Stoke 3-2 Fulham
Ricardo Fuller starred for Stoke after replacing the injured Tuncay
Tuesday, 05, Jan 2010 09:17
By Matt Hallam.
Stoke held on to end a run of six games without a win with victory over Fulham at the Britannia Stadium.
Roy Hodgson's side arrived as favourites having lost only once - to Chelsea - in their last five games. However, they were blown away by Stoke's energetic performance in the first half and went in at half-time 3-0 down.
Tuncay headed Tony Pulis's side into the lead early on before goals in quick succession from Abdoulaye Faye and Mamady Sidibe gave Stoke a comfortable lead.
They failed to play with the same intensity in the second half though and goals from Damien Duff and Clint Dempsey made for a nervous finish with five minutes of stoppage time added.
Stoke defended resolutely to secure the three points though and move up to 10th in the Premier League, three points behind Fulham.
Matthew Etherington had the ball in the net within two minutes of the kick-off after good link up play from Tuncay and Sidibe, however the Welsh winger had strayed offside.
Danny Murphy then sent a low free kick a yard wide of the post after Faye had hauled Bobby Zamora down 30 yards from goal.
It was Stoke who took the lead a minute later though when Robert Huth flicked Etherington's corner to the back post where Tuncay was waiting to nod the ball past Mark Schwarzer.
Fulham almost replied immediately with Zoltan Gera heading Duff's corner wide after Faye had blocked Zamora's effort.
Stoke were making it difficult for Fulham to play their passing game though with Tuncay working tirelessly to put pressure on Murphy in midfield.
And Stoke's persistence paid off when they forced a free kick which Etherington delivered from the right for Faye to tap in at the back post.
Fulham's defence then went into disarray as they allowed Sidibe to score his side's third - a bouncing half-volley from Danny Higginbotham's knockdown.
The only downside of the first-half for Pulis was the injury sustained by the impressive Tuncay, who was replaced Ricardo Fuller just before half-time.
Stoke were still able to threaten the Fulham goal before the end of the half though with Sidibe having his header from another Etherington corner cleared off the line before Brede Hangeland made a vital block to deny Fuller.
Hangeland was forced off for Fulham at the interval with a recurrence of a knee injury and things got worse for Hodgson after the restart when Zamora landed awkwardly under a challenge from Faye and had to be replaced by Dempsey.
Despite this Murphy and Duff began to see more of the ball in midfield and looked use the pace of Andy Johnson upfront. Ryan Shawcross positioned himself excellently on a number of occasions to cut out through balls to the striker but could do nothing to prevent Fulham pulling a goal back when Duff's fierce shot deflected off him and past goalkeeper Steve Simonsen.
Stoke continued to lack the intensity of the first-half and were lucky not to concede a second when Dempsey controlled Paul Konchesky's long ball in the box, however the American striker fired his shot over the bar.
Fuller almost re-establish his sides three goal advantage soon after though with a superb solo effort that was only equalled by Schwarzer's reaction save at his near post.
Dempsey pulled a second back for Fulham with five minutes to go with a spectacular dipping volley from 30 yards.
Stoke held on to secure victory though and deny Fulham a share of the points after a spirited second-half comeback.