Luckily, I wasn’t too worried that we allowed the opposition to score as I had told my pre-match drinking compatriots that we’d go a goal down in the first half and end up 2-1 winners.

It could have worked out very differently had a penalty been awarded to Sunderland for an obvious foul in our area by Kevin McDonald.

Fulham started fairly brightly and seemed to be set to play the easy on the eye style of football we have, rather selfishly, become used to witnessing. The team was unchanged from the Victors of the New Den, on the bench with Neeskens Kebano still unfortunately injured being replaced by Luca de la Torre.

The early exchanges were just about dominated by the home team but Sunderland certainly hadn’t come to the Cottage to lay down and each hesitation and minor error was quickly being probed.

For all the possession, Sunderland’s goal came through the early stages unscathed and it was the visitor’s who had the first crack towards goal when on the 12th minute their very promising and lively forward, Asoro, had a pop which wasn’t struck cleanly and cruised wide of our goal at the Hammersmith End. Sunderland’s Fletcher was next to try his luck on the 17th minute, his effort miles too high.

Fulham were by now settling into a steady and attractive period of possession and passing, some great interplay beginning to develop but no outcome as yet. Denis Odoi featuring in defence very nicely and evening making ‘Cookie Colmanesque’ surges forward from defence deep into enemy territory.

Denis fed a lovely ball through to Ryan Sessegnon which was gathered by the goalie before Sess’ could get to the ball. Fredericks was enjoying some very watchable battles, the outcome of some hinting that things could get tasty later on, it was Fredericks forcing a desperate save from Steele, the Black Cats’ keeper, with a missile of a shot from an oblique position on the right.

nevitably, Fulham conceded the first goal before the first 30 minutes was reached, not exactly against the run of play but taking good advantage of a log ball, assisted by Fletcher to Asoro who easily by-passed Matt Targett (uncharacteristically by him). His strike swept into the net decisively, in the event, I felt that our goalie could have done better.

Unfortunately as a consequence of his missed challenge, in the 29th minute, Targett took a knock that required treatment and appeared to be affecting his movement slightly.

More potentially damage occurred when Cairney, stretched challenging for a loose ball, he appeared to turn his ankle before crashing a a heap with a Sunderland player who accidentally kneed him in the back and ribs before both hit the ground with a hefty impact.

The Sunderland goal had the desired affect on the Whites who instantly clicked into world domination mode and looked positively to keep mounting the pressure in the Sunderland half.

A period of ‘huff and puff to no avail’ ensued where, despite having most of ball in the Putney End, saw Lucas Piazon receive the ball from the edge of the 18 yard line, his shot wobbling, cartoon like, just wide.



On the 40th minute, the excellent Matt Targett, ground to a halt, he had been unable to run off the earlier injury and was substituted with Kamara coming on thereby pushing Ryan Sessegnon into his old left back position.

Personally, I like Kamara who I think is probably not a 90 minute player yet but has always shown willing when used as in impact sub. He’s not subtle and can be careless and hot headed but he gives 100% for every second he’s on the pitch. He is lightning fast, physically intimidating and he doesn’t give up, in short he terrorises defences when he charges forward. AK’s introduction poured rocket fuel into the high revving Fulham motor and the White’s domination continued apace.

Just as the half was winding to a close, this pressure proved decisive, AK, true to form, taking a pass from Stefan Johansen as the ball was won back deep in our half, played a fine pass to Ryan Fredericks.

Ryan cut down the right to the corner flag and fired a hard cross towards the goalmouth. The ball was pushed by the keeper, the outcome of this seeing Lucas Piazon first to react and doing enough to put us level. O’Shea, using all those years of working under Fergie, moaned too much for the ref’d taste and went into the book.

He was pointing out that during the Sunderland incursion that led to Fulham moving the ball out on the counter attack that brought our equalizer, they’d lost possession because McDonald committed a foul in the area for which Sunderland should have beeb awarded a penalty.

We thought he was moaning for nothing, TV replays prove that we’d got away with that one, definite contact! Once the game restarted, we came close from another foray by AK who’s deep cross was met by Mitroviç’s head across goal towards Cairney. He was narrowly beaten to the ball by Sunderland’s Kone.

One all at half time, the usual stoppage time having been applied.

