Fulham hang on to reach fourth roun

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Fulham 2 Doncaster Rovers 1

Marcus Bettinelli’s 79th-minute penalty save meant first-half goals from Bryan Ruiz and Dan Burn were enough to take Fulham into the fourth round of the Capital One Cup.

Ruiz, recently recalled by Kit Symons, netted in the 16th minute after being teed up by Hugo Rodallega.

And Burn, who was made skipper for the night by the caretaker boss, headed in Ross McCormack’s cross just after the half-hour mark – the defender’s first goal for Fulham.

James Coppinger pulled a goal back for Doncaster and they were given a chance to equalise when Nathan Tyson’s far-post header was handled by Tim Hoogland.

But Bettinelli dived to his left to keep out Theo Robinson’s spot-kick and give the hosts – bottom of the Championship and without a league victory this season – their first win since Symons was placed in charge following the sacking of Felix Magath.

The former Whites centre-back has made it clear he wants the manager’s job on a permanent basis, and his cause can only have been helped by Ruiz’s response to being brought back into the fold and Burn’s to being given the captain’s armband.

But Fulham were sloppy in the second half and League One outfit Rovers came close to forcing extra time.

Symons selected a strong side, making only two changes from Saturday’s home defeat to Blackburn, with Emerson Hyndman and Nikolay Bodurov coming in for Scott Parker and the suspended Shaun Hutchinson.

And Fulham would have gone ahead after only 40 seconds but for keeper Jed Steer, who saved with his legs to deny McCormack after a slip by Luke McCullough had put the striker through on goal.

Rodallega was involved in the build-up to that chance and missed a golden opportunity himself five minutes later, shooting wide of the target from 10 yards out.

But he atoned by heading Fernando Amorebieta’s lofted ball down for Ruiz, who fired into the corner of the net – the Costa Rican’s first Fulham goal for almost exactly a year.

Fulham seemed in a commanding position once Burn nodded in, but they had to absorb sustained pressure after the break and Coppinger scored a fine goal 14 minutes into the second half when he cut in from the left and belted into far corner.

Symons responded by bringing Parker on to shore up the midfield and he did so, but in the end it was Bettinelli – who, crucially, escaped with only a yellow card after handling the ball outside his area in the first half – that ensured Fulham went through.

The victory was almost capped by a fine goal from McCormack, whose late free-kick was tipped over by Steer.

Fulham (4-1-2-1-2) : Bettinelli; Hoogland, Bodurov, Burn, Amorebieta (Kavanagh 70); Hyndman; Christensen, Stafylidis (Parker 72); Ruiz (G Williams 81); McCormack, Rodallega.
Subs not used: Kiraly, Roberts, Woodrow, David.

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