[Archived] Match Report: Fulham 2 - 1 Blackburn Rovers

[Kamy100]

Parsonblue's match report from the Fulham game:

Sunday 13^th September 2015 – Football League Championship

Fulham 2 v 1 Blackburn Rovers

Fulham (2) 2

McCormack 4, Dembélé 30

Andrew Lonergan; Ashley Richards, Tim Ream, Richard Stearman, James Husband (Dan Burn 89); Tom Cairney, Ryan Tunnicliffe, Jamie O’Hara, Ben Pringle (Ryan Fredericks 62); Moussa Dembélé, Ross McCormack.

Subs not used: Joe Lewis (gk), Alexander Kačaniklić, Sakari Mattila, Cauley Woodrow, Lasse Vigen Christensen.

Manager: Kit Symons

Blackburn Rovers (0) 1

Rhodes (penalty) 69

Jason Steele; Adam Henley, Grant Hanley, Shane Duffy, Tommy Spurr; Ben Marshall, Danny Guthrie, Corry Evans (Hope Akpan 83), Craig Conway (Tom Lawrence 89); Jordan Rhodes, Nathan Delfouneso (Fodé Koita 46)

Subs not used: David Raya (gk), Matt Kilgallon, Marcus Olsson, Lee Williamson.

Manager: Gary Bowyer

Referee: Mr. T. Harrington

Bookings: Fulham – Jamie O’Hara

Blackburn Rovers – Grant Hanley, Fodé Koita, Shane Duffy

It was Napoleon who said, “I know he's a good general, but is he lucky?”, and thus far this season Gary Bowyer has had little or no luck whatsoever. Once again, this was a game that the Rovers could, indeed, should have won. They created enough chances to have won the game with ease but spurned them. Ultimately, teams who concede goals and struggle to score them usually end up in a relegation battle and this Rovers team is no different. All of the relegation seasons I’ve witnessed, going back to 1965-66, have been dogged by ill fortune but at the end of the day it’s been the performance – or lack of performance – of the players that has ultimately decided the club’s fate. This game, in many ways, perfectly summed up the present state that the club find itself in. The first forty-five minutes found a team in turmoil who conceded two sloppy goals and then wasted opportunities to dig themselves out of a hole they had dug for themselves. The second half saw a team filled with self-belief and total commitment and yet one that lacked that little bit of quality to turn possession into goals. Whilst one felt nothing but sympathy for the manager after the game, particularly over the “goal” that wasn’t, the fact remains that in a results driven business the Rovers are struggling to find the level of consistency required to deliver the results that are needed. The longer this winless run continues the more precarious the manager’s position will become.

Bowyer sprang a surprise in opting for Jason Steele in goal as opposed to David Raya who dropped down to the bench. With Jason Lowe on the sidelines with injury Danny Guthrie partnered Corry Evans in the centre of midfield whilst Nathan Delfouneso and Jordan Rhodes continued their partnership in attack.

Sadly, the Rovers could not have made a worse start when they conceded a sloppy goal after just four minutes. When Delfouneso lost possession the ball was played to Ryan Tunnicliffe in the centre of the park and he slipped the perfect through ball between Adam Henley and Grant Hanley for Moussa Dembélé to run onto. The former Tottenham Hotspur forward ran on with Hanley getting himself on the wrong side of the striker before slipping as he tried to catch him. With Shane Duffy and Tommy Spurr nowhere to be seen it was left to Henley to come across to try to challenge Dembélé as he entered the penalty area. However, Dembélé quickly pulled the ball back across goal for Ross McCormack, who was completely unmarked, and the former Leeds man wasted no time in controlling the ball and then beating Steele from close range. It was a simply awful goal to concede and merely underlined the inept defending that the Rovers show on an almost weekly basis these days.

The Rovers tried to get back into the game right away but Craig Conway’s cross was headed over by Rhodes. Spurr, whose main function seems to be taking throw-ins, fired in another long throw but Fulham won possession and broke quickly with the Rovers defence all at sea again and Steele was forced to save from McCormack.

Within minutes Fulham were exposing the weaknesses in the Rovers defence yet again with Cairney finding McCormack, who had drifted to the wing, and with Spurr again conspicuous by his absence, the ball was whipped across the face of the goal. Fortunately, for the Rovers, Dembélé was unable to reach it although a linesman’s flag signalled a goal would have been ruled out for offside. Nonetheless, the Rovers defending was again shown to be totally inept and that became a feature of the first half.

