Rory Hamill scored the only goal of the game as injury-hit Fulham sprung a huge surprise in beating promotion-chasing Wigan Athletic at Craven Cottage this afternoon.
Northern Irish striker Hamill grabbed the winner in the 87th minute with the Whites throwing numbers forward. The former Southampton trainee profited from extraordinary burst forward from centre back Terry Angus. Angus moved out of defence with the ball at his feet and surged nearly half the length of the field before playing a beautiful ball out to Mike Conroy on the wing. Conroy, so often a goalscorer himself, produced a lovely cross that Hamill hammered into the bottom corner of the net.
Adams told the media afterwards about the depth of Fulham’s injury list:
“I’ve got to be pleased with that, especially considering all the problems we’ve had. I was already without Simon Morgan because of suspension and Paul Brooker had been suffering with a virus all week. Then Rob Scott, Lea Barkus and Michael Mison all good injured in training and finally our goalkeeper Tony Lange injured his back getting out of his car. Despite that, our attitude was excellent and it was a good result for us.”
Wigan were strangely subdued for a side chasing automatic promotion. Record signing David Lowe missed three good chances for the Latics, who never really forced the pace and paid the penalty for being lacklustre in the closing stages of a rather dreary end-of-season encounter.
FULHAM: Harrison; Marshall (Jupp 75), Simpson, Herrera, Angus, Blake, Thomas, Cusack, Brooker (Williams 67); Conroy, Hamill. Sub (not used): Bower.
GOAL: Hamill (87).
ATTENDANCE: 4,657.
