Fulham hit back against 10-man Blackpool

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Fulham 2 Blackpool 2

Bryan Ruiz scored direct from a corner as Fulham recovered from a disastrous start to earn a point against the Championship’s bottom side.

An error from Nikolay Bodurov allowed Ishmael Miller to net after just 90 seconds and the lively Blackpool forward set up debutant Jacob Murphy to double the lead.

The visitors then had captain Tony McMahon sent off for kicking out at Hugo Rodallega and the Whites pulled a goal back before the break through Scott Parker.

Fulham spent most of the second half camped in Blackpool territory, and forced goalkeeper Joe Lewis into several good saves, but needed a stroke of luck to get the equaliser as Ruiz’s corner went straight in.

The Whites had not conceded a league goal at home in five hours – but it took Blackpool less than a couple of minutes to end that record.

Bodurov misjudged a ball into the box and Miller controlled it before finishing past Marcus Bettinelli.

Ruiz glanced a header just over the bar and Rodallega forced a save from Lewis as Fulham looked to hit back but Blackpool were lively on the break and Murphy, on loan from Norwich, made it 2-0 after Miller had stormed past Dan Burn.

The momentum of the match swung five minutes before the break when, in the midst of a drop ball, McMahon aimed a kick at Rodallega and was sent on his way.

Fulham took advantage on the stroke of half-time as Blackpool failed to clear a corner and Rodallega teed up Parker to turn home.

Lewis was kept busy in the second half as Fulham camped in Blackpool’s half and forced a succession of corners.

The goalkeeper turned away efforts from Elsad Zverotic and George Williams and produced a miraculous save to keep out Bodurov’s firmly struck volley.

However, he was finally beaten with 17 minutes to play when, under pressure from Burn, he failed to keep out Ruiz’s corner.

Zverotic saw a shot saved but, despite their late pressure, Fulham were unable to find a winner.

Fulham (4-1-2-1-2): Bettinelli; Zverotic, Bodurov, Burn, Amorebieta (Stafylidis 42); Parker; Christensen, G. Williams (Roberts 68); Ruiz; Dembele (Woodrow 75), Rodallega.
Subs not used: Kiraly, Hutchinson, Hyndman, Smith.

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