A fighting performance from Fulham saw the Whites stall Carlisle United’s seemingly unstoppable charge towards the Third Division title as they claimed a battling point at Brunton Park.
Twenty years since the Cottagers caused an FA Cup quarter-final upset on their way to Wembley, Ian Branfoot’s men did their own promotion credentials no harm by taking a share of the spoils away from a fascinating tactical encounter against the runaway leaders.
It looked as if United might cruise to another easy three points when Jim Stannard dropped a corner in the eleventh minute and Rod Thomas prodded home a simple opening goal. Thomas might have had a second shortly afterwards but he steered a shot wide after beating Fulham’s ropey offside trap and Stannard was forced into swift action when he had been played into trouble by a short back pass from Tony Finnigan.
Fulham steadied themselves after a powerful start from the league leaders and gradually got a foothold in the game thanks to the fighting instincts of a makeshift midfield that saw Martin Ferney deployed alongside Martin Thomas and skipper Simon Morgan. Thomas and Morgan went close with ambitious efforts from distance before Nick Cusack’s low drive tested home goalkeeper Tony Caig.
The Whites found an equaliser two minutes before half time thanks to a defensive mistake. Carlisle captain Dean Walling beat Rory Hamill to a pass from Thomas and played a backpass towards Caig in the home goal, only for the goalkeeper to have moved out of his goal in anticipation of the pass. The goalkeeper hurried back and missed his kick on the goal-line as the ball comically rolled into the net.
Carlisle had chances to restore their lead at the start of the second half with Stannard spreading himself well to deny David Reeves just after the interval, but Fulham enjoyed more of the possession and carved out the better chances. Gary Brazil was denied by a superb save from Caig after he pulled the trigger from 25 yards – and Cusack almost conjured up a late winner with a clever chip.
FULHAM: Stannard; Finnigan, Angus, Ferney, Moore, Blake, M. Thomas, Morgan, Cusack, Brazil, Hamill. Subs (not used): Harrison, Marshall, Haworth.
GOAL: Walling (o.g. 43)
ATTENDANCE: 6,891.
