Crawley Town 0 vs Fulham 2 FT

[ChesterTheTabby]

FT 2-0 to Fulham.

chock up another one for the Super Whites.

[Blanco]

1700 - is that right???

According to Fulham's twitter feed yeah.

[Milo]

Underwhelming on paper then... If we are to run away as winners of the league you would expect 3 or 4 nil. I know it's early days and there is chopping and changing but ...?

Of course I am not there so hoping someone could fill us in on who did what etc

[Gloss White]

Blimey a sign great sign for this season!

[bucksfulham]

Underwhelming on paper then... If we are to run away as winners of the league you would expect 3 or 4 nil. I know it's early days and there is chopping and changing but ...?

Of course I am not there so hoping someone could fill us in on who did what etc

By no means a starting line up we would expect so I feel it was a sound result.

[Lighthouse]

Underwhelming on paper then... If we are to run away as winners of the league you would expect 3 or 4 nil. I know it's early days and there is chopping and changing but ...?

Of course I am not there so hoping someone could fill us in on who did what etc

By no means a starting line up we would expect so I feel it was a sound result.

Yes I don't see many of these players lining up for the starting 11. Very much a mix and match. As I have said before we now look to have a very good squad but are a few players short of a first team.

[Blanco]

Match Report

Two first half goals in quick succession from Kostas Stafylidis and Hugo Rodallega earned Fulham a 2-0 win at Crawley Town on Saturday.

The Reds started well enough but were undone shortly after the half hour mark when left-back Stafylidis rifled in a brilliant strike from a tight angle.

The 20-year-old then went from scorer to provider a few minutes later, squaring for Hugo Rodallega who coolly finished from close range.

Both sides had chances to add to the scoreline but no more goals were forthcoming, although Moussa Dembélé went close for the Whites when his powerful effort struck the crossbar.

Fulham controlled possession in the opening stages but the home side were keeping their shape well and the first attempt on goal was a speculative one from Rodallega four minutes in, but his effort from 25 yards sailed wide.

Crawley won a free-kick in a wide position three minutes later following a meaty Tim Hoogland challenge on Gwion Edwards, and Jesse Joronen had to be on hand to palm away Jimmy Smith's subsequent set-piece.

The best chance of the game so far fell the way of the energetic Rodallega on 17 minutes. Having collected a square ball from Lasse Vigen Christensen in the box, the striker dummied to shoot to beat his man and move the ball onto his left foot, but the shot that followed lacked control and whistled beyond the angle of crossbar and post.

Shortly after, the Colombian went even closer. Ryan Williams caught Joe Walsh in possession and fed Cauley Woodrow, who spotted Rodallega in space to his left but, after steadying himself, the frontman saw his powerful low effort pushed behind by Brian Jensen.

In what was an entertaining game, Crawley were next to try their luck and perhaps should have broken the deadlock when Izale McLeod escaped his marker but nodded wide from eight yards.

After a water break on 25 minutes owing to the humid conditions, Fulham upped the tempo and Jensen was soon forced to make another good stop, this time getting down to repel Christensen's bending effort.

The breakthrough that the Whites had been threatening arrived just after the half hour mark. Rodallega slipped a ball between two defenders to the unmarked Stafylidis who rifled a brilliant shot beyond Jensen and inside the far post for his second goal in as many pre-season games.

The Greek youngster had shown plenty of attacking prowess in his performances to date, and he was involved again moments later as the Whites doubled their lead, squaring a low ball for Rodallega who slammed beyond the exposed Jensen.

It then looked as though Williams had made it three, but his wicked left-footer from range just missed the target with Jensen beaten.

After holding their own for so long, Crawley now looked unable to cope with Fulham, although they did find some respite a minute before half-time with some time spent in the visiting penalty area. First, Conor Henderson lofted an effort over, before a McLeod penalty shout fell on deaf ears following a tumble with Cameron Burgess. The same man then called Joronen into a rare save, but the Finland international comfortably held his strike.

Felix Magath made a raft of changes at half-time, among them the introduction of Adam Taggart for his first Fulham appearance.

Four minutes after the restart McLeod drew a smart low stop from Marcus Bettinelli – one of four half-time changes – although if it had gone in the referee could have claimed the assist after deflecting the ball kindly into the striker's path.

Direct running from Williams then culminated in him finding substitute Dembélé in the area. The young Frenchman drove in a vicious shot which was deflected over, before glancing wide his header from the resultant corner.

A slick Alexander Kačaniklić pass on 58 minutes found the intelligent run of Taggart but the young striker's effort flashed across the face of goal.

On the hour mark a familiar face entered the field of play, with former Whites forward Collins John – currently on trial with the Reds – taking the place of McLeod.

It was another Crawley substitute who almost got them back in the game, though, with Bobson Bawling's scrambled effort deflecting an inch wide of the post.

David's deliveries have caused plenty of issues for opposition sides so far this pre-season and he almost claimed another assist on 65 minutes when his corner was met by Shaun Hutchinson, only for the attempt to fly just over the bar.

Dembélé came so close to adding his name to the scoresheet on 69 minutes when he met Kačaniklić's cutback first time, only to be denied by the crossbar.

Patrick Roberts came on for David two minutes later and caused problems almost immediately – robbing Smith and then drawing a foul from the former Chelsea man.

A John header with three minutes remaining following a corner caused some concern in the Fulham penalty area, but Elsad Zverotić was able to boot away the danger from near the line, before Emmett O'Connor just cleared Bettinelli's crossbar with a firm strike minutes later.

That proved to be the final meaningful action of a game which proved another promising showing by Magath's men.

[Lighthouse]

Chris Hughton was in the stands watching the game

[Lighthouse]

Thanks for a great report Blanco. Very professional summary write-up!

The report is from the Offal.