On fifteen minutes the Rovers had the opportunity to get back in the game when Ben Marshall found Delfouneso and he took the ball round Richard Stearman before firing a low shot which Lonergan did well to get down to his right and keep out.

Fulham immediately came back and Dembélé showed wonderful skills to hold the ball up and then do a quick turn and play the ball into the path of McCormack who then fizzed a shot narrowly wide across Steele and the face of the goal.

On twenty-six minutes Marshall collected the ball and fired in a shot which beat Lonergan but, sadly, flew narrowly wide of the far post.

On the half-hour mark the Rovers conceded a second goal when the ball was fed to McCormack down the left and his cross was met by an unmarked Tunnicliffe whose powerful diving header was saved by Steele. The ball rebounded to Tom Cairney who shot first time only for Steele to block the effort but the ball fell at the feet of Dembélé who, unmarked in front of goal, blasted it into the net with Hanley and Duffy standing helplessly on the line. Quite why the Rovers defenders allowed Cairney and Dembélé free shots at goal only they know but, once again, it was inept defending.

A Conway free-kick was comfortably held by Lonergan but on thirty-nine minutes he was fully tested when a long ball was headed clear by Stearman straight to Corry Evans and the midfielder’s first time shot was pushed around the post by the ‘keeper. From the resultant corner, Hanley stooped to meet the ball but headed over. The former Preston ‘keeper was then called upon to make a tremendous save to keep out a Marshall header.

At half-time Bowyer made a switch up front with Fodé Koita replacing Delfouneso. The Rovers should have been level virtually from the re-start. Marshall crossed from the left which beat Lonergan and with the ball virtually on the goal line, Rhodes and a defender slid in and as both went for the ball, Rhodes got there first but, instead of scoring, he managed to screw the ball virtually at right-angles so that that it hit the post before being cleared. It was an incredible miss truth be told.

Undeterred the Rovers continued to press forward and good work from Koita saw him break free down the right but when he crossed the ball Rhodes couldn’t get over it and headed the ball high over the crossbar.

Another excellent move on fifty-four minutes ended with Rhodes meeting Conway’s cross but heading straight at Lonergan. Marshall then had a shot blocked after some superb build up play by the Rovers.

At this point it was all Rovers as Fulham simply dropped deeper and deeper trying to protect their two goal lead. Duffy headed over, Conway had a shot saved and the Duffy headed over again all within a matter of minutes.

However, on sixty-nine minutes the Rovers finally found the back of the net from the penalty spot. Conway crossed from the left and as Rhodes went for the ball Husband pushed him in the back and the referee immediately pointed to the spot. Rhodes stepped up and opened his account for the season by sending Lonergan the wrong way.

Fulham offered little in attack although Ryan Fredericks whipped in a decent cross from the right that had Steele clutching thin air as he dived full length to try to catch it. Fortunately, there were no Fulham players in the area when the ball arrived.

The Rovers had an excellent chance to equalise on seventy-eight minutes when a long throw from Spurr caused confusion in the Fulham area but when the ball fell to Conway he fired high and wide when really ought to have found the back of the net.

On eighty-three minutes the Rovers did get the ball over the line but, unfortunately, the officials simply didn’t see it and allowed play to continue. Once again, a Conway corner had been met by Duffy and his header was blocked on the line and the ball came out at pace, hit Hanley on the shoulder and then rebounded over the goal line before Jamie O’Hara could hook the ball clear. Sadly, once again, the officials got the big decision wrong.

Duffy went up front in the closing minutes and when his shot was blocked Koita picked up the ball and fired in a fierce effort which shook the woodwork before rebounding off the post to safety.

Steele made a save from Dembélé in the added time and the home side were able to see out of closing minutes and claim the three points.

There was much to admire about the Rovers second half performance and they received a good reception from the travelling fans when they left the pitch. However, the defensive lapses in the first half proved costly and in the second half the Rovers simply wasted too many golden opportunities to put the ball in the back of the net.

Jason Steele performed well on his return to the team but the performances of some of those in front of him left much to be desired. Adam Henley had a difficult afternoon but improved in the second half. Tommy Spurr had an afternoon to forget. He looked slow and cumbersome and apart from a long throw it’s not quite clear what he brings to the team.

