Fulham’s poor start to the season went from bad to worse as AFC Bournemouth breezed to a 3-0 win at Dean Court this afternoon.
The Cherries, relegated from the Second Division last season, grabbed the lead in the thirteenth minute when Kevin Bond scored his first goal of the season, having converted a flick on from George Lawrence. Former England international Luther Blissett made it 2-0 early in the second half after beating John Marshall to a ball from Denny Mundee.
Fulham kept pushing forward but saw their hopes of a comeback dashed when Peter Guthrie saved Martin Pike’s penalty. Former Sutton United forward Efan Ekoku came off the bench to rub salt in the Cottagers’ wounds by scoring his first Football League goal from Mundee’s perceptive pass with four minutes remaining. The dismal defeat leaves new manager Alan Dicks still without a win since taking over in the summer – and both Dicks and chairman Jimmy Hill were the subject of ‘out!’ chants from disgruntled travelling fans long before the final whistle.
AFC BOURNEMOUTH: Guthrie; Bond, Teale, Coleman, Mundee, Lawrence, O’Driscoll, Holmes, Peacock, Blissett, Aylott (Ekoku 75).
GOALS: Bond (13), Blissett (56), Ekoku (86).
FULHAM: Stannard; G. Thomas, Pike, Marshall, Newson, Scott, Baker, Kelly, Brazil, Haag, Rosenior. Subs (not used): Davies, Langley.
ATTENDANCE: 5,855.
