A stunning strike from Mike Conroy gave Fulham a first leg advantage over Wycombe Wanderers as they won this League Cup tie 2-1 this evening.
The in-form Scottish striker, who scored the winner against Wrexham on Saturday in Fulham’s first league game, chipped home goalkeeper Martin Taylor from just inside the Wycombe half with an outrageous effort. Conroy might looked totally transformed in his second season at Craven Cottage, hitting 23 goals as Micky Adams’ men secured a remarkable promotion, but this was a truly audacious finish celebrated wildly by the travelling fans behind the goal at Adams Park.
The visitors were in control for much of this contest but needed that Conroy strike to give them a crucial cushion ahead of the second leg in a fortnight’s time. The Whites went in front in just before the half hour when Aiden Newhouse, a summer signing from Wimbledon, headed his first goal for his new club after a well worked short corner routine between Neil Smith and Glenn Cockerill found the striker at the back post.
But Wycombe equalised four minutes before the break with Paul Reid punishing some defensive uncertainty and ramming a finish past the onrushing Mark Walton after Fulham had been slow to close down Mark Simpson’s purposeful run into the penalty area.
WYCOMBE WANDERERS (3-4-3): Taylor; Forsyth, McCarthy, Kavanagh; Brown, Carroll, Cornforth, Simpson; Stallard, Read, McGavin (Harkin 76). Subs (not used): Beaton, Ryan.
GOAL: Read (41).
FULHAM (4-4-2): Walton; Lawrence, Herrera, Cullip, Morgan; Cockerill (McAree 85), Smith, Carpenter, Hayward; Conroy (Moody 90), Newhouse (Scott 78).
BOOKED: Smith.
GOALS: Newhouse (29), Conroy (72).
REFEREE: Paul Rejer (West Midlands).
ATTENDANCE: 4,360.
