Fulham gained revenge for their derby defeat at Brisbane Road earlier this season by beating Leyton Orient 2-1 in a hard-fought contest at a bitterly cold Craven Cottage this evening.
This wasn’t a classic but the Whites delivered three points to please manager Micky Adams after he had castigated his squad for two disappointing displays against Cambridge United and Scunthorpe United. A scrappy start to the contest meant we had to wait until past the twenty minute mark for a shot on goal with Fulham goalkeeper Tony Lange making a fine save to deny Colin West.
The visitors looked the more likely of the teams to break the deadlock in the first period, but the fluency of Fulham’s football improved after a fiery half-time team talk from Adams. They took the lead just after the hour when centre back Mark Blake headed Rob Scott’s under the body of visiting goalkeeper Peter Caldwell. A storming run from Duncan Jupp might have increased the hosts’ lead but a combination of good defending and a brave block by Caldwell kept the O’s in the contest.
Fulham did double their advantage in the 78th minute when the willing running of Rory Hamill unlocked the Orient defence. The Northern Irish striker skipped round the back of the visiting rearguard and his cut back was coolly converted by teenage winger Brooker from close range. Substitute Martin Thomas should have added a third a minute later but he blasted high and wide after being set up by Rodney McAree.
The away side pushed forward in the closing stages with Lange doing well to keep out a header from the lively West. The O’s did set up a grandstand finale, however, when Lee Shearer’s bullet header made it 2-1 with four minutes remaining. Fulham held on to record a morale-boosting victory.
FULHAM: Lange, Jupp, Herrera, Morgan, Angus, Blake, Brooker, Cusack, Hamill, Scott (Thomas 75), McAree. Sub (not used): Mison, Barkus.
GOALS: Blake (62), Brooker (78).
ATTENDANCE: 3,636.
