Fulham were made to fight back from behind and collected another three points with a win against Arsenal on Saturday morning.
A wonderful Matt Dibley-Dias free-kick and strikes from Kieron Bowie and Mika Biereth secured the victory.
Fulham looked lively in the early stages, with Stefan Parkes feeding Mika Biereth, whose heavy touch gave a defender the opportunity to clear away.
The resulting corner was fizzed across the face of goal, but no one was able to get a touch on the ball.
Arsenal were forced into some last-ditch defending on 14 minutes, with Ollie O’Neill and Kieron Bowie both having venomous strikes blocked.
Both sides were finding themselves in decent positions inside the first 25 minutes but were struggling to create any real opportunities.
It took just over half an hour for the first real chance, which fell to in-form Kieron Bowie. The Scot got up well to connect with O’Neill’s corner, but his header rattled off the top of the crossbar.
Biereth had a shot on goal just before the break, after Michael Olakigbe made an interception in midfield. The forward switched the ball onto his left but couldn’t generate enough power.
The two sides went in goalless at the break, with little from either side in an attacking sense.
O’Neill found himself in a good position down the right soon after the break, but his attempted cross was a little too powerful for Bowie, who couldn’t reach it in time.
Biereth was played through on goal on 50 minutes but was pushed wide. He aimed a low ball across the face of goal, but Luciano D’Auria-Henry and Imani Lanquedoc couldn’t connect with it.
Arsenal’s Ovie Ejeheri made an excellent save in the 53rd minute, diving to his left to keep out a good Olakigbe header. The ball in from D’Auria-Henry was perfect.
The deadlock was broken 60 minutes in, with the visitors going in front. Joel Ideho poked the ball in with his left foot after a delivery was swung in.
Their lead didn’t last long, thanks to a superb free kick from our specialist, Dibley Dias. His effort flew into the bottom right corner.
The young Whites soon took the lead courtesy of Bowie, who smashed the ball in from a brilliant Olakigbe cross.
Two later became three. Biereth directed a powerful low shot into the bottom corner from a tight angle. A very cool and accurate finish from our number nine.
Alex Borto made a strong save on 88 minutes, blocking Khayon Edwards’ near post effort.
Time soon ran out and Fulham celebrated another return to the top of the table.
Team Lineup:
Borto; D’Auria-Henry, Parkes, Williams (Harris 66’), Bowat; O’Neill, Dibley-Dias, Lanquedoc; Bowie, Biereth, Olakigbe
Subs:
McNally, Antonsson, Harris, Okkas, Sanderson
