A late penalty from Luis Boa Morte rescued a point for Fulham against Wimbledon at Craven Cottage this afternoon.
The Portuguese forward got Jean Tigana’s side out of a hole when he converted a spot-kick with only a couple of minutes having been needlessly pushed in the back by Darren Holloway. There was little argument that the Cottagers fully merited a share of the spoils having dominated large periods of this London derby but the Whites struggled to break down a stubborn Dons defence – and even seemed set to have their end-of-season celebrated turn sour after Jason Euell drilled in a spot-kick of his own when he had been sent sprawling to the ground by Maik Taylor.
The three points would have given Wimbledon’s play-off aspirations a significant shot in the arm but they were undone by a moment of madness from Holloway, who manhandled Boa Morte to the floor as the Dons closed in on a precious away win. Boa Morte planted the penalty to left of the previously unbeatable Kelvin Davis to ensure Fulham’s home season – which has been full of enterprising displays and ultimately delivered a return to the top flight – didn’t end in defeat.
Fulham had began brightly, with a thousand balloons released shortly before kick off to set a celebratory tone, and the team almost hit the front in the third minute. Louis Saha’s searching ball down the left flank freed Boa Morte, who burst into the box and was thwarted by Davis at the second attempt. When Boa Morte did beat the Wimbledon goalkeeper a minute later, he was frustrated by covering defender Rob Gier, who scrambled the shot off the line.
Gier wasn’t quite as on target at the other end when he sent a free header from Alan Kimble’s corner wide at the far post despite having a free header six yards out. Maik Taylor then produced a fine sprawling save to keep out a venomous effort from Euell, who had outdone Alain Goma for pace. Boa Morte remained a constant menace at the other end, but he paid the penalty for being too honest when he could have gone done after being caught by a defender as he rounded Davis for the second time in the match and was eventually crowded out.
Davis then did brilliantly to push away a Saha header from Goldbaek’s corner before saving smartly from John Collins, although the Scottish midfielder would have wanted to make a cleaner connection with Goldbaek’s cut back than he actually achieved. A lovely move between Saha and Clark offered the former Newcastle midfielder a sight of goal just after half time but Davis managed to repel the shot at full stretch.
Euell’s penalty arrived as Fulham were laying siege to the Wimbledon area but Terry Burton’s introduction of David Nielsen didn’t succeed in thwarting the home side’s attacks. Boa Morte eventually got his goal – courtesy of Holloway’s rush of blood – before the home fans acclaimed their championship-winning heroes during a raucous lap of honour following the final whistle.
FULHAM (4-4-2): Taylor; Finnan, Trollope, Goma (Melville 62), Symons; Sean Davis, J. Collins, Goldbaek (Stolcers 77), Clark; Saha (Riedle 62), Boa Morte. Subs (not used): Hahnemann, Lewis.
BOOKED: Taylor.
GOAL: Boa Morte (pen 84).
WIMBLEDON (4-4-2): Davis, Cunningham, Kimble, Gier, Holloway; Ardley, Cooper (Ainsworth 89), Andersen, Nielsen (Hughes 74); Euell, Roberts. Subs (not used): Heald, Agyemang, Hawkins.
BOOKED: Holloway.
GOAL: Euell (pen 73).
REFEREE: Anthony Bates (Staffordshire).
ATTENDANCE: 18,576.
