Having lost their unbeaten record to ten-man Wolves on Tuesday night, Fulham suffered more frustration at the McAlpine Stadium this afternoon as they squandered several presentable chances to extend their slender lead over Huddersfield before being punished by 75th minute equaliser from Clyde Wijnhard.
Paul Bracewell’s side completely dominated the first 45 minutes but couldn’t build on the lead gifted to them in the eighth minute when Jamie Vincent headed a cross into his own net under little pressure. Geoff Horsfield, the burly former bricklayer who has terrorised Football League defences since being signed from Halifax by Kevin Keegan last year, had a rare off day in front of goal. He was watched by a host of scouts here, but it will take big money for Mohamed Al-Fayed to tempted to part with one of his most reliable forwards.
Horsfield not only missed three very good chances but was hauled off after his disappointed boiled off in a clash with Town goalkeeper Nico Vaesen. Paul Peschisolido, Fulham’s first million-pound player, was similarly wasteful in front of goal – most notably firing over the bar from just six yards after being played in by Lee Clark, who was by some distance the best player on the pitch. Even the former Sunderland and Newcastle midfielder managed to blot his copybook on a day of dreadful misses as failed to find an open goal from fourteen yards and Fulham were eventually punished for their profligacy in front of goal.
Marcus Stewart posed the greatest threat to the visiting defence throughout, as illustrated by when he slammed a shot against the post with half an hour gone, but it was his guile and intelligent running that created the space for Wijnhard to make the most of some generous defending to squeeze home a leveller with fifteen minutes left. Town boss Steve Bruce was pleased with his side’s recovery from not being at the races in the first period – calling this a point gained, rather than two lost. A visibly disappointed Bracewell and Clark took a different view during their own post-match media commitments.
HUDDERSFIELD TOWN (3-5-2): Vaesen; Gray, Armstrong, Hodouto (Donis 38); Horne (Thornley 70), Beech, Irons, Vincent, Sellars; Wijnhard, Stewart. Subs (not used): Margetson, Dyson, Schofield.
BOOKED: Donis.
GOAL: Wijnhard (75).
FULHAM (5-3-2): Taylor; Uhlenbeek (Davis 64), Brevett, Morgan, Symons, Coleman; Trollope, Hayward, Clark; Horsfield (Hayles 71), Peschisolido. Subs (not used): Hahnemann, Neilson, W. Collins.
BOOKED: Symons, Morgan, Hayward, Hayles.
GOAL: Vincent (o.g. 8)
REFEREE: Roy Pearson (Peterlee).
ATTENDANCE: 13,350.
