Fulham 1 Blackburn Rovers 1:THESE TEAMS each picked up a rare point but this was still a stalemate greeted with howls of frustration from both camps. While Fulham would have expected to have triumphed here, their superiority undermined by gumminess in front of goal, Blackburn Rovers still ended up claiming to feel most aggrieved.
Their complaint was born of a clash between Mark Schwarzer and David Hoilett on the edge of the Fulham penalty area in stoppage time. This was a Rovers break downfield at its most simplistic, Scott Dann’s punt headed inadvertently up and back by Stephen Kelly for Hoilett to chase, with the Rovers youngster reaching the bouncing ball first before the inevitable and thunderous crunch of heads.
Kelly had scuttled round the back to clear, but Steve Kean was livid that the referee, Howard Webb, chose to caution rather than dismiss Schwarzer.
A red would at least have allowed Martin Olsson to hit the free-kick at a stand-in goalkeeper, Fulham having already used their three substitutes. The visiting manager’s mood was at least tempered by seeing Hoilett, who had departed in a neck brace and on a stretcher, up and lucid in the dressingroom.
“He’s got three or four stitches in the side of his head, and a bang on his eye, and was out for a few minutes,” said Kean. “It was a nasty challenge.”
It appeared more of an honest attempt by each to reach the ball and, had Rovers pilfered victory in stoppage time, this would have been a win stolen from frantic if rather shapeless Fulham.
Rather, Blackburn should rejoice to have claimed a first point of the campaign. Kean can legitimately point to the flashes of quality offered by Ruben Rochina, his first Premier League goal converted gloriously on 38 minutes after the Spaniard had played his part in dispossessing a ponderous Bryan Ruiz near halfway.
Surrendering that lead within six minutes left them clinging to the contest. Bobby Zamora, who provided Fulham’s only edge here, teasing space from Givet to curl in a fine equaliser.
Guardian Service
