Fulham 1 : 0 Norwich City - Kavanagh strike boosts Fulham

Posted Sunday, October 19, 2014 by PA

Fulham bellied their league position to beat Norwich City 1-0 at Craven Cottage thanks to Sean Kavanagh's first senior goal, with Lewis Grabban missing a penalty for the visitors.

The result was a repeat of the scoreline from the last contest between these teams, in the Premier League last season, when Hugo Rodallega - the only Fulham starter to remain in the 11 from that match - scored the winning goal.

It brings Fulham to within a point of the three sides above them as they moved a step closer to climbing out of the relegation zone positions that they have occupied since the first day of the season.

Kit Symons, their caretaker manager, had suggested in the lead up to this game that his players had been unaffected by the club's search for a new manager and reaffirmed his desire to be given the job on a permanent basis in his programme notes.

This result, allied with the determination displayed by his players to clinch the victory, might go a long way towards strengthening his credentials.

For Norwich, who started with seven players that featured the last time they visited Craven Cottage, it was a defeat that meant they dropped from the summit of the table to fourth, despite dominating possession for the vast majority of the match.

Fulham scored the only goal of the game on 22 minutes as they broke forward and a sweeping move from right to left culminated with Lasse Vigen Christensen laying a pass to Kavanagh.

The 20-year old Irishman, who was making just his fifth appearance, calmly took a touch before rifling a precise low drive past John Ruddy.

The home side could have then been two goals in front six minutes before half-time as a dangerous corner from Bryan Ruiz was firmly met by the head of six-foot seven-inch Dan Burn, only for Wes Hoolahan to head clear off his own line.

If Norwich felt like the break had come at a good time for them then it appeared even more timely when, just 31 seconds after the restart, Cameron Jerome tumbled in the area after a challenge from Burn and a penalty was awarded.

A confident-looking Grabban stepped up, but he thundered his effort against the crossbar to the delight of the home supporters, who felt aggrieved by referee Graham Salisbury's decision.

As the second half wore on, Bradley Johnson's drive was the closest Norwich came to making amends for Grabban's miss while the home side might have made the margin of victory more comfortable when a good chance from a corner fell to substitute Moussa Dembele.

Norwich pressed relentlessly for an equaliser in the last 15 minutes but the Fulham held on, to palpable relief from their fans.