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Match Summary Yobo and Pembridge start in place of Weir and Naysmith, who are both suspended following red cards in the derby. Leon Osman is on the bench. Everton's first real attack led to a scramble in which a Carsley strike hit the post, but Rooney was unable to follow up. Fulham were equally lively in the opening exchanges, Rooney then won a free-kick 10 yards outside of the Fulham area that Pembridge belted wide. Rooney was very active for Everton, winning a corner after 15 mins, and it was a superb floating in-swinger from Pembridge. More opportunities for Everton, but another free-kick wasted, this time by Stubbs. But Fulham started to get more into it, and Boa Morte went on a good run, but Yobo was masterful in defence. Then, disaster struck, Everton not dealing with a bobbling ball, as Alan Stubbs managed to score a bizarre own goal while trying to clear under very little pressure, the ball looping over Wright. Everton had an immediate chance to respond, but Campbell again fired straight at Taylor with the goalmouth gapping. But Fulham were competing well, Legwinski's header hitting the Everton bar. Another golden free-kick opportunity was won by Rooney but Pembridge fired over. Everton seem painfully inept at hitting the target with these chances... why not give Rooney a go at them? Fulham then showed them how to do it from a very difficult angle, which beat a simple two-man Everton wall and it sneaks in at the near post. Pathetic by Wright, by all accounts, with some sources giving it as another own goal! David Moyes responded to the fiasco by putting Ferguson on at half-time, with Gemmill sacrificed. A quick attack looked very promising but Rooney strike over was ruled offside. Ferguson then won another of those free-kicks, 10 yards outside. Rooney takes this one, and at least it was on target. Excellent stuff in the first 2 minutes of the second half. Wright then failed to hold a Malbranque drive, and Hammond almost got it in. Wright's confidence looks shaky. Fulham then began to come back into it after Everton's resurgence and Moyes eventually responded with a double substitution, Pistone and Watson on for Hibbert and Gemmill. Campbell then got another great chance created by Rooney but he slipped at the crucial moment. Campbell was again the weak spot after more good work by Rooney, but the kid simply can't do it all... Rooney was moving back into a forward midfield role with Watson playing forward and an aerial bombardment was on the cards as Everton desperately searched for two goals. Ferguson then set up Rooney but he wastefully fired over from a glorious position. Then, a fifth free-kick chance hat Stubbs bashes wastefully into the wall, and Fulham break quickly, the ball finally whizzing past Wright's post. Then a great corner, a Ferguson header down, and Yobo stretched but could not control it. And then a sixth glorious free-kick chance: Unsworth this time so tame, lacking any power to speak of. Do they practice this stuff or what? So, another disappointing performance and the season petering out
with a painful splutter, the bold chance of Champions League gone, the
real chance of a Uefa Cup place hanging in the balance. |
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Match Facts | |||||
Fulham
(4-4-2) White shirts, black shirts, white socks |
Everton (4-4-2;
46': 4-3-3) Blue shirts, white shirts, blue socks |
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