There was inevitably about the Premiership’s draw specialists combining for a twentieth stalemate of the season at a cold Craven Cottage this afternoon. But were it not for the excellence of Aston Villa’s goalkeeper Peter Enckelman, Fulham could easily have come away with all three points.
Jean Tigana put it pretty plainly after the match, frustrated that the home side’s endeavour and creativity that yielded nothing. “We created chances, but it was a problem to score. We have the best team defensively, but we need to score, to work to give the confidence to the players. We need more determination inside the box.”
Tigana’s team had dominated proceedings for the first half an hour without representing much of a threat inside the Villa penalty area. That changed when Zat Knight, popping up on the left wing, produced a sensational cross for Steve Marlet to head back across goal. Louis Saha attempted to lift a finish over Enckelman, who stretched upwards to claim the loose ball above his head. Fulham huffed and puffed but created little more than a daisycutter from Barry Hayles just before the break that drifted disappointingly wide.
Perhaps frustrated by his forward’s inability to press home Fulham’s advantage, Knight – a towering centre back deployed here alongside Sylvain Legwinski in central midfield – powered a shot towards goal from 20 yards but was denied by a brilliant Enckelman save. The quick feet of Steed Malbranque created another chance midway through the second period but the Aston Villa goalkeeper again stood between Barry Hayles and the opener, pulling off a smart stop from the forward’s measured finish.
In the last minute, Enckelman dashed off his line to deny Hayles an opportunity to finish after his pace had carried him beyond the visiting defence and clean through on goal. Villa’s threat was more sporadic but they might have earned an eye-opening win for Stuart Gray, who took temporary charge following the departure of John Gregory. Edwin van der Sar saved early from Juan Pablo Angel and then twice smartly late on from the lively Darius Vassell but this contest always felt destined to end all square.
FULHAM (4-3-3): van der Sar; Finnan, Harley, Melville, Goma; Legwinski, Knight (Goldbaek 63), Malbranque; Saha, Hayles, Marlet. Subs (not used): Taylor, Ouaddou, Trollope, Willock.
BOOKED: Saha.
ASTON VILLA (4-4-2): Enckelman; Delaney, Mellberg, Samuel, Staunton; Hadji, Merson, Boateng, Hendrie (Stone 86); Vassell,
Angel (Kachloul 77). Subs (not used): Myhill, Wright, Dublin.
BOOKED: Hadji, Boateng.
REFEREE: Matt Messias (York).
ATTENDANCE: 20,041.
