Fulham 3 PNE 1
Goals from, Sone Aluko, Chris Martin and Neeskens Kebano saw Fulham triumph at Craven Cottage on Gentry Day, despite Tom Barkhuizen getting his first PNE goal on his full debut.
Aluko turned home Ketano’s cross mid-way through the first half before Martin doubled the home side’s advantage from Fredericks’ pass on the hour mark. Barkhuizen got the yellows back in it collecting Aiden McGeady’s superb threaded through ball, but Kebano fired home via a deflection for the Cottagers third.
The visiting Gentry fans saw their side start well and seven minutes in McGeady drove in a shot from 30 yards after Fulham keeper David Button’s poor header as out of his goal, but Tim Ream cleared in the six yard box to prevent an away lead.
The deadlock was broken on 22 minutes as Kebano drove to the left hand byline and pulled the ball back to where former Hull man Aluko rifled into bottom left hand corner from ten yards out.
With five minutes to go in the half centre half Tomas Kalas flicked Kebano’s corner against the left hand post via a superb reflex save from Maxwell from the edge of the six yard box as Slavisa Jokanovic’s men looked for a second, but on the break Barkhuizen fed McGeady, but his cut inside and shot from the left was saved smartly by Button.
The second half started with Kebano having a shot that Chris Maxwell needed to tip onto the bar and over.
But the yellows stepped up the pace and Daryl Horgan fired in an effort from 25 yards out, that was tipped out of the top left hand corner by Button after fast feet from McGeady on the left.
Daniel Johnson then curled a shot just wide of the right hand post after the substitutes of Callum Robinson and Ben Pearson made immediate impact.
However, against the run of play at that point in the game it was 2-0 as Martin fired into bottom left hand corner from Fredericks’ pass.
The two goal cushion only lasted eight minutes as Barkhuizen, making his first start for the Lilywhites, fired hard and low into the bottom left hand corner from a brilliant McGeady through ball, the No.29 drove into box and fired from 15 yards out after being slipped through by the Irishman in the middle of the park.
But it was 3-1 with 12 minutes left as the ball found its way out to Kebano on the left hand edge of the box and he drove inside and fired into the net via a deflection past Maxwell
Fulham line-up: Button, Fredericks, McDonald, Kebano, Cairney (c), Ream, Johansen (Parker, 80), Aluko (Odoi, 88), Martin (Cyriac, 84), Kalas, Sessegnon. Subs not used: Bettinelli, Malone, Parker, Madl, Sigurdsson.
PNE line-up: Maxwell, Cunningham, Spurr, Browne (Pearson, 57), Clarke (c), Huntington, Horgan (Robinonson, 57), Johnson, Barkhuizen, Hugill (May, 80), McGeady. Subs not used: Lindegaard, Makienok, Gallagher, Boyle.
Attendance: 20,205 (2,821 PNE fans)
Referee: Mr S Hooper
Aluko turned home Ketano’s cross mid-way through the first half before Martin doubled the home side’s advantage from Fredericks’ pass on the hour mark. Barkhuizen got the yellows back in it collecting Aiden McGeady’s superb threaded through ball, but Kebano fired home via a deflection for the Cottagers third.
The visiting Gentry fans saw their side start well and seven minutes in McGeady drove in a shot from 30 yards after Fulham keeper David Button’s poor header as out of his goal, but Tim Ream cleared in the six yard box to prevent an away lead.
The deadlock was broken on 22 minutes as Kebano drove to the left hand byline and pulled the ball back to where former Hull man Aluko rifled into bottom left hand corner from ten yards out.
With five minutes to go in the half centre half Tomas Kalas flicked Kebano’s corner against the left hand post via a superb reflex save from Maxwell from the edge of the six yard box as Slavisa Jokanovic’s men looked for a second, but on the break Barkhuizen fed McGeady, but his cut inside and shot from the left was saved smartly by Button.
The second half started with Kebano having a shot that Chris Maxwell needed to tip onto the bar and over.
But the yellows stepped up the pace and Daryl Horgan fired in an effort from 25 yards out, that was tipped out of the top left hand corner by Button after fast feet from McGeady on the left.
Daniel Johnson then curled a shot just wide of the right hand post after the substitutes of Callum Robinson and Ben Pearson made immediate impact.
However, against the run of play at that point in the game it was 2-0 as Martin fired into bottom left hand corner from Fredericks’ pass.
The two goal cushion only lasted eight minutes as Barkhuizen, making his first start for the Lilywhites, fired hard and low into the bottom left hand corner from a brilliant McGeady through ball, the No.29 drove into box and fired from 15 yards out after being slipped through by the Irishman in the middle of the park.
But it was 3-1 with 12 minutes left as the ball found its way out to Kebano on the left hand edge of the box and he drove inside and fired into the net via a deflection past Maxwell
Fulham line-up: Button, Fredericks, McDonald, Kebano, Cairney (c), Ream, Johansen (Parker, 80), Aluko (Odoi, 88), Martin (Cyriac, 84), Kalas, Sessegnon. Subs not used: Bettinelli, Malone, Parker, Madl, Sigurdsson.
PNE line-up: Maxwell, Cunningham, Spurr, Browne (Pearson, 57), Clarke (c), Huntington, Horgan (Robinonson, 57), Johnson, Barkhuizen, Hugill (May, 80), McGeady. Subs not used: Lindegaard, Makienok, Gallagher, Boyle.
Attendance: 20,205 (2,821 PNE fans)
Referee: Mr S Hooper