Wycombe Wanderers moved up to fifth in the Second Division table after goals from Jon Conforth and Mark Stallard condemned Fulham to defeat at Adams Park this afternoon.
The Chairboys earned immediate revenge for their League Cup elimination at the hands of the Whites with a comfortable victory in Buckinghamshire. The hosts were on the front foot from the off and took the lead in the eighth minute through a glorious goal from Conforth. Lovely link-up play between Steve Brown and Keith Scott gave the Welsh international space 25 yards from goal and the midfielder smashed an unstoppable effort into the top corner.
Fulham had chances of their own with Aiden Newhouse particularly culpable having missed a wonderful opportunity to open the scoring having darted in from the right flank. The former Wimbledon forward had scored in both legs of the League Cup against Wycombe but his leg was out this afternoon – as was that of Mick Conroy, who returned from a nasty clash with home goalkeeper Martin Tyler, to be denied by the home custodian.
A watchable contest was enlivened by a fracas between Wycome boss John Gregory, who was watched by a police officer for the remainder of the afternoon, and Fulham midfielder Neil Smith midway through the first half. Newhouse could have levelled for the Cottagers just before half time when he did brilliant to waltz past two Wycombe defenders and fashion a shooting chance but fired agonisingly past Taylor’s right-hand post.
The hosts were in control for much of the second half. Paul Read almost doubled the lead when he pounced on a poor back pass but was denied by a brave save from Mark Walton. Wycombe extended their advantage on the hour when Cornforth’s corner was met by Paul McCarthy and Stallard scored at the second attempt from six yards out. Steve McGavin spurned a good chance to make it three after sprinting clear of Robbie Herrera, whilst wild efforts from substitute Paul Moody were all Micky Adams’ side could muster in response.
WYCOMBE WANDERERS: Taylor, Kavanagh, Beeton, Mohan, McCarthy, Forsyth, Cornforth, Scott (Read 30), Stallard (Harkin 88), McGavin (Simpson 79), Brown.
BOOKED: Brown, McGavin.
GOALS: Conforth (8), Stallard (60).
FULHAM: Walton, Herrera, Lawrence, Cullip, Blake, Morgan, Smith (Brooker 45), Cockerill (Carpenter 63), Hayward, Conroy (Moody 65), Newhouse.
BOOKED: Hayward, Newhouse.
REFEREE: Eddie Lomas (Manchester).
ATTENDANCE: 6,278.
