Ugh. As I thought things were getting better, we were knocked out of the FA Cup by Premier League side, Fulham. They came into this game with three consecutive wins, one draw and one loss. And, they are 7th in the league sharing the same points with Liverpool. So, It was going to be a tough one for The Tigers. We headed into the game with back to back victories, and three draws. We also battered Wigan in our last game, 1-4, as well. So, we were quite tricky to beat too.
Our attendance today was over 14,100, and I thought that was quite poor to be honest: the owner has just announced that there will be free away travel for the rest of the season too. So, the best we can do is show our gratitude and turn up for the home games. I am sure the attendance will not be like that for the league games, though.
The starting line-up for us consisted of: Matt Ingram (in goal); Lewie Coyle; Tobias Figueiredo; Sean McLoughlin; Callum Elder (as the back four); Greg Docherty; Ryan Woods; Xavier Simons; Harvey Vale (in the middle); Ozan Tufan and Tyler Smith (up front). Many changes from our last game against Wigan: Xavier Simons and Harvey vale started for the first time this season. It is also great to see Coyle, Figueiredo, Elder and Tufan included in the starting eleven.
In the first period, we were playing as well as we did on Monday against Wigan; creating chances and fighting for the ball. Fulham could not really settle into the game, and we should have gone in front on numerous occasions. A great chance came when Vale had the ball like it was on string, ran into the box and put the ball just past the post. This was about five minutes into the game so I had great hope for the rest of the game. Fulham had a few threatening attacks, however, our defence handled it well. It seems that our defence has strengthened a lot since Rosenior took over, as we have been conceding fewer than we did earlier in the season. This was a brilliant sign.
For the rest of the half we were just keeping the ball and not doing much with it. Our main chance came when the ball was whipped into the box, and all it needed was the slightest of touches from Tyler Smith to have made the net ripple. Fulham came at us from the 30th minute, and it did not take them long to get on the score sheet. Harry Wilson’s shot was saved by Ingram; however, it landed into the feet of Kurzawa, who was apparently ‘onside’, to stick it into an open net. Where do they get these linesmen from?
That was the last main action of the half, and we were trailing at the break.
What are the problems so far? Well, we make so many crosses into the box, however, nobody is there to stick it into the back of the net. Sometimes, it just needs the slightest of touches. Earlier in the season, we were struggling to get the ball into the box. But, now we are doing it regularly, and we are failing to finish. Other than that, defence is tight and we are keeping Fulham where we want them.
In the second period, we lacked energy and momentum. And, Fulham looked a much better side. In the first half, we looked like we wanted to win the game; however, in this period we did not look bothered. When we drove up the pitch, we ended up turning around or just giving the ball away. Why were we going back to playing like this? I do not know. I could see Rosenior screaming on the touchline for them to go forward. Yet, it seemed they were not listening to him.
A couple of chances came our way in the 48th and 54th minute, where it was another scenario of the ball being crossed into no man's land. Fulham were also starting to dominate, and our defence was becoming weak too. The game started to get quite boring to watch, and that is when Rosenior made some attacking changes; Ozan Tufan for Regan Slater and Harvery Vale for new signing, Aaron Connolly. I had high expectations for this new forward; however, I did not see much from him. Whenever he had the ball he was closed down and pressured. It might be the case, where he will develop the more he gets played – it was the same with Cyrus Christie. Even after those substitutions, we failed to create anything. Fulham decided to go defensive, and this made it much harder for us to get anywhere near the box. The closest we could get was from set pieces. Rosenior must not have been happy at the way we were playing, therefore, he made a few more changes: Xavier Simons for Oscar Estupinan; Tyler Smith for Benjamin Tetteh and Greg Docherty for Callum Jones. I am so glad to see Tetteh back on the pitch, and he made a huge impact; he was always winning the ball back and getting everybody forward.
No more chances were created by us, and we gifted Fulham the goal to put the icing on the cake. We had a corner in the last minute, and as always our goalkeeper came upfield to increase the chances of equalising. But the ball was cleared, Lewie Coyle and Daniel James both went for the ball; however, it was James who won the battle and he had a free open goal to run up to. He had to take the piss by running right to the goal line, and tap it in. It felt like the Reading game all over again, with the last minute goal.
Well just as we look like we are getting somewhere, our FA Cup journey has come to an end in our first outing in the third round. I could see this coming, as we had a tough opponent; however, after watching that we could have come out of the game with something. All we needed was the confidence and after playing so well in the first half they should have thought ‘we can win this’ and go on and win it.
Nonetheless we can now focus on the Championship, and put all of our attention on that to, hopefully, find a way to get promoted.