West Bromwich Albion 1-0 Fulham
By Jemma Tappenden
November 7 2008
Albion notched up another three points, and a third clean sheet of the season as they overcame former team mate Zoltan Gera and his team at the Hawthorns in a 1-0 victory over London side Fulham. Ishmael Miller was drafted into the starting eleven in place of Do-Heon, who looks set to grace the sidelines for a number of weeks after picking up a knee injury against Boro last week.
Albion made their intentions clear from the off and showed real grit in the 8th minute as Jonathan Greening battled hard to win the ball in the centre from former Baggie Gera. He found Bednar who might have been better off shooting from his standing position of 18 yards, rather than his option of cutting past Aaron Hughes before releasing a weak shot straight at Fulham keeper Schwarzer.
The visitors showed that they were not prepared to roll over however, and in the 13th minute Clint Dempsey tried his luck with a 25 yard effort which Carson did well to hold. Two minutes later Olsson brought down Dempsey on the edge of the area, allowing Jimmy Bullard to curve in a stunning effort which Carson at full stretch could not have got to had it been on target.
But the Baggies were determined to put on a show for the largest home crowd of the season so far, and in the 17th minute Greening got in on the action again, this time getting one over on Hangeland before racing down to the byline in time to cut back a dangerous ball to Miller. A last ditch clearance from Hughes however prevented the ex Manchester City striker from making the simple tap in.
On the half hour mark the games best chance fell to Fulham, who came within inches of a Gera goal after Dempsey had beaten Donk to Murphy’s ball. Carson was beaten, but the post was most certainly not.
Miller managed to get a head on Robinson’s cross in the 40th minute, although he had already been flagged offside. A minute later Dempsey forced Carson into a low save, but the £3 million goalie was more than equal to the shot. Koren might have given the Baggies the lead at half time, but he failed to keep his 20 yard effort down, and Albion fan’s watched the ball sail out of play as the half time whistle sounded.
Half Time: West Bromwich Albion 0-0 Fulham
The Baggies started brightly after the break, a superb cross from Greening was fired in from the left, allowing Donk to make contact with the ball at close range. But his effort thundered back of the post leaving the scores level.
Five minutes into the half Zamora directed a 15 yard header straight into the arms of Carson after Konchesky had picked him out with a diagonal ball. But at the other end less than a minute later Fulham failed to deal with a Greening free kick, allowing Borja Valero to fire in a low hard shot, which the Fulham defence were lucky to block.
In a rare corner from Valero, Miller flicked the ball on to Donk in the area, who headed straight back across goal into the path of Morrison. Only a goal lone clearance spared the London side from falling a goal behind. The resulting corner from the initial goal mouth scramble was once again swung in by Valero. Once again it was Donk who was the provider, but this time to Roman Bednar, who made no mistake in firing the Baggies into the lead from close range.
Carson made an excellent tip if the finger save just two minutes later, when Murphy created a chance from Bullard’s free kick. Bednar could have easily made it two for Albion just moments later after he was released by Valero. But the Fulham keeper was alert, and Schwarzer did well to scoop the ball at his feet.
Ex Wolves man and Fulham midfielder Seol tried his luck in the 74th minute with a 20 yard effort after coming on as a sub. But it was Albion who were on top, and they should have had a second goal in the 76th minute after Koren, working the ball from a tight angle forced Schwarzer into an acrobatic stop.
As the game drew to a close chances started to become few and far between. Bednar coming the closest on the 87th minute. But his second half goal proved to be enough as the Baggies sailed to second 1-0 victory.
Full Time: West Bromwich Albion 1-0 Fulham
Bednar (61)
Attendance: 25,708