When your team score a last minute equaliser or winner, they can give you the most amazing feeling. Being on the recieving end of them, however, can be the most gutting emotions ever experienced and I & the travelling fans at Craven Cottage today felt like our stomachs had been torn out after Ian Pearce stole a draw for Fulham.
Niko Kranjcar's Pompey future had been called into question yesterday but he done his chances of staying at Fratton Park no harm as he curled in a beautiful strike with his right foot to beat Niemi in the 4th minute. That was the only real bit of quality in the game though as the rest of the first half was scrappy and error-strewn but David James was rarely tested and we deserved to go in at half-time goal up.
Fulham had the better of the second half but still didn't give David James too much to do as their shots kept going wide or ended up being blocked by our stubborn backline. Benjani looked our biggest threat and had caused the Cottagers' backline problems in the first half. He continued to look lively in the second but he really should learn to pull the trigger earlier instead of trying to look for the killer pass in the box.
He wasn't the only one guilty of overplaying the ball though and Fulham managed to take the ball from us far too easily in a game devoid of any real decent football. Fulham got closer and closer to scoring but missed a couple of easy chances, as did Matt Taylor who came on for Kranjcar who struggled to build on his wondergoal.
Pompey fans were glad to see Toddy as he was brought on in the last 10 minutes for the ineffective Kanu and looked dangerous and hungry. Niemi had to save a couple of very good attempts from the Bulgarian and at 2-0 the result would have been without doubt. But 1-0 is never a safe scoreline and we were made to pay a huge price for failing to find the net again.
With the game going into stoppage time Fulham piled forward and Ian Pearce; who would have gone off injured if Chris Coleman hadn't used his three substitutes, blasted the ball towards goal which took a nasty deflection and hit the back of the net to break the hearts of over 5,000 Pompey fans in the away end.
The Fulham fans taunted "You're not singing anymore" so we retorted with "You weren't singing anyway!" as we'd hardly heard a peep from their fans all game. Things could have got worse too as James was rounded by Collins John but his shot was cleared off the line by Linvoy.
Fulham's lucky equaliser was probably justified on balance of the whole game but to be so close to an away win and have it snatched is extremely harsh and whatsmore, that goal has effectively ended any hopes we had of qualifying for the UEFA Cup next season.
Unless we get our routine win against Manchester United next week of course....
Pompey Player Ratings
David James: 7 - Not much to do but saved well when needed. Was so close to breaking a record today...
Lauren: 7 - Good return from injury, much better defensive qualities than Glen Johnson.
Sol Campbell: 7 - Another steady performance.
Linvoy Primus: 7 - Solid and we've got him to thank for not losing the game at the death.
Dejan Stefanovic: 6 - Getting better with the games he's getting.
Gary O'Neil: 7 - Offered drive and our best midfielder on the day.
Richard Hughes: 6 - Solid but subdued performance.
Sean Davis: 5 - Poor against his former club because he kept giving the ball away.
Niko Kranjcar: 7 - Superb goal but struggled later on in the game and was subsequently subbed off.
Benjani: 7 - A constant thorn in Fulham's side but for god sakes man shoot!
Kanu: 5 - Ineffective and looked a bit disinterested.
Subs
Jamie Ashdown
Matthew Taylor: 6 - Didn't change the game in our favour but wasn't given too much time.
Arnold Mvuemba: N/A - No time.
Svetoslav Todorov: 7 - Looked bright when he came on and tested Niemi twice. Did more in 10 minutes than Kanu did all game.
Lomana LuaLua
