Premier League - Saturday 05th October 2013, 3:00 PM
Fulham1
(0)
-
(0)
0
Stoke
Attendance: 24634
Referee: R East
Match events
Amorebieta
28
Richardson
45
Hangeland
45
59
Whelan
59
Wilson
Boateng
60
Karagounis
60
60
Whelan
63
Assaidi
63
Etherington
Bent
66
Berbatov
66
Richardson
74
74
Walters
Bent
83
84
Crouch
84
Walters
Senderos
90
Match review
Premier League MatchDay 7 at Craven Cottage
5th October 2013 - 15:00
Fulham (0) 1 Stoke City (0) 0
Fulham striker Darren Bent repaid Martin Jol's faith with a late goal as the vultures prepared to swoop on the under-fire Fulham manager.
Brought in by the Dutchman after being marginalised at Aston Villa, the loanee came off the bench to secure a 1-0 win and potentially the Dutchman's position at the helm.
It was not a comfortable victory for the Whites, far from it, but it was their first since the opening day of the season and first at Craven Cottage since April 1.
It had looked like their miserable run would continue as Stoke dominated the first half of Mark Hughes' first return to the ground since leaving citing a lack of ambition in the summer of 2011.
City were denied a clear-cut penalty when Philippe Senderos took down Stephen Ireland and Fernando Amorebieta was fortunate not to concede a spot-kick soon after for a challenge on Jonathan Walters, which was adjudged to be outside the box.
Stoke defender Robert Huth also had a header cleared off the line by Sascha Riether in a first half they controlled, although Fulham were denied a penalty when Bryan Ruiz was felled by Marc Wilson in stoppage time.
| Match Stats |
Fulham |
Stoke |
| Goals |
(0) 1 |
0 (0) |
| |
| Scorers |
Bent 83 |
|
| |
| Goal attempts |
9 |
16 |
| On target |
1 |
3 |
| Possession |
43.7% |
56.3% |
| Corners |
7 |
5 |
| Offsides |
6 |
5 |
| Passes |
387 |
501 |
| Pass Success |
78.6% |
80.4% |
| Crosses |
18 |
27 |
| Crosses Success |
27.8% |
40.7% |
| Tackles |
18 |
16 |
| Tackles Success |
88.9% |
75.0% |
| Saves |
3 |
1 |
| Fouls |
11 |
13 |
| Yellows |
3 |
2 |
| Reds |
0 |
0 |
| source: SkySports/Soccernet |
The second half swung from end to end, epitomised by Riether again clearing off the line before racing up the pitch to test Potters goalkeeper Asmir Begovic in the last 10 minutes.
The tension was palpable and Craven Cottage exploded when Bent slotted home seven minutes from time, securing victory in a match Jol admitted in his programme notes was a "huge game for us all".
The hosts attempted to set the early tempo, although their lack of confidence was evident as several passes went awry in the opening 10 minutes.
Pajtim Kasami, shifted to the right to accommodate Ruiz as the number 10, was fortunate not to receive early punishment after flinging an arm out in the direction of Erik Pieters.
The Stoke left-back made a meal of the contact but Kasami was fortunate not to see his petulance punished by referee Roger East.
Marko Arnautovic fired the first chance of the match wide and Stoke should have been awarded a penalty in the 16th minute.
Ireland burst down the left flank and looked as though he was brought down at the byline by Senderos, only for referee East to award a goal kick.
The Stoke pressure continued and they had another penalty shout turned away soon after. Amorebieta was booked for clumsily bringing down Walters, but the linesman adjudged the foul to have taken place on the edge of the box.
Things were just not falling for City, with a Huth header from a Matthew Etherington corner set for the top corner until Riether cleared off the line.
Steve Sidwell and Amorebieta flashed over wildly as Fulham regained composure, with the former then seeing a header clip the crossbar before Ruiz was denied a penalty in first-half stoppage time.
The Costa Rica international was clipped in the box by Wilson, but East waved play on to the anger of home fans.
Chants of 'Come on Fulham' mingled with boos aimed at the officials when the half-time whistle was blown, and when the teams returned Kieran Richardson had replaced captain Brede Hangeland in the home line-up.
Huth headed over shortly after the restart, although the Whites were looking a more threatening attacking unit.
Begovic just beat Dimitar Berbatov to a low Riether cross as Fulham pushed for an opener, although the offside flag would have cancelled it out had he managed to prod home.
The Bulgarian, scythed down by Glenn Whelan minutes earlier, was limping and soon had to be replaced by Bent.
At the other end, Arnautovic broke clear and lobbed the ball over Fulham goalkeeper David Stockdale, although the whistle had already gone for offside - a decision that looked harsh.
Geoff Cameron saw a long-range effort deflect just wide as Stoke upped the ante and Stockdale was fortunate to see Huth head over from the resulting corner.
Ireland flashed a left-footed volley just wide as Stoke continued in the ascendancy and Huth again had a header cleared off the line by Riether as the match entered the final 10 minutes.
The German, though, had not given up and burst clear down the right and forced Begovic into a save at this near post.
Just when it looked like another afternoon of frustration for Fulham, up popped Bent to save the day.
Collecting a deflected Kasami shot, he turned away from Huth and Begovic in the box to slot home, with Craven Cottage exploding with emotion.
Stoke pushed for a late leveller but Fulham held out for just their second clean sheet in 18 home matches, ending their run of conceding costly late goals to Jol's relief.
Fulham 4-4-1-1: Stockdale 6; Reither 7, Senderos 6, Hangeland 5 (Richardson 46, 6), Amorebieta 6; Ruiz 6, Karagounis 6 (Boateng 60, 6), Sidwell 6, Duff 6; Kasami 7; Berbatov 6 (Bent 66, 7)
Subs not used: Etheridge, Taarabt, Rodallega, Zverotic
Booked: Amorebieta (28, f), Richardson (74,ub - Arguing with Walters), Senderos (90, tw)
Goal:
Bent 83 (Collecting a deflected Kasami shot, he turned away from Huth and Begovic in the box to slot home),
Stoke 4-3-3: Begovic 6; Cameron 6, Shawcross 6, Huth 7, Pieters 6; Wilson 6 (Whelan 59, 5), Nzonzi 6, Ireland 6; Walters 6 (Crouch 83), Arnautovic 7, Etherington 6 (Assaidi 63, 6)
Subs not used: Sorensen, Palacios, Jones, Adam, Crouch
Booked: Whelan, Walters
Attendance: 24,634
Referee: Roger East 5
MoM: Reither