A second half strike from Alex Inglethorpe secured a scrappy London derby win for Leyton Orient over Fulham in a forgettable encounter at Brisbane Road.
Ian Branfoot’s claim that this poor contest was ‘a good advert for lower-league football’ raised some eyebrows during a forthright post-match press conference as the Fulham boss struggled to come to terms with the fact that his side had lost this fixture, despite dominating possession and creating the better chances.
They paid the penalty for their prolificacy thirteen minutes from time when midfielder Inglethorpe beat both Mark Blake and Terry Angus to Morgan Stanislaus’s header after a free-kick had only been half cleared. Tony Lange recognised the danger but could only throw his hands up in frustration as Inglethorpe nodded the ball over the advancing Fulham goalkeeper to the delight of the Orient faithful.
The away side laid siege to the Orient goal in the final stages but couldn’t find an equaliser. Substitute Nick Cusack came closest – shooting wide of the target after a massive goalmouth scramble.
Duncan Jupp sent an early free-kick over the bar, but Fulham’s full back ended up in the wars having been scythed down by Alan McCarthy. The Orient winger remarkably escaped without a booking from card happy referee Kenneth Leach. Orient created little in an acrimonious first half, littered with fouls, with Shaun Brooks wasting their best chance from eight yards out. The home fans were incensed that Leach didn’t award a penalty when Terry Angus seemed to haul down Colin West, but Fulham failed to make the most of their good fortune when Michael Mison volleyed wide from inside the penalty area.
There was further frustration after the interval as Gary Brazil somehow stabbed into the side netting from five yards after Peter Caldwell had bravely blocked Micky Adams’ free-kick. Brazil’s last contribution was to shoot wide after a lovely touch from Mike Conroy – with substitute Rory Hamill almost announcing his arrival with an overhead kick that whistled just over the bar.
Lange’s first save saw the Fulham goalkeeper do well to keep out a powerful drive from Inglethorpe after Brooks had chested a Stanislaus ball into the lively midfielder’s path. He couldn’t deny Inglethorpe a late winner – and Branfoot may have to consider changes given how the Cottagers failed to take so many presentable opportunities.
FULHAM: Lange; Jupp, Herrera, Angus, Blake; Mison, Morgan, Thomas, Adams (Cusack 79); Brazil (Hammill 67), Conroy. Subs (not used): Harrison.
BOOKED: Adams, Thomas.
REFEREE: Kenneth Leach (Wolverhampton).
ATTENDANCE: 7,248
