Ray Wilkins had one of Micky Adams’ summer signings to thank as Paul Moody’s brace secured the ex-England captain’s first win as Fulham manager over Oldham Athletic this afternoon.
The Craven Cottage faithful, still shocked by the sudden sacking of the man who masterminded last season’s promotion from Division Three, gave the new Fulham management team a muted welcome on a sunny day by the banks of the Thames. Adams’ departure was apparently due to Mohamed Al-Fayed’s fear that the Whites wouldn’t be in the Second Division promotion shake-up come May, so Wilkins – who began with a last-minute defeat at Wigan last week – was desperate to register a first victory.
The hosts got off to the best possible start after ten minutes when Richard Carpenter rampaged through midfield and released Moody, who Adams acquired from Oldham Athletic following Al-Fayed’s takeover of the club, and the striker found the far corner with a precise finish. Moody headed his fourth goal of the season seven minutes in the second half after Mike Pollitt had mistakenly tried to come and claim a cross from Steve Hayward. Any doubts that Fulham would end a five-match losing run evaporated after the luckless Lee Sinnott turned Robbie Herrera’s cross into his own net with twenty five minutes to go.
Oldham did get a consolation eighteen minutes from time when Doug Hodgson headed a corner past Andre Arendse but visiting manager Neil Warnock admitted his side had been comprehensively outplayed afterwards.
FULHAM: Arendse; Lawrence, Blake, Cullip; Smith, Herrera, Cockerill, Carpenter, Hayward; Moody, Conroy (McKenzie 80). Subs (not used): Cusack, McAree.
BOOKED: Cockerill, Lawrence.
GOALS: Moody (11, 52), Sinnott (o.g. 64).
OLDHAM ATHLETIC: Pollitt; Hodgson, Sinnott, Garnett, Graham, Serrant, McNiven (Rickers 62), Örlygsson, Duxbury, Wright (Innes 66), Barlow. Subs (not used): Salt.
BOOKED: Hodgson, Örlygsson, Wright, Garnett.
GOAL: Hodgson (72).
REFEREE: Gurnam Singh (Wolverhampton).
ATTENDANCE: 8,805.
