A second half equaliser from John Conforth secured a share of the spoils for Swansea City at Fulham last night.
The visitors were outplayed in the first period as ex-Chelsea goalkeeper Roger Freestone made a string of saves to prevent Fulham from running away with the contest. Sean Farrell demonstrated the hosts’ intent with a purposeful run early on and Freestone dived at the feet of Julian Hails after the winger had jinked away from John Ford. Swansea’s only attempts of note in the first half were speculative – a volley from the lively Russell Coughlin that barely extended Alan Gough and an optimistic effort from Andy Legg that flew high over the bar.
Don Mackay’s men carried the greater threat. Gavin Nebbeling glanced a Simon Morgan free-kick wide of goal and there were signs of impressive combination play between Martin Pike and Peter Baah down the left flank. These paid dividends on the half hour when Pike played a searching ball out to the wing that allowed Baah to find Martin Ferney, who headed home his first league goal for Fulham.
But the Whites rested on their laurels and the Welsh side came roaring back in the second half, after what Frank Burrows admitted were a few choice words in the away dressing room at half time. They had an immediate impact as Glen Thomas was forced to clear from underneath his own crossbar after Colin West had caught out Jim Stannard. Fulham looked to have escaped at the expense of a corner but after a weak punch from Stannard, Conforth’s curving shot dipped under the bar to the delight of the small Swansea contingent in the Putney End.
The visitors looked the likelier to grab a winner after that. Andy McFarlane hooked a shot wide from Colin Pascoe’s looping cross and Colin West went close with a header as the Swans sought all three points but a draw was probably the right result. Gary Brazil’s late free-kick hit the post and stayed out as both sides had to settle for a share of the spoils.
The Swans picked up a useful point at Craven Cottage after John Cornforth struck in a 1-1 draw with Fulham.
It would prove a crucial result for Frank Burrows’ side would finish the campaign in fifth and one point ahead of seventh-placed Leyton Orient.
The Swans, for whom Roger Freestone, Des Lyttle and Andy Legg were ever present in all 59 games of the club’s league and cup fixtures, eventually lost to West Brom in the play-offs.
FULHAM: Gough; Nebbeling, G. Thomas, Pike, Marshall, Morgan, Ferney, Hails, Baah (M. Kelly 70), Brazil, Farrell. Subs (not used): Onwere.
GOAL: Ferney (30).
SWANSEA CITY: Freestone; Ford, Walker, Harris, Legg, Lyttle, Coughlin, Cornforth, Pascoe, McFarlane, West. Subs (not used): Wimbleton, Bowen.
GOAL: Cornforth (55).
REFEREE: Paul Scoble (Portsmouth).
ATTENDANCE: 4,268.
