Legendary goalkeeper Peter Shilton rolled back the years at Craven Cottage this afternoon to earn a precious point for Leyton Orient against promotion-chasing Fulham.
The former England goalkeeper, now 47, marked his 999th league appearance with a string of fine saves to prevent the Whites from extending their lead at the top of the Third Division table. Shilton denied Terry Angus, Mike Conroy and marauding midfielder Richard Carpenter with world-class stops. When the veteran custodian was beaten, there was a hint of fortune about it.
Full back Paul Watson curled in a cross from the right that looped over the goalkeeper and went in off the far post twenty minutes into the second half. The former Gillingham defender insisted he was trying to open the scoring and Fulham manager Micky Adams backed him up after the final whistle, saying: “It had to be a special strike to beat Shilts the way he was playing.”
An experienced Orient side, that also included veteran defender Alvin Martin, saw their task get even harder when striker Scott McGleish was sent off after a wild lunge at Mark Blake but the battling visitors claimed a point when Mark Warren nodded home from close range after Fulham went to sleep at a last-minute free-kick.
FULHAM: Lange; Watson, Herrera, Angus, Blake (Cullip 81); Cusack, Cockerill (Scott 87), Carpenter, Morgan; Conroy, Freeman. Subs (not used): Thomas.
BOOKED: Blake, Scott.
GOAL: Watson (65).
LEYTON ORIENT: Shilton; Warren, Naylor, Joseph, Arnott (Martin 78); Chapman, Ling, Channing, Howes; West (Inglethorpe 61), McGleish. Subs (not used): Garland.
BOOKED: Naylor, Arnott, Chapman.
SENT OFF: McGleish.
GOAL: Warren (89).
ATTENDANCE: 7,355