Grant Hanley had his poorest game of the season and was badly at fault for the first goal but improved after the break. Shane Duffy, like Hanley, struggled at times and was badly caught out of position on more than one occasion.

In midfield the combination of Corry Evans and Danny Guthrie struggled in the first half to get any sort of control in the middle of the park. They improved after the break with Evans getting forward more than usual. Craig Conway and Ben Marshall offered the main threat from the wings. Conway was again in the thick of the action and provided numerous crosses which ought to have brought some reward. Marshall had a much better game than of late and in the second half, in particular, was a constant threat to the home defence.

Nathan Delfouneso worked hard and caused Fulham problems with his running but ought to have taken a very good chance in the first half. Jordan Rhodes missed a bagful of chances despite netting from the penalty spot. Fodé Koita certainly offered more of a threat in the second half with his sheer physical power.

The Rovers are now in the relegation places and a trip to Loftus Road on Wednesday night is another tough fixture for a team which seems to have failings at both ends of the pitch. The pressure, one feels, is mounting on the manager and whilst there have been hard luck stories aplenty this season the fact remains that the Rovers have taken a meagre three points from a possible eighteen. That is relegation form and needs to be addressed sooner rather than later or a change at the top will be inevitable.

[Mike E]

Apart from 'feeling nothing but sympathy', another very solid report thanks for the read Parsonblue!

[oldjamfan1]

Many thanks Parson, another good report which accurately reflects what went on.

I'm going to come out in defence of the officials (particularly the linesman) in respect of 'the goal that wasn't given'. There is absolutely no way he could have seen that the ball had crossed the line, and therefore no way he could have flagged for a goal. Apart from the speed at which the incident took place, his view would have been blocked by the post and the defender and you have to be certain that the ball has crossed the line in order to give the goal. The TV camera angle, which was elevated and thus removed the obstacles, only picked it up when run on ultra slow motion so the naked eye, at normal pace, from ground level, had no chance. Anyone who says otherwise has never run a line in their life. I'd be interested to hear Arbitro's professional view on that.

[Parsonblue]

I wouldn't disagree with you oldjamfan, but the officials got the decision wrong because of the Football League's refusal to invest in goal line technology. Perhaps I worded that badly in the report as the people I hold responsible are those at the League who seem intent in remaining in the dark ages as far as technology is concerned. If ever there was an organisation that was not fit for purpose it is the Football League - as the debacle over FFP has shown.

[oldjamfan1]

I wouldn't disagree with you oldjamfan, but the officials got the decision wrong because of the Football League's refusal to invest in goal line technology. Perhaps I worded that badly in the report as the people I hold responsible are those at the League who seem intent in remaining in the dark ages as far as technology is concerned. If ever there was an organisation that was not fit for purpose it is the Football League - as the debacle over FFP has shown.

No, I wasn't taking issue with your report Parson, it was accurate (I suppose if I was being nit picky I might have said 'the officials COULDN'T see it', rather than 'DIDN'T see it').

I just thought I'd say my piece on the officials, who seem to cop it for everything these days and yes, goal-line technology would have sorted that one out. Unfortunately that incident deflected attention away from another zero points return and gave the SKY lads the chance to join in with the 'poor old Gary' philosophy.

[AllRoverAsia]

Many thanks Parson, another good report which accurately reflects what went on.

I'm going to come out in defence of the officials (particularly the linesman) in respect of 'the goal that wasn't given'. There is absolutely no way he could have seen that the ball had crossed the line, and therefore no way he could have flagged for a goal. Apart from the speed at which the incident took place, his view would have been blocked by the post and the defender and you have to be certain that the ball has crossed the line in order to give the goal. The TV camera angle, which was elevated and thus removed the obstacles, only picked it up when run on ultra slow motion so the naked eye, at normal pace, from ground level, had no chance. Anyone who says otherwise has never run a line in their life. I'd be interested to hear Arbitro's professional view on that.

Agreed although when I saw it happen live on TV my immediate thought was that it has crossed the line into goal before being cleared and my loud scream alone at around 2 am in the morning at a TV screen was along the lines of 'that's no f-ing goal you K-nut'

I did however have the advantages of the high angle that TV had and also of being a Rovers fan.