Justin Skinner’s deflected late winner earned Fulham their first league win of the season against over battling Mansfield Town at Craven Cottage this afternoon.
The talented midfielder was delighted to deliver an important three points for Ray Lewington’s promotion chasers who had struggled to break down the spirited Stags throughout what looked like being a frustrating late summer afternoon on the banks of the River Thames. But Skinner’s scuffed strike – an improvised effort as he redirected Des Bremmer’s blast – was going well wide until it struck Simon Coleman and wrongfooted a disconsolate Brian Cox in the Mansfield goal.
It was the highlight of a dire game, although Mansfield laid siege to the home goal in the last five minutes with Fulham goalkeeper Jim Stannard saving brilliantly from Mark Kearney and Trevor Christie to preserve a precious home clean sheet. Fulham boss Ray Lewington admitted afterwards: “It was a dreadful game. This was the worst that we’ve ever played and won! I am not at all happy with the performance. Things will have to get better”.
The home side struggled to create anything at all with Gary Barnett and Clive Walker before lucky to last as long as they did before Lewington rung the changes in the second half. With ten minutes to come, the home contingent had resorted to a slow handclap as Fulham appeared to have run out of ideas against a Mansfield side who made up for their lack of quality with plenty of organisation and desire. Skinner’s lucky winner certainly can’t paper over all the cracks at the Cottage.
FULHAM: Stannard; Nebbeling. G. Thomas, Marshall, Scott, Skinner, Mauge, Barnett (Kimble 68), Walker (Bremner 80), Sayer, Watson.
GOAL: Skinner (81).
MANSFIELD TOWN: Cox; McKernon, Foster, Coleman, Prindiville, Hunt, Charles, Lowery, Stringfellow, Kearney, Christie. Subs (not used): Hathaway, Hodges.
BOOKED: Kearney.
REFEREE: Keith Burge (Glamorgan).
ATTENDANCE: 4,551.
