Match Report Fulham (0) 2-1 (0) Barnsley Championship Match Day 23 1718 Craven Cottage Saturday 23rd December 2017     KO: 15:00pm Referee: James Linington (Newport)

Fulham striker Floyd Ayité

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Second-half goals from Floyd Ayite and Sheyi Ojo earned Fulham a 2-1 Sky Bet Championship win over struggling Barnsley.

Ayite, recalled by home manager Slavisa Jokanovic following a hamstring injury, opened the scoring nine minutes into the second half at Craven Cottage.

Tom Bradshaw equalised midway through the second period, but parity was only restored for four minutes before Ojo settled matters in the hosts' favour.

Lucas Piazon was named on the Fulham bench following a broken leg, while Barnsley started Ethan Pinnock instead of the injured Matty Pearson in defence.

The Cottagers began the game on the attack. Barnsley goalkeeper Adam Davies failed to hold a Stefan Johansen free-kick on five minutes, but blocked a rebound from Tim Ream.

Fulham midfielder Sheyi Ojo

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Davies was called into action again five minutes later to tip a curling Ojo effort over the bar.

The hosts remained on the front foot, with Aboubakar Kamara and Ryan Sessegnon frequently finding space down the left flank.

Fulham goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli almost gifted Barnsley the lead just after the half-hour mark when he misjudged a throw-out from the area and it landed in the path of Harvey Barnes, but the keeper's blushes were spared when he managed to scramble away the resulting shot on goal.

George Moncur sent an effort over the bar for Barnsley on 41 minutes after good work by Mamadou Thiam.

Ayite should have put the hosts ahead two minutes later, but put his header just wide of the upright after an excellent delivery by Ryan Sessegnon.

Match Stats	Fulham	Barnsley
Goals	(0) 2	1 (0)
Scorers	Ayité 54	Bradshaw 68
	Ojo 72	-
,
Goal attempts	19	7
On target	6	2
Shooting Accuracy	32%	29%
Possession	61%	39%
Passes	525	335
Pass Success	83%	72%
Crosses	27	10
Crosses Success	30%	40%
Corners	10	4
Tackles	19	20
Tackles Success	68%	65%
Saves	1	4
Fouls	11	11
Offsides	3	2
Yellows	1	2
Reds	0	0
source: SkySports

Fulham started the second half brighter, and Barnsley defender Andy Yiadom did well to clear a low cross into the box from Sessegnon.

The deadlock was finally broken on 54 minutes, when the impressive Ayite picked up the ball from 25 yards and fired home low to the right of Davies.

Barnsley made a double substitution just after the hour mark, with Lloyd Isgrove replacing Thiam, and Adam Hammill introduced for Moncur.

The change paid dividends on 69 minutes, when a cross by Yiadom found the head of Bradshaw to give the visitors their first goal in three games.

Fulham immediately made a change, with Neeskens Kebano replacing Ayite, and their lead was restored on 72 minutes when Ojo netted with a cross-come-shot that fooled Davies.

The home team were able to see out the rest of the game, including four minutes of stoppage time, as Barnsley left west Yorkshire empty-handed.

Fulham: Bettinelli, Fredericks, Kalas, Ream, R Sessegnon, Johansen, McDonald, Cairney, Ojo (Norwood 87), Kamara (Fonte 81), Ayité (Kebano 70)

Unused Button, Djalo, Lucas Piazon, De La Torre

Goals:
Ayité 54 (right footed shot from outside the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Tom Cairney)
Ojo 72 (right footed shot from a difficult angle and long range on the right to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Stefan Johansen.)

Booked: Ojo (28,sim)

Barnsley Davies, McCarthy, Pinnock, Lindsay, Yiadom, Moncur (Hammill 61), Gary Gardner, Williams, Barnes (Ugbo 78), Thiam (Isgrove 61), Bradshaw

Unused Townsend, Fryers, Cavare, Bird

Goals:
Bradshaw 68 (header from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Andy Yiadom with a cross.)

Booked: Yiadom (4,f), Gardner (14,f),

Referee: James Linington (Newport)

Attendance: 17,308