Fulham fought hard but fell to a narrow defeat against Chelsea in the SW6 derby on Saturday evening.
An even game was compromised when Antonee Robinson was shown a straight red for a challenge on Cesar Azpilicueta just before half time, but Scott Parker’s men showed a never-say-die attitude to make it a hotly contested affair until the last, with Mason Mount’s goal being the only difference in the end.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek was ineligible due to facing his parent club, so Parker made one enforced change as Ademola Lookman returned to the starting line-up in his place.
There was a period of silent reflection in memory of Fulham legend Tosh Chamberlain prior to kick off under the Cottage lights, with tributes being made in the form of flowers and messages outside of the ground.
It was Chelsea with the opening chance of the game in the fourth minute. From a deeply set corner, Mount got a shot off on the edge of the box, but Harrison Reed put his body on the line to block and avert the danger.
Moments later and the Blues had another half-chance. Mount was lively again to tee up Olivier Giroud who tried to bend one into the far left from the 18-yard line with the outside of his boot. Alphonse Areola took no chances and tipped behind acrobatically to concede the corner.
In the 17th minute it was Fulham’s turn to threaten. Robinson glided past Azpilicueta and drove a low cross in-field to Lookman who managed to fire an effort on goal. Antonio Rudiger was there to get in the way of the initial effort, and again the German was there to nullify Robinson’s attempt on the rebound.
The game had an eb and flow to it now with both teams getting stuck into proceedings, but it was Frank Lampard’s side who landed the next couple of blows. First, Hakim Ziyech linked up well with Giroud and got a shot off from range which Areola comfortably smothered. Seconds later and Mount pinged a shot off the bar after the ball wasn’t properly cleared, and Areola was at his best again to keep out a header from the resulting corner.
A few minutes before the interval Fulham almost went ahead in breath-taking fashion. Parker’s side transitioned seamlessly from back to front starting with Areola’s pass to Robinson, who then played a neat one-two with Lookman. The winger’s backheel set Robinson free on the left who then swept the ball across field to Kenny Tete who laid off Ivan Cavaleiro, but his shot cannoned off his standing leg to head wide.
The last action of the first half then saw our lively left-back dismissed. As he went in to win the ball from Azpilicueta the Chelsea captain dramatically went flying and referee Peter Banks adjudged dangerous play, showing Robinson a straight red card.
With a man advantage, Chelsea understandably came out of the blocks on the front foot in the second half. Mount was at it again down the right twisting and turning to find space before crossing into Giroud, requiring a crucial hook away from Joachim Andersen to take it off the Frenchman’s toes.
But Fulham weren’t about to sit down and watch, and continued to be a danger on the break minutes later. After Reed won back possession he set Cavaleiro free, instantly keeping the ball moving and giving it to Ola Aina who had now transferred to the left wing-back position. He carried it forward and blasted a shot off from similar range to his West Brom thunderbolt, but this time it soared over.
Giroud had another chance on 63 minutes after Ziyech slotted him through, but shanked wide of the target before the flag was raised as Fulham held a solid defensive line yet again.
Chelsea bolstered their attack further by bringing on Tammy Abraham with 25 minutes left on the clock, and the lofty striker almost made an instant impact with a header from close range, if not for Areola being there yet again to gather.
Parker’s men continued to attack despite the numerical disadvantage and almost got their rewards after a mix up at the back for Chelsea between Azpilicueta and Benjamin Mendy in goal. Cavaleiro almost profited after a dodgy back pass, but Thiago Silva was there to block an open goal.
For all Fulham’s positive play, it was Chelsea who got the breakthrough after 78 minutes through Mount. Chilwell wriggled away down the left and delivered a looping cross which was palmed away by Areola, only as far as Mount who dispatched convincingly on the half-volley.
Three changed were made for Fulham in five minutes as Josh Onomah, Joe Bryan and Aboubakar Kamara entered the fray in search of an equaliser.
And two of those men combined smartly late on, as Onomah laid one off to Kamara. He then decided to try his luck from range but didn’t get enough connection to trouble Mendy.
Fulham go again on Wednesday night as we take on table-topping Manchester United at the Cottage.
Fulham: Areola; Tete, Aina (Bryan 83’), Andersen, Adarabioyo, Robinson; Reed, Anguissa; De Cordova-Reid (Kamara 83’), Cavaleiro (Onomah 78’), Lookman
Chelsea: Mendy; Azpilicueta, Rudiger, Thiago Silva, Chilwell; Kovacic, Jorginho (Abraham 65’), Mount; Ziyech (Hudson-Odoi 75’), Giroud (Werner 75’), Pulisic