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Fulham came from behind to claim a 2-1 victory over Bolton Wanderers at Craven Cottage. Two goals in four minutes from David Healy and Alexei Smertin overturned the scoreline after Heidar Helguson had put Wanderers infront on his full debut. Bolton have the first chance of the game, Kevin Nolan tried a bicycle kick after just 7 minutes, but his effort was straight at Fulham goalkeeper Tony Warner. Then, just 11 minutes into the game, Helguson scored on his first return to Craven Cottage since joining the Trotters in the summer. A Nicky Hunt long throw missed everybody and bounced straight into the goalkeeper's hands. Just as Warner was going to release the ball, it slipped out of his hands and Helguson tapped home into the empty net. Warner made up for his error moments later when he tipped a Nicolas Anelka effort away for a corner. But Fulham started to take control of the game, and were level soon after. A Fulham long throw was cleared by Helguson, but the ball was headed back into the area by Zat Knight and found David Healy who poked the ball past Jussi Jaaskelainen before he could react. Then, just four minutes later, the hosts were infront. Alexei Smertin picked the ball up 30-yards from goal, and his shot took a big deflection of Gerald Cid and found it's way past Jaaskelainen. Bolton tried to get back into the game but were kept quiet and opportunities were limited to corners and set-plays. Just a minute after the break, Brian McBride should have made it 3-1 to the hosts. A Zat Knight free-kick evaded everybody but McBride who's stretch connected with the ball, but he could only guide the ball into the waiting hands of Jaaskelainen. Tony Warner made up for his early mistake by preventing Bolton an equaliser on the hour. Anelka brought down a ball from Cid and attempted to curl the ball into the top corner, but Warner somehow managed to get his fingertips on the ball at full stretch. Bolton were forcing to get back into the game and it looked like just a matter of time before the goal came. El-Hadji Diouf almost brought the visitors back onto level terms, he moved onto a Helguson flick-on and shot across goal, narrowly missing the far post. Gavin McCann could and probably should have scored his first goal for Bolton when he found himself unmarked on the end of a Diouf free-kick, but his header was wide of goal. Daniel Braaten later made his debut, coming on for Helguson, before Mikel Alonso came on for McCann. Despite throwing everything at Fulham, Bolton couldn't find the goal they required and suffered a second straight defeat. Bolton now lie 19th in the Premier League and travel to Portsmouth on Saturday. |
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