London, Jan 5: Craven Cottage witnessed a pulsating encounter on Saturday as Fulham and Town battled to a 2-2 draw in an action-packed contest that featured three penalties and several dramatic moments.
Key Changes
Town manager Kieran McKenna made two changes to his starting lineup for the clash, with Ben Johnson and Sam Szmodics coming in, while Wes Burns dropped to the bench. Omari Hutchinson missed out due to a groin injury.
Christian Walton retained his position between the posts, supported by a backline consisting of Dara O’Shea, Luke Woolfenden, Jacob Greaves, and Leif Davis. Captain Sam Morsy partnered Jens Cajuste in midfield, while Szmodics, Nathan Broadhead, and Liam Delap formed the attacking trio.
Fulham, led by Raul Jimenez in attack, looked to exploit their home advantage and showcased a mix of experienced and dynamic players, including Harry Wilson and Sasa Lukic.
First Half: Town Strike First
The game began evenly, with both sides probing but unable to create clear-cut chances. Town had the first significant opportunity when Liam Delap earned a free-kick 10 yards out. Sam Morsy’s delivery into the box caused some trouble, but Fulham managed to clear the danger.
Fulham responded with a free-kick of their own in the 20th minute. Raul Jimenez’s header forced a fine save from Walton, who looked sharp in the Town goal. Moments later, Leif Davis was shown a yellow card for bringing down Wilson as the Fulham winger attempted a surging run toward the penalty area. Sasa Lukic delivered the resulting free-kick, but it ended comfortably in Walton’s hands after a glancing header from Joachim Andersen.Town capitalized on their next big chance, showing clinical precision. A well-delivered cross into the Fulham box found Ben Johnson, whose header struck the crossbar. Szmodics was on hand to smash the rebound into the net, giving Town a deserved lead in the 38th minute.
The Blues maintained their 1-0 advantage going into halftime, having absorbed Fulham’s aerial bombardment while looking dangerous on the counter.
Second Half: Unfolds with Three Penalties
Town began the second half brightly, with Szmodics narrowly missing a chance to double the lead after misconnecting with a low cross into the penalty area. Leif Davis continued to cause problems for Fulham down the left flank, creating openings with his pace and precision.
Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno produced a stunning save to deny Nathan Broadhead, clawing away a vicious shot that seemed destined for the top corner. However, the game’s tempo shifted dramatically when VAR intervened in the 65th minute.
Sam Morsy was adjudged to have fouled Wilson inside the box after a lengthy VAR check. The referee pointed to the spot, and Raul Jimenez calmly converted the penalty to level the scores at 1-1.
Town quickly regained their lead, courtesy of a penalty of their own. Timothy Castagne brought down Delap in the box, and the young striker confidently stepped up to fire past Leno, restoring Town’s advantage at 2-1 in the 72nd minute. (Agencies)
