A sensational stoppage-time winner from teenage winger Martin Phillips powered Exeter City past a flat Fulham at St. James’ Park this afternoon.
The home side’s back five successfully nullified the division’s joint leading scorers and lived up to their billing as a miserly, well-drilled defence having conceded just three goals in eight games. Two of their midfielders, the much-maligned Mark Cooper and Danny Bailey, had something to prove to their former employers and the ex-Fulham pair conjured up the Grecians’ first chance of the afternoon.
Cooper crept towards the edge of the Fulham box and when crowded out looked for a free-kick, which wasn’t given. The loose ball came off Robbie Herrera before Tony Lange picked it up – with the referee controversially deeming the former Torquay left back’s accidental touch a backpass. Bailey worked the indirect free-kick to Cooper, whose shot from ten yards, was deflected narrowly wide.
Fulham’s first opportunity was an improvised volley from Mark Blake that flew over the crossbar after Nick Cusack had flicked on a free-kick at the other end. Duncan Jupp hit a rasping drive that was superbly saved by Exeter’s player-manager goalkeeper Peter Fox before Simon Morgan steered the follow-up wide.
Fox’s side took the lead when Gary Brazil lost the ball in the right back position and Matt Hare’s low cross was gleefully guided home by Cooper, who took great delight in goading the travelling fans with his ecstatic celebrations. City could have gone further ahead after the interval when a poor header from Michael Mison allowed Richard Pears a sight of goal only for Herrera to intervene in the nick of time.
Fulham struggled for a foothold until the experienced Kevin Moore shored up Branfoot’s defence. The visitors then knitted together their best spell of the contest with Nick Cusack heading narrowly wide after outstanding work from Gary Brazil. Cusack then teed up captain Morgan, whose terrific effort cannoned off the crossbar before being fisted away from danger by Fox. Moore equalised within three minutes of his arrival glancing a Brazil corner past Fox and into the net.
Mison went close to giving Fulham the lead and Moore was denied by a combination of the post and Grecians centre back Noel Blake when he looked certain to have headed his second goal of the afternoon in the third minute of stoppage time. Instead, Blake’s desperate clearance flew to nineteen year-old Phillips, who twice tricked his way past Duncan Jupp, before curling a fabulous finish into the top corner to the delight of the Big Bank.
In a dramatic finale, Moore saw a header hacked against the post and clear by a desperate Noel Blake. The clearance came to nineteen year-old Phillips, who galloped into Fulham territory tricking his way past Jupp. The Fulham right back got back goalside but Phillips inside him once more and unleashed an incredible strike from 30 yards into the top corner to the delight of the Big Bank.
FULHAM: Lange; Jupp, Herrera, Angus, Blake; Mison, Morgan, Bolt, Cusack; Brazil, Conroy. Subs: Harrison, Moore, Finnigan.
FULHAM: Lange; Jupp, Herrera, Angus, Blake; Mison (Moore 65), Bolt, Morgan, Brazil; Cusack, Conroy. Subs (not used): Harrison, Finnigan.
GOAL: Moore (68).
ATTENDANCE: 4,420.