At the restart, Sunderland had made a change, taking off Billy Jones and replacing him with Adam Matthews this didn’t change the script, Fulham were straight on the offensive, passing decisively and prettily around the 20 yard mark, the final ball to Johansen being wastefully curled miles over the bar.

Aboubakar Kamara carried on with his customary verve and aggression and his direct play was definitely unsettling the Sunderland defence and in the 51st minute he smacked in pacy shot from a not so easy angle, forcing Steele to make a save, shortly after he was tipped over around 25 yards out winning a set piece that Johansen curled over the wall on target for a comfortable save by Steele again.

Twelve minutes after the restart, another foray forward culminated in Mitro attempt, his speculative shot pushed away by the keeper.

Soon Tom Cairney again went down and required treatment, he had been in some discomfort from the earlier collision and was rubbing is back constantly throughout the game from then.

it was mostly Fulham in possession but with the scores even, there was a slight unease amongst the home support every time Sunderland had the ball moving away from their goal.

A chance came the way of the Whites around 59 minutes, with Cairney benefitting from some fine interplay which had AK combining with Stefan Johansen, Tom’s curling attempt looked as if it was a certain goal but it whistled a whisker wide.

The play then switched to our end with Sunderland eager to gain the advantage, McNair having a go from way out allowing an easy catch by Marcus Bettinelli. Fredericks took the ball on a lightning sortie down the right wing and created havoc in the area and his smartly struck shot was blocked, eventually the ball found McDonald, his effort was rotten and sailed hopelessly high.

Cairney again came close in the 71st, the customary itchy bums in the seats jumping up and blocking my view of the final action, I’m taking a long sharp stick next time to give their hyperactive arses a prod.

Shortly after, Jokanović took off the ever improving Piazon, bringing on Rui Fonte (oh blimey, the jury is till out on him!). As the game reached the 76th minute Fulham won another free kick after the marvelous AK proved once again to be too hot to handle and was bundled over, Johansen crafted a lovely floater custom made to be head butted by Mitro, he duly obliged with a fine goal.

Cookie subbed Ovie Ehjana and used Calum McManaman as his successor, this didn’t change things as yet again Kamara frightened a foul out of the Black Cats, Johansen this time having a pop from the set piece only to see Steele launching to tip over.

Cue Sunderland’s final change to their line up, Ethan Robson trooping off for Josh Maja. Cairney, who had been in obvious discomfort since a collision in the first half, was finally allowed some release from his angst and went off, the long absent Tomas Kalas coming on in his stead.

The game fast reached the allotted 90 minutes but naturally we always seem to be made to play 96 minutes at a minimum so when the four minute board was held aloft the knowing amongst us smirked and hunkered down for the usual nail biting finally 10 minutes!

As it happened, we only played six added minutes and the only thing to report was a bit of bad tempered hand bag stuff from a couple of ridiculously unruly Sunderland players and a bit of pushing and shoving, Kamara seeming to be the innocent party. It’s never that simple, typically the ref had to make a name for himself, probably because the one I gave him is unprintable here, so obviously he booked one of theirs (should have been two!) and Kamara too.

Then the final whistle blew and the relieved home fans ecstatically applauded the team who re-emerged to make an entry to applaud the fans, not a climatic and emotional lap of honour like the old days but a muted and weary acknowledgment from battle wearied Gladiators saluting Caesar. Three points and our twenty third consecutive unbeaten game, it could be worse.

Match Information Competition: Sky Bet Championship Date: Friday 27 April 2018 Kick-off: 7:45pm Venue: Craven Cottage, London Attendance: 21,849 Referee: Peter Bankes

Fulham Line-up: Bettinelli; Fredericks, Odoi, Ream, Targett (Kamara 40'); Cairney (Kalas 90'), McDonald, Johansen; Lucas Piazon (Rui Fonte 74'), Mitrovic, Ryan Sessegnon Unused substitutes: Button, Christie, Norwood, De La Torre Manager: Slavisa Jokanovic

Sunderland Line-up: Steele; Jones (Matthews 45'), Koné, O'Shea, Wilson; Paddy McNair, Ethan Robson (Maja 85'); Asoro, Ovie Ejaria (McManaman 77'), Honeyman; Fletcher Unused substitutes: Camp, Clarke-Salter, Lua Lua, Mumba Manager: Chris Coleman