Fulham 2-2 Bournemouth
by Dom Smith
at Craven Cottage

WHAT do the rickety wooden chairs in Craven Cottage’s Johnny Haynes Stand and the brand new plastic ones in the Riverside Stand have in common? Both were barely occupied when Dominic Solanke sent a cushioned volley flying past Bernd Leno a minute and four seconds into this: the Scott Parker-less Scott Parker derby.

Bournemouth arrived in west London on the back of a five-game unbeaten run. So strong is their recent form that many of their fans have been calling for caretaker manager Gary O’Neil to be handed the reins full-time. Marco Silva’s Fulham were also promoted from the Championship last season but despite a strong start, they had only won one of their last four league games.

With Bournemouth flying and the Cottagers slumping of late, perhaps it was no surprise that the away fans in the Putney End were first to lift themselves from their seats with delight. With little over a minute on the clock, Marcus Tavernier crossed early for Solanke, who approached the box, fed Billing, and waited for the Dane’s pullback to land in his path. When it did, he volleyed home with confidence.

As the Fulham faithful begged aloud for their team to find some urgency, Andreas Pereira did a Cruyff turn from his right foot onto his left and then struck wildly over the bar. It was a poor finish, but it triggered the injection of impetus his teammates needed.

On 22 minutes, they had their equaliser when Pereira’s devilish in-swinging corner was helped in by Issa Diop. The summer signing from West Ham had his first Fulham goal, and Fulham had their equaliser. Goalkeeper Neto, minutes after receiving treatment to his groin, could only aid the header into the net.

Bournemouth were one of the Premier League’s most dangerous counter-attacking sides during their last spell in the top tier. Little has changed. Within seven minutes, the Cherries had restored their lead when Adam Smith fed Solanke, who crossed low for Jefferson Lerma. The Colombian international stroked the ball into the corner with finesse.

But after the break, this match became a microcosm of Lerma’s Bournemouth career as a whole. Never the most disciplined player in the world, he was penalised for grabbing Aleksandar Mitrovic — fit to play but pocketed to this point. Here was the Serbian’s chance to score his first goal in over a month. He passed his penalty into the bottom right corner, sending Neto the wrong way.

O’Neil and Silva have both turned their sides into shrewd teams punching well above their weight. Yet you always felt the visitors were more likely to edge in front. Solanke forced Leno into a fine save from a tight angle, before Lerma glanced a free header inches wide of the sprawling German’s post.

Fulham looked vulnerable on the break but also showed character. They dug in as they penned Bournemouth in for much of the final half-hour of a match in which they’d already twice come from behind to level.

Substitute Willian’s west London fame came while wearing the blue of Chelsea, but he nearly made a decisive contribution from the bench, assisting Mitrovic who curled the ball into Neto’s grateful gloves. Bournemouth bedded in, sat back, and settled for a point.