• Date: Sat 13 September 2008
  • Venue: Craven Cottage
  • Ref: Tanner, S
  • Attendance: 23,656
Fulham

Fulham

Gera (15)

Zamora (41)

2 - 1
Bolton Wanderers

Bolton Wanderers

Davies, K (82)

Fulham vs Bolton Wanderers

Team Lineups

Fulham

Mark Schwarzer
Brede Hangeland
Paul Konchesky
John Paintsil
Aaron Hughes
Danny Murphy
Simon Davies
Jimmy Bullard
Zoltan Gera
Bobby Zamora (Erik Nevland, 84)
Andrew Johnson, A (Ki-Hyeon Seol, 75)

Bolton Wanderers

Jussi Jaaskelainen
Jlloyd Samuel
Danny Shittu
Andy O'Brien
Gretar Steinsson (Heidar Helguson, 64)
Joey O'Brien
Ricardo Gardner
Gavin McCann (Riga Mustapha, 51)
Fabrice Muamba
Kevin Nolan
Kevin Davies, K


Live Text Commentary
Full time
 

Full-Time: FULHAM 2-1 BOLTON. Fulham fully deserve the three points after controlling the game for the majority of the 90 minutes, with Bolton only mustering up some urgency in the final moments of the game.

90

Simon Davies gets behind the Bolton defence and is one-on-one with Jaaskelainen but the keeper gets down to save the midfielder's low shot.

89
Yellow Card
 

Ki-Hyeon Seol is cautioned after a rash challenge on Joey O'Brien

87

Riga gets a snapshot at goal from the edge of the box but it is deflected behind by a Fulham defender.

86

Bolton have their tails up now and for probably the first time in the match Fulham are on the back foot, but is it too little too late for the visitors?

84
Substitution
 

Bobby Zamora makes way for Erik Nevland

82
Goal
 

FULHAM 2-1 BOLTON: Kevin Davies gets on the end of a long ball from Jaaskelainen and nods it towards goal and HELGUSON helps it into the net.

79

The home side seem to have taken their foot off the gas a little as we approach the final ten minutes in the game but there has not been anything of a Bolton comeback so far.

77

Bullard has run the game in the centre of the park today, pulling all the strings with exceptional passing. He is showing everyone why Fabio Capello gave him the England call-up.

75
Substitution
 

Andy Johnson receives rapturous applause as he leaves the field after a very impressive debut. Ki-Hyeon Seol takes his place.

73

Zamora finds some space on the left side of the box and gets a shot away but it is deflected behind for a corner. Bullard's corner is this time cleared at the far post by Muamba.

71

Paintsil takes the ball down the right flank and puts a dangerous looking cross into the box. Gera is first to the ball and his header cannons back off the crossbar.

68

Riga swings a corner into the mixer and Kevin Davies gets above everyone else to nod the ball goal-wards, but it is straight down the throat of a grateful Schwarzer.

66

Kevin Davies is picked out with a looping cross but his header at the far post is plucked out of the air by Schwarzer.

65

Johnson picks up the ball on the edge of the box and looks to find the far corner of the goal but his shot is wide of Jaaskelainen's goal

63
Substitution
 

Gary Megson makes his second change and this time is an attacking one with Heidar Helguson replacing Gretar Steinsson

61

Gera reaches the byline and sends the ball across the face of goal looking for a team-mate, but it is just ahead of his fellow white shirts and the ball runs behind for a goal-kick.

60

Bullard puts another fine delivery into the box and picks out Gera at the far post but he directs his header wide of the target.

58

Fulham seem to have all the time in the world when they are in possession, and they are giving Bolton the run around at the moment with several lengthy spells of possession.

56

Fulham have regained the momentum that they had in the first half and Bolton are being completely outplayed and outclassed again.

55

Simon Davies unleashes a shot from 25-yards out and almost finds the top corner of the goal, but for a fine save from Jaaskelainen.

55

Bullard is allowed back onto the pitch and he chases down a long ball to the byline. The England international gets a cross away and it deflects awkwardly for the Bolton defence, but they eventually clear their lines.

54

Bullard receives treatment after the hefty tackle and he and Nolan exchange verbals as he leaves the field of play

53
Yellow Card
 

Kevin Nolan picks up the first yellow card of the game after a late challenge on Bullard

51
Substitution
 

Gary Megson decides to change things around in the early stages of this second half, with Gavin McCann making way for Riga Mustapha

49

Gardner gets a shot away from the edge of the box and it is blocked by John Paintsil, but it is a step in the right direction for the visitors.

47

Bolton's passing has not been on par with Fulham's today, it has been sloppy and have given the ball away cheaply on numerous occasions. Not much seems to have changed in the opening stages of this half.

