Fulham 1 - 1 Wigan

| England News

Saturday Dec 22 2007 03:00

Clint Dempsey rescued a point for crisis-club Fulham with a late strike to secure a 1-1 draw against Wigan at Craven Cottage after Marcus Bent's volley looked to have won all three points for the visitors.

Fulham sacked manager Lawrie Sanchez on Friday and on this form it is difficult to see either side escaping the relegation dogfight any time soon.

Caretaker boss Ray Lewington made two changes to Lawrie Sanchez's final side, bringing in a pair of his summer signings, Paul Konchesky and Diomansy Kamara, while Wigan boss Steve Bruce suffered a blow before kick-off as Emile Heskey failed to recover from an ankle injury sustained in last week's stunning 5-3 victory over Blackburn.

And it was the hosts who made the better start, Titus Bramble twice being forced to make last-ditch interceptions as Carlos Bocanegra and Kamara went close from Danny Murphy corners.

Dempsey and Simon Davies were then inches away from converting Hameur Bouazza's cross as Fulham piled on the pressure.

But after weathering the storm, Wigan came out of their shells and Ryan Taylor swung over a devilish cross that slid past the far post, before Davies forced visiting keeper Chris Kirkland into a sprawling save from his rasping drive.

Kamara then missed the chance of the half, poking agonisingly wide after beating Kirkland to Davies' free-kick, before Konchesky rattled the bar with a swerving 35-yard effort that would have been good enough to win any game.

The game then drifted as two sides relatively short on confidence relied on route one tactics rather than the passing game, which had provided the few moments of genuine quality.

And Lewington made a double substitution on the hour in a bid to liven the game up, bringing on David Healy to switch to three up front, but it was Wigan who took the lead with 20 minutes to go.

Bent showed he is a striker in form after a hat-trick last week with a predatory finish after Bramble flicked on former Fulham captain Michael Brown's lob.

But it was Dempsey, one of the few successes in Fulham's season, who equalised with 12 minutes left, coolly sliding home his fifth of the season after Kamara's cross-shot fell to him 12 yards out.

With both sides pushing for a winner Antoine Sibierski landed a header on the roof of the net for Wigan, but in truth neither side deserved to take all three points after a disappointing game that proved why both are relegation candidates.

Live Commentary

90
The final whistle goes with the game ending all square after an end-to-end game with both sides having a chance to snatch it at the death.

90
The fourth official indicates there will be four minutes of stoppage time.

87
Scharner floats a freekick into the penalty area and finds Sibierski unmarked at the far post whose diving header misses the target by inches with Niemi rooted to the spot.

85
Salomon Olembe comes on to replace Ryan Taylor.

84
Baird whips in a cross which Kirkland loses in flight, the ball falling to Dempsey whose shot is cleared off the line by Boyce before Kirland can pounce on the rebound.

80
Valencia springs the offside trap from a long ball and gets into the penalty area but it denied by a great save from Niemi who saves low down, close to his body to deny Wigan a second.

77
Dempsey levels things up for Fulham after Kamara hit a cross come shot across the six yard box which fell to Dempsey who slotted it home very cooly to put things level.

76
A cross into the box lets Hughes try and flick it on towards Healy and Kuqi in the penalty area but Kirkland is quick offf his line to slide and claim the ball well.

71
Davies chips the ball into the box from a freekick for Healy to get on the end of, the Northern Ireland international taking the chance first time but can only direct it wide of the target.

71
Hameur Bouazza comes off and is replaced by Shefki Kuqi.

69
Bent gives Wigan the lead after Fulham failed to clear the corner a high ball back in from Brown caught Baird out which allowed Bent to bring the ball down on his chest and slam it into the top corner, leaving Niemi with no chance.

68
Bent swings a cross in for Wigan which Baird is forced to head behind for a corner.

65
Taylor swings in a corner towards the near post where Bramble tries to make contact with a diving header but can only send it well wide of goal.

62
Julius Aghahowa is brought off and on comes Antoine Sibierski.

60
Davies delivers a corner for Fulham and finds Kamara who can only head the ball wide of the target.

58
Steven Davis comes off along with the injured Elliot Omozusi as David Healy and Chris Baird enter the fray.

53
Davies plays a nice ball over the top for Kamara to run onto, the forward striking the ball while under pressure from Bramble and ragging his shot harmlessly wide of goal.

49
Valencia does well out on the left, whipping in a cross towards Aghahowa, but Niemi does well to come off his line and claim it.

