Fulham prove stern test once more

Bogey side Fulham this afternoon earned a result at Eastlands for the third successive season, coming back from two goals down to take a share of the spoils in a disappointing 2-2 draw. Joleon Lescott and Martin Petrov had put City in what appeared to be a commanding lead before the West Londoners once again rallied to the bemusement of the home crowd.

As expected, Micah Richards moved over to right-back in the absence of the suspended Pablo Zabaleta, with Kolo Toure returning after missing the trip to Wigan through injury. Shaun Wright-Phillips found himself the man to miss out, with in-form Welshman Craig Bellamy regaining his place in what was otherwise an unchanged side.

For the visitors, Stephen Kelly replaced Paul Konchesky at left-back, with former Southampton defender Chris Baird being pushed forward into a central midfield role in the absence of usual string-puller Danny Murphy. Diomansy Kamara, who always seems to play out of skin against us, started alongside Bobby Zamora upfront.

We certainly started the brighter of the two teams, Tevez terrier-like again, popping up all over the pitch. Martin Petrov also proved a regular danger, interchanging flanks with Bellamy and whipping several dangerous balls in. Sadly we lacked any real edge in or around the box, and for all our hard work we rarely looked like taking the lead as the Fulham defence held firm.

In the nineteenth minute we might have had a penalty. Emmanuel Adebayor asking the question of the official after being felled in the area, who, probably rightly, chose not to award the spotkick. Micah Richards headed over a Petrov corner shortly after, and Nigel de Jong forced a great stop from Schwarzer, driving on to a lose ball after a Wayne Bridge shot had been parried.

After the half hour the away side came more into the game. Chris Baird shot just wide from around twenty yards out after finding himself in acres of space. Bobby Zamora held Joleon Lescott off down their right flank, playing Damien Duff in to cross for Greening at the back post, but the former United man's effort was off target. Clint Dempsey also went close, forcing a save from Shay Given from distance.

We did manage to rally before the break. Carlos Tevez put a fierce near-post header over the bar following another corner. Adebayor also went close, cutting in from the right, he got a lucky bounce, taking on two Fulham defenders with the aid of an accidental one-two before drilling a left-footed effort just the wrong side of the upright.

Another good delivery from Petrov saw us score what we thought was the opener. A Tevez run had forced the corner, Petrov floated in a peach of a cross and Micah Richards jumped highest to head home for what would've been his first goal of the season. The referee, however, had seen an infringement in the crowd of players, possibly a push by Gareth Barry, and ruled it out.

Fulham seemed to start the second half with an added spark and should have taken the lead through Bobby Zamora. Kamara skipping past Micah Richards, laying the ball back for Dempsey who forced a good stop from Given. With the goal at his mercy, the former West Ham forward somehow managed to sky his effort over the bar from all of four yards.

The first goal arrived in the 53rd minute. Gareth Barry managed to outjump his marker at the back post and get his head onto a cross from the left, the ball fell to Adebayor whose shot was prodded home virtually on the line by £24m centre-half Joleon Lescott, his first strike in City colours.

Seven minutes later we doubled our advantage, a super strike from Martin Petrov and his third in as many games. Picking up the ball in a central role he found Gareth Barry on the right of the area, cutting back in on his favoured left peg the England man laid the ball back to the winger, whose first touch saw him evade an oncoming challenge, teeing himself up for a well-placed drive into the left of Schwarzer's net.

At that point, even with our record against Fulham, you'd have assumed we'd see the game out, not so. Within two minutes Damien Duff had pulled one back. It was a decent move, to be honest, but at the same time a poor goal to concede. Duff picked up the ball to the right of goal, laying back into the centre Greening found Dempsey. A lofted cross found its intended target, Zamora chesting down after getting a yard on Bridge, Duff was onto it like a whippet and drilled a low left-footed effort past the outstretched hands of his Irish teammate.

Not too long later, and after Martin Petrov had hobbled off with what looked like a knee injury, Fulham bagged an equaliser. An inswinging free-kick was knocked high into the area, and American Dempsey beat Joleon Lescott in the air, heading low back across goal the ball seemed to take an age to trickle into the net.

The introduction of Stevie Ireland and Shaun Wright-Phillips couldn't give us the oomph we needed to get a winner, and if any side was going to sneak it then it felt more likely to be the visitors; Zamora, Hangeland and the ever lively Dempsey all having chances. Gareth Barry did go close with a header with minutes remaining, but it felt a bit like we could've played all day and not scored again.

A draw would have to be deemed a fair result in the end. On one hand it's disappointing to drop points, especially at home, but they're a very good side and certainly have the Indian sign over us. It's a point we didn't get last season, and although blowing a two-goal lead is especially annoying, at least we didn't go on to come away from the game with nothing at all.

Most worrying will be the goals we conceded, two more from crosses or set-pieces. We have definite chinks in our armour in not being able to prevent or deal with high balls into the box. After initially looking organised at the back we lost all confidence and the lack of a real driving force in the centre of midfield afforded Fulham too much possession.

At least we remain undefeated since the Derby, and are picking up something when not playing that well. The midweek League Cup tie against Scunthorpe should see us get back to winning ways, and although i'd hope we wouldn't underestimate them it could prove a good opportunity to bag a couple of goals, keep a clean sheet, and to generally come as a bit of a confidence booster after a tricky few weeks.

Team:
Given, Richards, Bridge, Toure (Kompany '89), Lescott, de Jong (Ireland '73), Bellamy, Barry, Tevez, Adebayor, Petrov (SWP '68)