Fulham 1-1 Latics

Latics secured a good point against Fulham at Craven Cottage, a ground that we very rarely get anything from, with a Franco Di Santo 71st minute goal and a fantastic last gasp goal clearance by Maynor Figueroa

The Latics started the game brightly and, following a very good move, had the first chance of the game when Di Santo came in at the far post, his finish wasn’t the best and Schwarzer gathered easily, though the assistant referee was wrongly flagging for off-side.

It was Fulham though who took the lead even though the Latics were having the best of the opening exchanges. Giorgos Karagounis was allowed too much time as he approached the penalty box and he hit a sweet angled drive into the bottom far corner giving Al Habsi no chance, 22 minutes gone, 1-0

The scores should have been level before the break, following another good Latics move Emmerson Boyce crossed from the right, Di Santo slid in between two defenders but unfortunately from just five yards out the Argentine striker couldn’t get any control on the ball as he stretched to make contact and it flew over the bar.

The Latics picked up a gear in the second half, Shaun Maloney was desperately unlucky when he skipped inside and unleashed a thunderous shot from twenty yards, Schwarzer at full stretch just managed to finger tip the ball onto the post and then out for a corner

It was Latics who were now making all the running and it was no surprise when we drew level. A quickly taken free kick fed Di Santo out wide left, he cut inside and from 25 yards hit a venomous drive that was past Schwarzer and into the net before he knew anything about it, 71 minutes, 1-1

The Latics were in the ascendancy now and Di Santo was unlucky with another effort that Schwarzer smothered at his near post, but with the game running down to a draw tragedy struck for the Latics, challenging Berbatov for a ball, inspirational defender Ivan Ramis looked to have received a serious injury when his knee joint bent sideways, following lengthy treatment on the pitch the classy Spaniard was taken off on a stretcher and quite obviously in a lot of distress

In the dying seconds of the game Fulham midfield man Bryan Ruiz skipped inside substitute Ronnie Stam and hammered a shot from an acute angle past Al Habsi, the effort had goal written all over it, but Maynor Figueroa had other ideas and somehow he managed to get back and make a superb headed clearance and preserve the point
Teams
Fulham – Schwarzer; Riether, Hangeland, Hughes, Richardson; Duff (Baird 82), Ruiz, Karagounis, Kacaniklic (Dejagah 87); Berbatov, Petric (Rodallega 65).
Subs not used: Stockdale, Riise, Senderos, Kasami,

Latics – Al Habsi, McCarthy, Caldwell, Jones (Gomez 65), Di Santo, Maloney, McArthur, Boyce, Ramis (Stam 90), Beausejour, Figueroa
Subs not used: Pollitt, Golobart, McManaman, Boselli, Henriquez