47
Bouazza swings in a freekick from 30 yards towards the far post, its far too deep for anyone to attack and it drifts out of play.

45
Murphy sweeps in a good cross for Kamara to attack but the striker can only head it straight up in the air and Bramble can head it clear.

45
Fulham get the second half underway hoping to create some more of the opportunities we saw in the first half.

45
Alan Wiley brings a good first half to the close with Fulham having the better of it with Bocanegra having one cleared off the line and Konchesky hitting the crossbar although Wigan have had chances off their own.

45
The fourth official indicates there will be just one minute of stoppage time.

43
Taylor plays a clever freekick in over the top for Scharner to run onto who chests it down before slamming it over the bar from inside the box.

40
The game has gone very quiet at the Cottage with most of the players and fans already occupied with thoughts of half-time.

36
Taylor swings in a corner which is half cleared by Hughes before Omozusi completes the job, clearing it upfield to Kamara.

29
Landzaat whips in a great freekick from the left, sending it towards the far post where Scharner has sneaked in behind everyone but can't quite get on the end of the cross as it bounces out of play.

27
Konchesky comes forward with the ball and strikes it sweetly towards goal from 30 yards, the shot cannoning off the angle of the goal and going over with Kirkland well beaten, Fulham well on top at the moment.

26
Murphy scuffs his corner which hits Bramble and the big centre back nearly turns it into his own net but manages to put it behind for a corner.

24
Davies swings in a great cross from a freekick on the right which drops at the feet of Kamara who stabs it past the beaten Kirkland but also manages to put it past the post as Fulham waste another good chance.

21
Bouazza slides the ball through for Davis to run onto into the penalty area and shot which he duly does, forcing Kirkland into a good save, pushing the ball away.

21
Taylor swings in a cross from the right which goes behind everyone as it floats above the six yard box and out on he other side thanks to an Omozusi clearance.

20
Boyce squares the ball on the edge of the penalty area for Brown who snatches at the shot and sends it spinning wide of goal, not a good effort.

18
Taylor launches a long throw into the penalty area which Scharner flicks on looking for a Wigan head but Niemi does well to come off his line and claim.

16
Murphy takes the corner which Dempsey manages to get his head on but can't get enough power on it which allows Kirkland to punch it away from goal.

16
Bramble does well to head the a high ball away but can only get it as far as Davies who tries his luck from distance, the shot taking a deflection off a Wigan player and going behind for a corner.

11
A long throw-in from Kilbane catches out Bocanegra as the ball drops to Brown, who from 12 yards manages to fire it over the bar on the volley.

9
Great chance for Fulham with Bouazza firing in a low cross to the near post which Dempsey just can't reach before the ball comes to davies who slides in but the ball goes underneath the midfielders boot as Wigan clear.

7
Murphy puts in a low cross to the centre of the penalty area where Hughes gets a touch and just flicks it past Kirkland's right hand post, good spell of pressure from Fulham.

6
Davies floats in an early corner which Bocanegra gets to and sends his header over Kirkland with Boyce having to head it off the line from under the crossbar.

2
Konchesky loses the ball to Valencia deep in Fulham territory and the Wigan winger smashes in a low cross which is cut out well by Bocanegra who boots it upfield.

0
Wigan XI: Kirkland, Boyce, Scharner, Bramble, Kilbane, Valencia, Brown, Landzaat, Taylor, Aghahowa, Bent

0
Wigan are without Emile Heskey who fails to recover from the ankle injury that saw him stretched off last Saturday. Jason Koumas is out through injury and Sibierski is only fit enough to start on the bench.

0
Fulham XI: Niemi, Omozusi, Bocanegra, Hughes, Konchesky, Bouazza, Davis, Murphy, Davies, Kamara, Dempsey

0
Caretaker boss Ray Lewington takes charge of his first game hoping to improve Fulham?s dismal record of two wins all season but can?t call on former Wigan star Jimmy Bullard just yet despite the midfielder coming through a reserve match this week.

0
Murphy floats in an early free kick looking for Dempsey but Scharner does well to shepherd the ball out of play for a goal kick.

0
Referee Alan Wiley gets the game underway here at Craven Cottage as two of the clubs in the drop zone battle it out hoping to avoid spending Christmas in a relegation spot. Wigan get the game underway

Statistics

Fulham

Shots on target	3
Shots off target	5
Shots off bar/post	1
Fouls	15
Offsides	2
Corners	8

Wigan

Shots on target	4
Shots off target	6
Shots off bar/post	0
Fouls	16
Offsides	7
Corners	4

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