Jim Stannard was the hero as Fulham beat Luton Town on penalties to progress to the second round of the League Cup on a dramatic night at Craven Cottage.
The big Fulham goalkeeper saved two Luton penalties before stopping Dwight Marshall’s sudden-death spot-kick after Glen Thomas converted the home side’s sixth penalty. It was an absorbing end to a tie that seemed destined to go to the drama of penalty kicks. Locked together at 1-1 from the first leg at Kenilworth Road, these sides couldn’t be separated even after 120 minutes of attritional action.
The Cottagers went in front on fifteen minutes when Rob Haworth headed home Gary Brazil’s left-wing cross after climbing highest at the far post. Alan Cork might have extended the home side’s slender lead but his dipping header from another accurate Brazil ball was brilliantly saved by visiting goalkeeper Jurgen Sommer.
It took the sending off of Ceri Hughes – dismissed for retaliating unacceptably after being enraged by a late tackle from man of the match Michael Mison – to spark last season’s FA Cup semi-finalists into life. They scored immediately after being reduced to ten men when David Preece’s cross caught Fulham sleeping and Dwight Marshall punished an untimely slip from Jim Stannard to bundle home an equaliser.
The Hatters held the initiative as the tie moved into extra time with Stannard making a superb save to deny Scott Oakes after Dwight Marshall had unlocked the home defence. Morgan placed two efforts wide of goal from the edge of the penalty area in the second period of extra time before producing a defence-splitting pass to put Mison in the clear. The rampaging midfielder was cynically cut down by Marvin Johnson for a clear penalty, but Brazil skied the spot-kick high in the Hammersmith End.
That meant the contest was to be settled on penalty kicks. Brazil bravely volunteered to take another and redeemed himself in the shoot-out with Julian Hails, Duncan Jupp and Thomas also successful before Stannard’s three stunning saves sparked delirious celebrations.
FULHAM: Stannard; Morgan, Herrera, Mison, Moore, Thomas, Marshall (Hails 102), Jupp, Cork, Brazil, Haworth (Hurlock 63). Sub (not used): Harrison.
GOAL: Haworth (15).
LUTON TOWN: Somner; James, Johnson, Linton (Skelton 87), Greene (Oakes 62), Peake, Telfer, D. Marshall, Dixon, Preece, Hughes. Sub (not used): Barber.
SENT OFF: Hughes (74).
GOAL: D. Marshall (75).
REFEREE: Mike Pierce (Portsmouth).
ATTENDANCE: 5,134.
