Fulham 5-3 Leicester City
After browsing in Hammersmith's Oxfam recently, I purchased the book Football's Strangest Matches by Andrew Ward (Pavilion 2016). Though there are many similar tomes, this is still a good read. So far, I have spotted few Fulham references – apart from two players familiar from my earliest days as a fan, Joe Bacuzzi and John Summers.
Full back Joe guested for Arsenal when they entertained Moscow Dynamo in a prestigious 1945 friendly. Unfortunately, a thick fog descended and the officials struggled to cope. Substitutes were permitted and the Russians allegedly had 12 players on the pitch at one stage. Recalling those 'peasoupers', I can believe that a team could easily have fielded several extra players without being detected.
The League did not permit substitutes. So John Summers, a promising reserve forward, enjoyed few first team chances at Fulham and he moved to Charlton, participating there in a match featured in the book. The Athletic were drawing 4-4 with Middlesbrough at halftime, but after the interval goals from Burbeck and Brian Clough (completing his hat trick) seemed to have given the visitors the points. In the 69th minute, Charlton's Edwards reduced the deficit and in the dying moments John Summers's centre somehow penetrated a crowded penalty area to level the score at six each.
Oddly the author ignores an even more extraordinary Charlton performance on 21 December 1957. Hosting Huddersfield they found themselves 5-1 down and a man short through injury. In the closing half an hour, Johnny Summers scored four goals and made two more for the home side, who eventually won 7-6.
That happened nearly 65 years ago – impossible today with so much emphasis on defence. But last Monday's match at Craven Cottage came mighty close.
Monday night madness
It was an unusual match even before the kick off. Royalists would have approved of the crowd's full throated national anthem but an odd hiatus ensued. As the players waited to start the match the referee Robert Jones lurked on the sidelines presumably struggling with the demands of his technology.
Poor fellow. He had to endure chorus of 'You're not fit to referee' and 'You don't know what you're doing' before he had made a single decision.
Marco Silva had warned his team not to treat this as an easy fixture and they responded with their liveliest display since the Sixth Round of the FA Cup. Willian started the fun with a 10th minute freekick which – like Summers's 1960 effort – somehow eluded everyone and found its way into the net.
Soon afterwards Harry Wilson enabled the unmarked Carlos Vinicius to increase his late season tally with elegance. Next, it was Vinicius's turn to set up Tom Cairney for a right-footed strike after some excellent interplay between Joao Palhinha and Harrison Reed.
After the interval
Fulham got their fourth goal after the interval, With Kenny Tete the provider Cairney reverted to his left foot. Leicester had wasted chances or else had been frustrated by Bernd Leno. On the hour, James Maddison created a goal for Harvey Barnes and shortly afterwards Leno was penalised for upending Jamie Vardy. It scarcely mattered whether the award was justified because the keeper saved Vardy's kick.
The Whites would have enjoyed an even better season if they had been more positive near their opponents' goal. This was not a problem on Monday. When the crowd wanted Willian to shoot from afar he was pleased to oblige, putting his team 5-1 to the good. Mr Jones's use of the advantage rule showed that he really did know what he was doing.
Palhinha's foul on Maddison brought another penalty, which Leno could not save this time, and a muddle between the goalie and substitute Shane Duffy brought the score to 5-3. Supporters have a soft spot for Duffy and he tried to make amends at the other end but the goal rush had ended at last.
At the end of May, Fulham will have the opportunity to show Manchester United what can be achieved against them by 11 players. It should be a good finale, but I doubt if it will be as entertaining as that very strange match last Monday.
The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and unless specifically stated are not necessarily those of Hammersmith & Fulham Council.
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