Liam Rosenior’s late leveller rescued a point for Fulham as the Whites drew 2-2 with Birmingham City at Craven Cottage this evening.
Striker Rosenior, now in his third spell with the club after returning from West Ham United on loan, made the opening goal on a quarter of hour. He threw himself at a low cross, getting a crucial touch ahead of a Birmingham defender and held the ball up brilliantly for Gary Brazil to score his first goal for Fulham – with a deflected effort from 20 yards out.
Blues, who had already hit the bar through Dennis Bailey, equalised nine minutes later when a well-worked free-kick saw Trevor Matthewson sneak into the box and fire past Jim Stannard into the top corner. The visitors went in front six minutes later after captain Mark Newson’s poor header allowed Vince Overson to hammer a half-volley into other corner from just outside the penalty area.
Fulham’s injury crisis became almost comical when Glen Thomas, who had injured his leg in a first-half collision, re-emerged for the second period but couldn’t run. Assistant manager Ray Lewington frantically waved to Alan Dicks – sat in the directors’ box – to get the authority to replace the stricken defender with Richard Langley, but the substitution took four minutes. City were in complete command until a second Fulham change saw Gordon Davies reprise his old partnership with Rosenior after coming on for Kelly Haag.
Newson hit the post with a header and Rosenior, who was booked for furiously disagreeing with the referee’s decision not to award a penalty, almost levelled with a fabulous first-time strike from 25 yards. The Cottage cult hero delivered with six minutes left, heading home Gary Cobb’s cross from seven yards to earn Fulham a share of the spoils. The point still leaves Fulham without a league win some ten games into the season.
FULHAM: Stannard; G. Thomas (Langley 49), Pike, Marshall, Newson, Cobb, Ferney, Kelly, Brazil, Haag (Davies 70), Rosenior.
BOOKED: Rosenior.
GOALS: Brazil (15), Rosenior (84).
BIRMINGHAM CITY: M. Thomas; Overson, Fox, Frain, Downs, Clarkson, Matthewson, Peer, Tait, Bailey, Sturridge (Moran 55).
GOALS: Matthewson (24), Overson (30).
ATTENDANCE: 4,011.
