Fulham recorded only their second win of the season by scoring two second-half goals to beat a poor Bury side 2-0 at Craven Cottage this evening.
The Whites took the lead five minutes into the second half when full back Mark Newson rose unchallenged to glance a header past Gary Kelly from Gary Brazil’s left-wing free-kick. Worse was to follow for the Shakers seventeen minutes later when Alan Knill deflected a Simon Morgan header into his own net from a monstrous long throw by Stacey North.
The only bright spot for the visitors was the willing running of former Fulham midfielder Ronne Mauge, whose excellent display on his return to his old stomping ground caused the home defence problems. The Shakers did belatedly threaten Fulham’s goal with substitute Kevin Hulme denied by a brilliant sliding challenge from Morgan before Jim Stannard did well to keep out Hulme’s deflected effort from the ensuing corner.
Leroy Rosenior was denied a third goal by a good save from Kelly after the visiting defence had failed to deal with a long Stannard punt forward. Hulme blazed wide after cutting in from the right flank as the home side kept a rare clean sheet. Bury boss Sam Ellis fumed after his side’s second half capitulation, telling the press after the final whistle: “That was the worst performance I have seen since I took over two years ago.”
FULHAM: Stannard; North, Pike, Morgan, Newson, Cobb, Ferney, M. Kelly (Skinner 75), Brazil, Davies (Milton 75), Rosenior.
GOALS: Newson (50), Knill (o.g. 67).
BURY: G. Kelly; Robertson (Bishop 55), Valentine, Knill, Stanislaus, Hill, Lee, Parkinson, Patterson, Mauge, McGinlay (Hulme 50).
ATTENDANCE: 3,439.
