Michael Mison and Martin Thomas bagged braces as Fulham started the season with an entertaining 4-2 win over Mansfield Town in the sweltering Craven Cottage sunshine.
Ian Branfoot’s new attack almost opened the scoring in the opening sixty seconds. Summer signing Mike Conroy combined with Gary Brazil to play in skipper Simon Morgan, but the midfielder was denied by a sharp save from visiting goalkeeper Ian Bowling. The home side took the lead when Micky Adams’ free-kick could only be half cleared and Mark Blake’s header broke kindly for Mison to fire home from close range.
The Whites should really have increased their lead but they spurned several half chances with Thomas shooting wide, Conroy seeing an effort clawed away by Bowling and Morgan also denied by the Stags goalkeeper. They paid the penalty when Mansfield equalised just before the half hour. Ian Baraclough found space down the left to float in a dangerous cross and Matt Carmichael’s clever header was too good for Tony Lange.
That leveller galvanised Town, who could have taken the lead three minutes later when Fulham failed to clear a corner and Paul Sherlock shot just over the crossbar after the untidiest of goalmouth scrambles. Branfoot’s side began to get back in the groove and right back Duncan Jupp seemed to take it upon himself to put the Cottagers on the front foot. The Scot’s rampaging run set up Brazil, who was thwarted by another excellent save from Bowling.
Fulham continued to keep up the pressure after the half-time interval with Morgan seeing a shot beaten away by the brilliant Bowling after Mansfield’s defence had been caught napping by a quick free-kick. The hosts did regain the lead in the 58th minute when a flowing passing move culminated in the roaming Brazil producing a peach of cross from the right flank that Mison head home emphatically.
It was 3-1 five minutes later when Morgan spread the play magnificently out to the right and Jupp measured a cross for Thomas to nod into the net. Thomas made sure of all three points with a terrific individual goal on 67 minutes. The midfielder embarked a mazy dribble through a tiring Mansfield defence and threaded a composed finish past the helpless Bowling.
Mansfield rallied within five minutes and grabbed a consolation through a superb Sherlock strike as the forward brought the ball down beautifully and caressed a crisp finish beyond Lange. But Fulham’s margin of victory might easily have been greater. Jupp hit the post with a fine free-kick from 25 yards, whilst substitute Nick Cusack somehow screwed a shot wide of goal from four yards after Brazil had seen a shot saved by Bowling.
FULHAM: Lange; Jupp, Herrera, Angus, Blake; Thomas, Mison, Morgan, Adams (Barkus 84); Conroy (Cusack 75), Brazil. Subs (not used): Harrison.
GOALS: Mison (14, 58), Thomas (63, 67).
ATTENDANCE: 4,909