Fulham goalkeeper Marek Rodak has admitted being at fault for Huddersfield’s first goal on Saturday and wants to put that error behind him as soon as possible with a strong performance against Peterborough tomorrow night.
The Slovakian international was disappointed that he allowed Danny Ward’s first-time shot to creep under his body on what proved to be a frustrating afternoon for the leaders at Craven Cottage. Rodak told Fulham’s official website this afternoon:
“It was a disappointing result. Everyone thought we could have done better, even after we’d gone 2-0 down we thought we could get something. We pushed second half and were unlucky that we didn’t score early. I think if we’d got one back earlier then they would have felt the pressure more.
“It’s one of those games where nothing went right. Obviously their goals, it was a mistake for the first one, and then the second one I would say it was a bad decision. Then, when you’re losing 2-0, it’s hard to come back, especially in this league. And, to be fair to them, they’re a good team as well, I think they were 14 unbeaten going into the game.”
Rodak felt he was harshly done by after referee Tony Harrington awarded a penalty just before half time after he had collided with Sorba Thomas.
“That’s what it was. I saw him coming, so I stopped and waited for the ball to come into my hands. And then he’s touched the ball and has fallen back on me, so straight away when I heard the ref’s whistle I thought it was a foul on me. Then I looked and he’d pointed for a penalty, so I went and asked him what he’d seen, but he didn’t want to talk to me at all.
I understand it’s hard for them, but he made the decision very quickly, and I don’t think anyone thought it was a penalty. I think the guys on Sky said it wasn’t a pen as well, so if there’s VAR then I think that’s a decision that gets changed. But we’ll never know now, so it is what it is, we have to move on and focus on the next match. We’ve still got loads of games to go.”
Rodak knows that Peterborough, who pushed Fulham really hard at London Road before Christmas, will be motivated to spring another surprise at Craven Cottage as they fight against relegation and look to impress a potential new boss after Darren Ferguson’s departure.
“Of course, but not even just for a new manager, they’re also fighting to avoid relegation. They want to stay up, and I think everyone in this league wants to show what they can do when they play the top team, prove that they can beat them, show that they can improve, so they will be trying their hardest.
Any game that comes and we get three points puts us closer to where we want to be at the end of the season. That’s what it is, we just need to win our games, keep doing well, keep getting points, and keep ourselves in the position we’re currently in.”
