Tony Lange saved two spot-kicks and then scored the decisive penalty as Fulham knocked Brighton and Hove Albion out of a second Cup competition this season and reached the FA Cup third round for the first time since 1987.
The Cottagers, who eliminated Albion from the Coca Cola Cup after a 5-0 aggregate success in August, won a penalty shoot-out 4-1 on the south coast after a second successive goalless draw to book a home time against Shrewsbury Town in round three. Lange, who produced his best display in a Fulham shirt to secure a point at Preston North End on Saturday, saved spot-kicks from Ian Chapman and Dean Wilkins before sending his opposite number Nicky Rust the wrong way to seal a sensational victory.
Fulham travelled to the south coast in good heart having made most of the running in the original tie at Craven Cottage. Danny Bolt, their goalscorer at Deepdale, was denied by a brave stop from Rust who spread himself well to thwart the midfielder as he ran through on goal just before the half hour. At the other end, Lange made a fine save to prevent Albion striker Junior McDougald from opening the scoring and the Fulham goalkeeper then made a magnificent stop to keep out Philip Andrews’ effort eight minutes into the second half.
Bolt was becoming increasingly influential as the night went on and the teenager’s perceptive pass gave Mike Conroy a good sight of goal, but the Scottish striker shot wastefully over. Brighton could have nicked in with seven minutes left when Andrews left Kevin Moore for dead but Lange made another splendid stop. Albion came even closer in the final minute of a tense second period of extra time when McDougald missed the target from five yards out.
Kevin Moore, Mike Conroy and Rory Hamill converted their penalties before Lange kept his cool to the delight of the travelling fans. The goalkeeper said afterwards that he had volunteered to take a penalty. “It was mentioned just before the match in the dressing room and I put my name forward, but you don’t expect it to go to penalties. But the way the game was going, it felt like it was going to come down to a shoot-out. I tried to do my job as a goalkeeper and then strike the ball as cleanly as possible and luckily it went in!”
FULHAM: Lange; Jupp, Herrera, Taylor, Moore, Angus, Brooker, Cusack, Hamill, Conroy, Cusack. Subs: Barkus, Mison.
ATTENDANCE: 6,209.
