John Taylor scrambled home a scrappy late winner to secure all three points for promotion-chasing Cambridge United over Fulham at the Abbey Stadium this afternoon.
But both Taylor and Cambridge manager John Beck admitted that United enjoyed a huge slice of luck as they clinched a narrow victory. By his own admission, Taylor’s initial shot with eight minutes to was ‘heading eight or nine yards wide’ before it struck Stacey North and bounced back towards goal, allowing the goalpoacher to slide in and stab the ball over the line past a disconsolate Jim Stannard.
The injury-hit visitors came so close to battling for a precious away point, with Alan Dicks’ adopting containing tactics and centre back Gavin Nebbeling putting in a man-of-the-match performance. The Whites were up against it in a one-sided first half that saw Stannard saw superbly from Taylor in the fourth minute before Dion Dublin struck the base of the post after the Fulham goalkeeper had fumbled a cross at the feet of Michael Cheetham.
Stannard easily fielded another Taylor header before Lee Philpott linked-up promisingly with Danny O’Shea only to see his powerful drive blocked by North. Fulham were much more adventurous after the break with Nebbeling nodding against the crossbar within four minutes and Gary Brazil shooting over the bar just before the hour mark. North produced a brilliant piece of defending to deny Taylor in the 72nd minute, but was helpless ten minutes later as Cambridge’s centre forward conjured up the winner.
Dicks told his post-match press conference: “I couldn’t have asked any more of my team. The second half was as well as we’ve played away from home this season.”
CAMBRIDGE UNITED: Vaughan; Chapple, Kimble, Fensome, Cheetham, Leadbitter, O’Shea, Philpott, Wilkins, Dublin, Taylor.
GOAL: Taylor (82).
FULHAM: Stannard; Eckhardt, Nebbeling, North, G. Thomas, Pike, Marshall, Kelly, Skinner (Haag 80), Brazil, Milton. Subs (not used): Newson.
REFEREE: George Courtney.
ATTENDANCE: 5,087.