Second half
 

The sides return to the field after their half-time team-talks and the second half is underway.

Half time
 

Half-time: FULHAM 2-0 BOLTON. Fulham fully deserve the two-goal lead and leave the field for the interval to a standing ovation. Bolton have not been in the game and it could be said that they are lucky the scoreline is not any bigger.

44

Johnson is bundled over in the Bolton penalty area and looks to Steve Tanner for a penalty, but the referee waves play on.

42

Bolton have been second best to everything today and it shows in the scoreline. Gary Megson will have his work cut out in the dressing room at half-time.

41
Goal
 

FULHAM 2-0 BOLTON: BOBBY ZAMORA shows a bit of class as he pulls away from two Bolton defenders before sliding the ball past an outstretched Jaaskelainen and into the far corner.

39

The ball drops to Simon Davies inside the Bolton box and he gets a shot on goal but fails to trouble Jaaskelainen.

38

The movement from the likes of Simon Davies and Andrew Johnson has been quality today and Fulham are all over their opponents at the moment.

36

Johnson breaks the offside trap and reaches the byline before picking out Zamora with a cross, but his thundering header is superbly saved by Jaaskelainen. Brilliant goalkeeping from Bolton's number one.

34

Bolton are at sixes and sevens at the back and Fulham have Zamora and Gera against one Bolton defender, but they fail to make the most of the opportunity Zamora's weak shot on goal is collected with ease by Jaaskelainen.

32

Bolton are having real difficulties at the back and at times, the marking is non-existent. Gary Megson will be furious with his side and another Fulham goal seems likely.

31

Fulham are queuing up to shoot on the edge of the Bolton penalty area and eventually it's Gera who gets one away, but Joey O'Brien gets himself in the way of the ball.

28

The instigated change looks to have been put on hold as Gardner takes the field again.

26

There is some movement on the Bolton bench with Ricardo Gardner the focus of attention after going down awkwardly, but he looks fit to continue for time being.

23

The corner is taken by Ricardo Gardner but it is too close to Schwarzer who punches the ball clear

23

Davies comes alive again and strikes a shot from outside the box, forcing a fine save out of Schwarzer.

21

Kevin Davies receives the ball in a good position and he attempts to lob Mark Schwarzer, but finds the roof of the net. Better football though from the visitors.

18

There doesn't seem to be much sign of a Bolton comeback at the moment with Fulham seeing a lot of the ball, but there is still plenty of time left in this game

16

Craven Cottage has come alive with that goal and the London side are now on course for their second win of the season.

14
Goal
 

FULHAM 1 - 0 BOLTON: Zamora puts a cross into the box and Bolton fail to deal with it, clearing it only as far as ZOLTAN GERA who sends a fizzing half-volley into the bottom corner.

12

The home fans are still fuming at the referee's decision to rule out the goal, but replays have shown that it was the correct decision.

10

Boby Zamora stretches and challenges Jussi Jaaskelainen for the ball and manages to sneak it into the back of the net, but the goal will not stand as the referee blows for a foul on the keeper.

7

Gera picks out Andrew Johnson in the box but the striker's header loops over the crossbar.

5

Fulham have another corner and Bullard looks to create another opportunity but this time his cross is headed clear by Joey O'Brien.

3

It has been a bright start from the home side who are looking to continue their good run of form.

1

Fulham win an early corner. Its taken by Jimmy Bullard who finds Zoltan Gera inside the box but the midfielder strikes his volley over the bar.

1
Kickoff
 

Referee Steve Tanner gets the game underway.

Awaiting Kickoff
 

BOLTON: Jaaskelainen, Steinsson, Shittu, Andrew O'Brien, Samuel, Gardner, Muamba, Nolan, McCann, Joey O'Brien, Davies. SUBS: Al Habsi, Hunt, Riga, Helguson, Vaz Te, Cohen, Fojut.

Awaiting Kickoff
 

FULHAM: Schwarzer, Pantsil, Hangeland, Hughes, Konchesky, Davies, Murphy, Bullard, Gera, Zamora, Johnson. SUBS: Zuberbuhler, Teymourian, Ki-Hyeon, Nevland, Stoor, Dempsey, Kallio

Awaiting Kickoff
 

Bolton boss Gary Megson names an unchanged side to the one that drew 0-0 against West Brom a fortnight ago, with Ricardo Gardner returning home from international duty to make the starting line-up.

Awaiting Kickoff
 

Roy Hodgson hands a debut to record signing Andrew Johnson for today's game after recovering from injury. Bobby Zamora passes a late fitness test and will partner the ex-Everton striker up-front, but Leon Andreasen is ruled out with a groin strain.