A first half penalty from Justin Skinner was enough to secure Fulham’s Third Division survival as the Whites beat ten-man Exeter City at St. James’ Park in controversial circumstances this afternoon.
The home side were furious that referee Keith Cooper sent off goalkeeper Keith Miller for bringing down visiting striker Phil Stant inside the penalty area. City manager Terry Cooper fumed afterwards that the official had ‘spoiled the game with a ridiculously harsh decision’ after adjudging the goalkeeper’s intervention to be a professional foul rather than a legitimate challenge for the ball as Stant seized on an untimely slip from home defender Richard Dryden to go through on goal.
Skinner slotted the penalty into the bottom left corner past midfielder Gordon Hobson to edge Fulham ahead and, with the numerical advantage in their favour, Alan Dicks’ side were happy to take the heat out of the contest and play on the break in the second half. Hobson was not unduly troubled after a superb first-half save to keep out a flying header from Stant after the striker had connected with a left-wing cross from Martin Pike.
The makeshift goalkeeper dealt well with set-piece situations and the rare Fulham attacks, but Exeter’s endeavour couldn’t see them match the incisiveness of their first half display despite switching to three centre backs following Miller’s dismissal. The closest they came in the second half saw Shaun Taylor head against the crossbar from Gary Marshall’s cross when he really should have buried a free header.
Cooper’s sense of injustice was fuelled by the fact that the Grecians had enjoyed the better of the contest in the 28 minutes before Miller’s red card. The impressive Tom Kelly had headed fractionally over the bar after a trademark burst from midfield and Jim Stannard had produced a magnificent piece of goalkeeping to deny Darran Rowbotham an opener on seventeen minutes.
But the Cottagers were spurred on by Skinner’s spot-kick and the relief was tangible when it was confirmed that they had avoided relegation to the fourth tier for the first time in their history – with chairman Jimmy Hill’s unmistakable grin making an appearance for what seemed like the first time in months following the final whistle.
EXETER CITY: Miller; Taylor, Dryden, T. Kelly, Brown (Jones 45), Hiley, Hobson, Neville (T. Morgan 45), G. Marshall, Rowbotham, Boughey.
BOOKED: Hiley.
SENT OFF: Miller (28).
FULHAM: Stannard; Eckhardt (Cobb 64), North, G. Thomas, Pike, J. Marshall, Newson, Scott, Skinner, Brazil, Stant (Onwere 88).
BOOKED: Scott, Eckhardt, J. Marshall.
GOAL: Skinner (pen 29).
ATTENDANCE: 3,799.
