Fulham Reprieved As Push Comes to Shove for Chimbonda

Goalless yet engaging, this game could have finished 5-5. Splendid saves, feeble finishing and extraordinary misfortune kept the score sheet blank but ensured that more than 25,000 fans, many of whom had come to celebrate the unveiling of the Johnny Haynes statue outside the ground beforehand, remained till the final whistle.

Fulham had suffered three consecutive league defeats before this game but Roy Hodgson, who was adamant his side had created enough chances to merit victory in all those matches, again refused to perform major surgery on his line-up, the only change from last time being the return from suspension of Andrew Johnson. Sunderland, by contrast, arrived at Craven Cottage on the back of an impressive draw with Arsenal and made two personnel changes to accommodate a shift to an attacking formation.

The visitors' confidence in their offensive potential looked justified as early as the second minute, when Dean Whitehead put a long ball at the feet of Djibril Cissé, who, despite an acute angle, smashed a 20-yard drive that Mark Schwarzer could only palm behind for a corner. Moments later Kieran Richardson wriggled his way inside from the left flank and drew an even better save from the keeper, who diverted the ball from the bottom corner with the tip of his left glove.

It was not until the ninth minute that Fulham finally managed to infiltrate the visitors' area but they very nearly returned a goal to the good. After a positive burst by Simon Davies the ball broke to Zoltan Gera. Craig Gordon hurtled out to meet him, but the Hungarian neatly sidestepped the keeper and dug out a shot from nine yards. Pascal Chimbonda and Grant Leadbitter combined to clear it off the line.

Danny Murphy and Jimmy Bullard had been outfought by Whitehead and Leadbitter early on, but gradually Fulham's schemers began to gain dominion in midfield, probing relentlessly. In the 18th minute Murphy threaded an astute ball through to Johnson, who skedaddled to the byline before pulling a perfect pass back to Gera, who contrived to swipe at fresh air from three yards out.

With both sides convinced three points were within their reach and the referee reluctant to intervene, the entertainment value was high. On 20 minutes Cissé again came close to opening the scoring. After racing on to a Michael Chopra through ball, the Frenchman fired just past the post. Wayward crossing prevented Sunderland from creating more chances until the 32nd minute, when Malbranque spooned a wonderful delivery to Chopra, who attempted to apply an idealistic finish - but his bicycle kick drooped wide.

Things became decidedly more freakish in the 42nd minute. Richardson clipped a dainty free-kick over a four-man wall and wheeled away in delight as the ball bounced off the inside of the post. The ensuring laughter from the home fans alerted him to the fact that rather than bounce into the net, the ball had ricocheted on to the other post and into the prostrate, and very grateful, keeper's hands.

Richardson was even more distraught in the 52nd minute. This time his 25-yard free-kick flew straight into the net and again he celebrated with gusto - but again he was denied, as the referee awarded a free-kick the other way, ruling Chimbonda had tampered with the Fulham wall.

The attacking continued and Gordon did brilliantly to block a Bullard drive on the hour. The 75th minute brought further evidence that fortune would not favor Sunderland, as Cissé's delicious 20-yard volley crashed back off the bar.

Hangeland almost stole the points for Fulham, but his header from Bullard's corner was well held by Gordon.