9:27am Monday 20th October 2008
By Paul Fraser
Fulham 0 Sunderland 0
WHILE Craven Cottage celebrated the unveiling of a new bronze statue in memory of the late Johnny Haynes, Kieran Richardson delivered two free-kicks that proved Sunderland have a maestro of their own– albeit from setpieces.
But despite showing the sort of precision with his left boot that earned him his last England call almost two year’s ago, Richardson’s heroics proved insufficient to secure the Black Cats a crucial three points. Why? Pure hard luck, misfortune, call it whatever, but add in the mix the poor judgement of referee Keith Stroud. Even Fulham’s goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer, the former Middlesbrough No 1, admitted the Londoners were let off the hook.
On two separate occasions Richardson completely embarrassed Schwarzer with unstoppable free-kicks. On each occasion the Sunderland midfielder, who turns 24 tomorrow, turned away to celebrate.
But it was, in the end, the former Manchester United winger left red-faced and left reflecting on what might have been at the Cottage, while Schwarzer was the one satisfied.
Three minutes before halftime, after Djibril Cisse had been fouled, Richardson struck a sweet free-kick from 25 yards that rebounded off Schwarzer’s left post. It then hit the opposite post before heading back across goal and catching the goalkeeper on the knee before hitting the frame for a third time.
Richardson was celebrating when he realised it had not gone in, just as he was seven minutes after the restart when he arrowed a stunning dead ball from 22 yards high into Schwarzer’s net.
Instead of watching the flight of the ball, though, Stroud concentrated on the wall. And he felt Pascal Chimbonda – who later claimed Jimmy Bullard had ‘hold of his balls’ – had infringed on the Fulham wall and the terrific goal never was.
“I was certain the first was in, it didn’t count and that’s it,” said Richardson. “Then for the second, I have seen the replay, and there was nothing in there for the referee to blow for. The referee says Pascal was pushing into the wall and it was a bit harsh, but that’s football.
“To me it looked as if Pascal was nudging Dean Whitehead more than anyone else, that’s what we do in training. The referee has obviously given it the other way. I was off celebrating both of them, it was a bit embarrassing.”
And, despite watching Fulham enjoy plenty possession mainly through Bullard and Danny Murphy, Schwarzer was quick to accept that Sunderland were unfortunate to emerge with just a point.
“We’ve got to be relieved when you look at the chances they had,” said Schwarzer.
“We obviously rode our luck.
I think I’ll go out and buy a lottery ticket.
“It was only after he’d (Stroud) said ‘free-kick’ a couple of times that I realised he’d disallowed it. But obviously he’s seen something wrong and he’s not given it, plain and simple.”
On the day Fulham supporters admired the permanent reminder to their greatest player, Haynes, the home fans never looked like marking the occasion by celebrating a win. With Murphy running the show for the Cottagers’ midfield and Simon Davies looking lively, Fulham did have enough possession to cause problems, but Craig Gordon was solid every time danger came his way.
And Andy Johnson, who had scored in each of his last five appearances against the Black Cats for Everton, was unable to improve a record that has seen Fulham score five times in six league outings.
But that was largely down to Sunderland’s impressive defending, with Danny Collins and Anton Ferdinand solid at the back.
“Both centre-backs did their jobs very well,” said Keane. “Anton Ferdinand has got a chance of being a top, top player and Danny would feel disappointed if he is left out next weekend after his performance. But trust me, I’m not worried about disappointing players, that’s my job, they disappoint me sometimes.”
In the first half Hungarian winger Zoltan Gera could have had three, but they remained Fulham’s best chances. Sunderland, on the other hand, created more.
Both Richardson and Cisse had similar efforts from just inside the box that rolled inches wide. And Richardson also had a volley cleared off the line by Aaron Hughes before Cisse’s last contribution was to see an instinctive drive crash back off the bar.
The draw means Sunderland are still searching for their third league win.
As Richardson summed up his feelings, Fulham’s cheeky Cockney Bullard tried to have the last word.
“Chin, up, chin up,” Bullard shouted in Richardson’s direction from the stairs leading up to the players’ bar at the Cottage. “My chin isn’t going down, it isn’t going anywhere,”
was the response from the Sunderland man.
“This game has gone and we move on to a huge game against Newcastle next week, we won’t need firing up for that.”
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