the aftermath of the goal.
But full back Glen Thomas placed Fulham’s winning position in jeopardy after receiving his marching orders following poor tackles on Aidan Murphy and Steve Walters. Clayton made Crewe’s numerical advantage pay within nine minutes after good work from Dale Jasper. The home fans held out hope that Gradi’s side might go on to snatch a first win of the season – but they reckoned without Stannard’s huge boot.
CREWE ALEXANDRA: Rees; Callaghan, Dyson, Edwards, Swain, Walters, Gardiner, Jasper, Murphy (Cutler 68), Clayton, Sussex. Subs (not used): Smart.
GOALS: Sussex (59), Clayton (84).
FULHAM: Stannard; Nebbeling, G. Thomas, Marshall, Scott, Skinner, Mauge (Eckhardt 67), Barnett, Walker, Sayer, Watson (Bremner 77).
BOOKED: Mauge, G. Thomas, Marshall.
SENT OFF: G. Thomas (75).
GOALS: Walker (51), Sayer (60), Stannard (87).
ATTENDANCE: 3,301.
