Bettinelli’s mistake proves costly for Fulham

Fulham 1 West Brom 1

---

Fulham were denied what should have been an important three points at Craven Cottage despite a mainly very confident and impressive performance.

Anthony Knockaert opened the scoring for the hosts in the 49th minute, which looked sufficient, but were undone by the concession of a poor equaliser when Semi Ajayi was on hand to head home for Albion from close range.

The Whites made just one change from the side which drew 1-1 at Cardiff City prior to the international break, with Bobby Reid coming in for the suspended Harry Arter.

Albion, who were sitting two places above Fulham in fourth, found the Scott Parker’s men in brisk mood early on, with Tom Cairney heavily involved in the pressing and creativity.

In the eighth minute, the Cottagers’ captain slipped the ball into the path of in-form Ivan Cavaleiro who side footed against the base of the post. Shortly afterwards, Cairney then stepped up, crashing a left foot effort off the bar after a lovely defence splitting pass by Harrison Reed.

Fulham – with Cairney and Cavaleiro in particular – were full of fire during the bulk of the first half and Albion were extremely fortunate to escape on a number of occasions. Firstly, Baggies’ keeper Sam Johnstone, in a panic, parried a Knockaert shot from the edge of the penalty area before tipping a Reid header over from close range just seconds later.

Knockaert really should have done better in 39 minutes however when presented with an open opportunity from twelve yards, only for the winger to miscue his effort wide of the target.

Fortunately for Fulham it took them only a few minutes into the second half before the deserved breakthrough.

Knockaert, driving into the Albion half, calmly interchanged passes with Cavaleiro and what might have appeared as a teasing left foot cross ended up looping over Johnstone and into the net. It was, though, exactly what the Whites merited.

Busy Johnstone then thwarted a fine Reid shot from 20 yards as the west Londoners set about finishing matters off. Chances were rare, conversely, for Slaven Bilic’s visitors, apart from Darnell Furlong hitting the side net on an overlapping run.

Nevertheless, Albion persevered – and they got their reward in the 79th minute. Whites keeper Bettinelli could only manage to rather ineffectively palm the ball away from a corner into the path of Ajayi, who had the easiest of tasks to nod home from two yards. It proved to be an afternoon of harsh lessons for Fulham.