Fulham 1 Bolton 1

Bolton had never won a Premier League game at Craven Cottage but they went as probably as close as they have ever done this afternoon.

For some strange reason Fulham looked a little lacklustre in the first half and almost paid the ultimate price as Bolton went into the break leading, thankfully, a better second half display saw Fulham get back on level terms.

For the fixture Roy Hodgson had to do without the injured Bobby Zamora and any rumours that Danny Murphy and Andrew Johnson would return were unfounded.

As we predicted might happen, Clint Dempsey was again asked to operate as a striker, this time playing off the shoulder of Erik Nevland.

After a quiet start it was Fulham who, despite their lethargy, had the first chance when Nevland, who battled hard all afternoon, believed he had scored but somehow Steinsson managed to clear the ball off the line.

After that Bolton controlled matters as Fulham struggled but when the visitors were to take the lead the goal came when there looked to be no apparent danger.

Brede Hangleand looked to have any danger covered by sticking close to Klasnic but the striker somehow turned, lifted the ball over his shoulder and drove a low shot underneath Mark Schwarzer.

Fulham came out for the second half and looked to be a different team; obviously Roy Hodgson had words with his players at half time. The side were moving the ball around quicker and Damien Duff delivered a couple of telling balls into the box early on in the half.

But Bolton were resolute, Steinsson cleared another shot off the line, Cahill blocked with bravery and Jaaskelainen produced some smart saves especially one that saw him keep out a shot from just outside the area by Nevland.

With fifteen minutes left though Fulham got the equaliser their second half play had deserved. A move involving Zoltan Gera and Nevland saw the ball fed to Duff and with Samuel prepared to give him a bit of space Duff drilled a shot into the net.

The goal should have provided the impetus for a Fulham win but it wasn`t to be, a Dempsey header flew over the bar late on and through nervous eyes I just made out the figure of a Bolton striker heading narrowly over in the dying seconds.

The honours were shared but here at Vital Fulham we reckon it should go down in the record books as two points lost!

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