[Blanco]

Thanks for a great report Blanco. Very professional summary write-up!

The report is from the Offal.

Yeah man it wasn't me. I'm not that professional lol.

[grandad]

Excellent performance. Clean sheet. Youngsters given another outing. Can start to see some of our starters.

[Ordar]

So just coming back from the game. Seemed to be more Fulham fans than Crawley. Stafylidis looks quality at Lb. Didn't think much of Hoogland. We played pretty well first half. Got caught a few times on the break with only Parker covering for 1 of them. Overplayed a lot of the time around the box. David played pretty well in the playmaker position.

Second half all the changes didn't help the flow and we looked disjointed. Kaca came on and played CM which was interesting. Made some great runs forward. Taggart looked lively when he came on. Had a decent shout for a penalty turned down and was looking to run in behind a lot. Dembele was unlucky with the one that bounced down off the bar.

Hutchinson I would think is our first choice CB. Looks very assured. I think there's work still to do in CM and possibly RB unless Voser is good. Good work out for the boys. We looked a lot faster all over the pitch.

I spoke to Stockdale and sounds like he's leaving

[Northern Cottager]

So just coming back from the game. Seemed to be more Fulham fans than Crawley. Stafylidis looks quality at Lb. Didn't think much of Hoogland. We played pretty well first half. Got caught a few times on the break with only Parker covering for 1 of them. Overplayed a lot of the time around the box. David played pretty well in the playmaker position.

Second half all the changes didn't help the flow and we looked disjointed. Kaca came on and played CM which was interesting. Made some great runs forward. Taggart looked lively when he came on. Had a decent shout for a penalty turned down and was looking to run in behind a lot. Dembele was unlucky with the one that bounced down off the bar.

Hutchinson I would think is our first choice CB. Looks very assured. I think there's work still to do in CM and possibly RB unless Voser is good. Good work out for the boys. We looked a lot faster all over the pitch.

I spoke to Stockdale and sounds like he's leaving

The ground or the club?

[Blanco]

So just coming back from the game. Seemed to be more Fulham fans than Crawley. Stafylidis looks quality at Lb. Didn't think much of Hoogland. We played pretty well first half. Got caught a few times on the break with only Parker covering for 1 of them. Overplayed a lot of the time around the box. David played pretty well in the playmaker position.

Second half all the changes didn't help the flow and we looked disjointed. Kaca came on and played CM which was interesting. Made some great runs forward. Taggart looked lively when he came on. Had a decent shout for a penalty turned down and was looking to run in behind a lot. Dembele was unlucky with the one that bounced down off the bar.

Hutchinson I would think is our first choice CB. Looks very assured. I think there's work still to do in CM and possibly RB unless Voser is good. Good work out for the boys. We looked a lot faster all over the pitch.

I spoke to Stockdale and sounds like he's leaving

There were 1700 Fulham fans and 1600 Crawley fans.

[ChesterTheTabby]

So just coming back from the game. Seemed to be more Fulham fans than Crawley. Stafylidis looks quality at Lb. Didn't think much of Hoogland. We played pretty well first half. Got caught a few times on the break with only Parker covering for 1 of them. Overplayed a lot of the time around the box. David played pretty well in the playmaker position.

Second half all the changes didn't help the flow and we looked disjointed. Kaca came on and played CM which was interesting. Made some great runs forward. Taggart looked lively when he came on. Had a decent shout for a penalty turned down and was looking to run in behind a lot. Dembele was unlucky with the one that bounced down off the bar.

Hutchinson I would think is our first choice CB. Looks very assured. I think there's work still to do in CM and possibly RB unless Voser is good. Good work out for the boys. We looked a lot faster all over the pitch.

I spoke to Stockdale and sounds like he's leaving

I will put my FoF neck on the line here and vouch for Voser - he is and will be a class act for us at RB. I think we will have two of the best RB/LB in the league, and Hutchinson looks very composed, need to know who will be partnering him soon though...perhaps Burn or Amore? Maybe Hoogland, the new H&H. S

Stockers said he's leaving? Why on Earth!? What he did for us at the end of last season was sensational at times, did he say why at all? I would be gutted if he left.

[Sammyffc]

Chris Hughton was in the stands watching the game

seen this on twitter , quite interesting . wonder what he was doing

[Ordar]

Spoke to him and the game, and it sounds like he's going. He said something along the lines of if the club want to sell him he doesn't have a choice. Sounds like we've accepted a bid. I said that everyone expected him to be number 1 this year, and he said that he wasn't sure about that.

I said I hoped he didn't leave. I think he was fairly shocked that I asked him outright if he was leaving. I asked him about the Brighton rumour and he said he only heard about it this morning. So not sure if that was via the papers or an offer

[RidgeRider]

Like everyone else, selling Stockdale seems the wrong thing to do. My ONLY thought is maybe Magath isn't enamored with Stockdale's total fitness. He has always carried some extra weight and maybe Magath wants someone more committed to be at his top physical condition. Who knows......

[Craven Mad]

Spoke to him and the game, and it sounds like he's going. He said something along the lines of if the club want to sell him he doesn't have a choice. Sounds like we've accepted a bid. I said that everyone expected him to be number 1 this year, and he said that he wasn't sure about that.

I said I hoped he didn't leave. I think he was fairly shocked that I asked him outright if he was leaving. I asked him about the Brighton rumour and he said he only hear about it this morning. So not sure if that was via the papers or an offer

Sad to hear that. Always seems like a top bloke.

Sounds like we have an option already arranged, and just waiting til we know we can shift Stock before it's announced.. Hope it's not Bogdan.

[SKSW6]

My top 3 players in order were Stafylidis, LVC, David. Don't think LVC lost the ball once, really neat and tidy in possession. Rodallega had a good game too.