Extra time needed as Blues edge past Fulham

City tonight snook into the fourth round of the League Cup with what sounded like an unconvincing win against a weak Fulham side. The well-drilled opponents had taken the lead through former West Brom winger Zoltan Gera, but goals from summer acquisitions Gareth Barry and Kolo Toure saw us home. I couldn't attend tonight, and for the first time in a long while couldn't find a good stream anywhere either, so apologies in advance if details are a bit patchy, i've had to make do with the radio!

Roy Hodgson, as promised, had played more-or-less a second-strength side, the likes of Schwarzer, Paintsil, Hangeland, Murphy, Dempsey & Johnson all rested or out with knocks. Micah Richards, very poor at Old Trafford last Sunday after a promising performance the previous week against Arsenal, made way for Pablo Zabaleta in our only change.

Rookie goalkeeper David Stockdale was called on to make comfortable saves from Bridge & Barry but the game never really broke into a fast pace. Toure and Joleon Lescott both put headers well wide and Carlos Tevez had a couple of efforts blocked before the visitors, having sat back and absorbed our pressure, took the lead, Gera smashing an unstoppable effort home from well outside the area.

Six minutes after the interval we managed to get on level terms. The lively Bellamy whipping in a corner from our left for Barry to head home at the far post after Stockdale had been caught in two minds over whether to come or stay on his line. The lads continued to push forward with little going their way, Tevez busy but unspectacular and the recalled Zabaleta getting plenty of the ball down our right. Fulham, several players constantly behind the ball, defended resolutely, and without a real target to aim for the breakthrough seemed like it might not come.

With a quarter of an hour left Martin Petrov replaced Stevie Ireland, who still doesn't appear fully fit, and injected some pace into the game. Barry, Wright-Phillips and Zabaleta all had attempts on goal to little effect, and the visitors continued to hold us. Vlad Weiss was introduced, with SWP moving into the middle of the park and within minutes he'd poked a shot over the bar. Stockdale saved from Tevez again, and Bellamy. Fulham had a couple of chances, too, Seol forcing Given into a good save and Riise curling an effort just wide of the post after evading Lescott.

Penalties looking like they might be on the cards with only ten minutes to go in the second period of extra time, a Martin Petrov corner was met by Kolo Toure, the defender heading home from close range for what turned out to be the winner, his first goal for the club since joining from Arsenal, and we managed to see it through to earn a place in Saturday's draw.

What had, going by the team they put out, appeared a relatively routine task, in the end needed a tough and unconvincing performance. This happens, and after last weekend's defeat it was just important to get back to winning ways. It's refreshing to know that we can win without playing well, in recent seasons we've not been to used to that. Scunthorpe at home, please!

Team:
Given, Zabaleta, Bridge, Toure, Lescott, de Jong (Weiss 91), Barry, Ireland (Petrov 75), SWP, Tevez, Bellamy