Match Reports

Match Reports Past and Present

• MATCH REPORT FROM DERBY 25th August 2001 from Sporting Life
• Fulham were forced to endure an afternoon of acute frustration after a doughty Derby County held out for a goalless draw at Craven Cottage. The home side will have taken high expectations in to their first top-flight meeting with Derby since 1952 following their mid-week victory over Sunderland. And The Cottagers were given a further boost with the late news that Derby were missing two star men through injury, striker Fabrizio Ravanelli and goalkeeper Mart Poom. But Derby held firm despite rarely venturing out of their half in the second period when Jean Tigana's men threw everything they had at their under strength visitors only to find stand-in Rams goalkeeper Andy Oakes in excellent form. The Fulham fans were given an early warning of things to come when Barry Hayles used his power to surge to the by-line only to see his low cross evade Louis Saha at the far post. Derby - with only one win in their last 13 matches - did threaten briefly in the first half, though only when manager Jim Smith made a tactical switch after replacing Malcolm Christie with Georgie Kinkladze after only 37 minutes. The mesmeric Georgian was immediately in to the action, his trademark shimmy creating some space at the edge of the box before he curled a left-footed shot just wide of the far post. And the former Manchester City midfielder slipped in Paul Boertien just before half-time, though his drive was beaten away by Edwin Van de Sar in the Fulham goal. But that was about the extent of the Dutch goalkeeper's involvement in the match, with the second half very much one-way traffic on a hot and sunny day in South London. The visitors resorted to getting as many men behind the ball as possible and relying on Kinkladze's dribbles on their rare counter-attacks. A series of half-chances from free-kicks and corners went begging for the home side as wave after wave crashed against the Derby shoreline, which was superbly held together by an outstanding performance by Chris Riggott. The young centre-half was the Ram's storm barrier, throwing himself in front of everything that came his way as the frustration began to build inside fans and players. But for all their possession and bluster, Fulham created little in the way of clear-cut chances until late in the match when Steed Malbranque found himself in the clear with four minutes remaining. But he over-ran the ball and Oakes was able to gather safely to thwart another attack.
• MATCH REPORT FROM SUNDERLAND 22n August 2001 From Sporting Life
• Fulham confirmed their Premiership credentials as goals from Barry Hayles and Louis Saha earned them a pulsating 2-0 victory over Sunderland at Craven Cottage. Hayles' strike came in the 70th minute after an error from Sunderland goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen, who gave the ball away on the left side of his area and Steed Malbranque teed up Hayles to thunder the ball home.Saha clinched the points after 85 minutes when his 18-yard strike clipped Wearsiders defender George McCartney's heels and wrong footed Sorensen, with the ball skidding inside the right-hand post. The first hour of the contest was played at breakneck speed, with quick passing and swift tackling from both sides making the match a thoroughly entertaining spectacle. Fulham appeared very confident in their first home Premiership outing, displaying willingness to attack at every opportunity - and delighting the majority of the 20,197 crowd. Tigana's summer signings all enjoyed impressive home league debuts. Malbranque - who has already become a firm fans' favourite - was a constant threat in the heart of the Cottagers' midfield, while goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar was completely in control throughout. Jon Harley appeared as a second-half substitute and appeared comfortable in his new surroundings after moving from Chelsea. Fulham's £3.3million new signing Sylvain Legwinski looked on from the stands. The midfielder, who moved from Bordeaux earlier on Wednesday, watched the game after club officials were unable win international clearance in time for him to join the squad. He joined the Londoners' ex-Sunderland midfielder Lee Clark, out with an Achilles injury, on the sidelines. Fulham left-back Rufus Brevett, back in the side after serving a one-match ban in Sunday's 3-2 defeat at Manchester United, delivered a wonderful cross to create the first scoring opportunity of the match.Hayles met the ball at pace but his header skidded harmlessly across the face of goal from eight yards, when he really should have tested Sorensen. The first of a host of Saha efforts arrived after 14 minutes when he turned the visiting defence inside-out on the edge of the penalty area and cracked a great shot a yard wide of goal. Saha's influence on the game was growing by the minute, and at the half-way point in the first period, he combined beautifully with Hayles and fired in a powerful shot that deflected narrowly over the crossbar. From the resulting corner, Saha headed Malbranque's flag kick a foot over the top.At the other end, Kevin Phillips side footed a Kevin Kilbane cross wide, before Saha brought a great save from Sorensen with another powerful strike. It was the visitors who spurned the best chance so far. Kilbane raced clear on the left flank as the home defence hesitated, but he lost his cool and wastefully pulled his shot well wide. The pace of the game showed no sign of relenting as Cottagers centre-back Alain Goma thumped a header from another Malbranque corner inches past the far post. Sunderland forward Lilian Laslandes came within six inches of goal of the season on the stroke of half-time as he cracked a brilliant overhead kick narrowly wide from a pinpoint Bernt Haas cross. Another Saha moment of magic brought the capacity crowd to its feet early in the second period. He teased the Sunderland defence and slotted a right-foot shot across goal, which Sorensen dived to save. As the game finally slowed from its frantic pace, Malbranque began to dictate the game with his tireless work rate and intelligent link-up play with Saha and Hayles. And the goal the home fans craved finally arrived after 72 minutes, following an error from Sorensen. Standing on the left edge of his penalty area, the visiting keeper played a loose pass out, intercepted by the industrious Malbranque. He played a clever double one-two with Hayles, who received the ball 12 yards from goal and thundered the ball past Sorensen, who had just reached his goalmouth after his poor pass. Malbranque raced clear down the left wing late on and centred for Saha, who uncharacteristically completely missed the ball just 10 yards from goal. Saha wrapped up the points in the 85th minute when his right-foot strike from the edge of the box deflected off George McCartney's heels and past the wrong footed Sorensen. Sunderland sub David Bellion drew a great diving save from van der Sar in stoppage time.

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