Jones Celebrates With Winner For Sunderland
Sunderland beat Fulham thanks to a goal from the striker who earlier today committed himself to another four years on Wearside...
Sunderland 1-0 Fulham
Kenwyne Jones celebrated committing himself to Sunderland by scoring the goal that gave Sunderland victory and three welcome points against a Fulham side coming to terms with life after midfield playmaker Jimmy Bullard,. now at Hull.
Jones struck the goal ten minutes into the second half, after Andy Reid went on a run at the heart of the Fulham defence and the ball broke to Djibril Cisse, whose shot was stopped by Mark Schwarzer, but came out to the Trinidad & Tobago striker. Jones, who only signed a new four-year contract at the Stadium of Light earlier today, duly knocked it into the net.
Fulham's barren spell on the road therefore continues - they are winless away from home this season - but it might have been different if Simon Davies had converted the Cottagers' best chance. However, the Welshman put the ball over from six yards when Clint Dempsey nodded it down for him.
However, Cisse probably should have scored himself in the first half when his follow-up, after a Jones effort was parried by Schwarzer, was blocked.
Ex-Fulham midfielder Steed Malbranque was denied from eight yards by an excellent Schwarzer save, while Jones nearly made it two for Sunderland at the death, beating his marker but having his shot well saved by Schwarzer.
It was disappointing for Fulham to slip to their second successive League defeat after having enjoyed a fine run of nine games unbeaten. But for Sunderland, victory was most welcome, and nudged them further away from the relegation zone. It was also the ideal tonic ahead of Sunday's North-East derby against fellow-strugglers Newcastle United at St James' Park.
The first half was somewhat frustrating for the Black Cats who carved out several half-chances but could not put any of them away - partly because of Schwarzer's good form in dealing with the twin threat of Cisse and Jones.
But Sunderland keeper Marton Fulop, in contrast, had very little to do as Fulham failed to test him meaningfully in the opening 45 minutes, though Andrew Johnson had a 28th-minute shot deflected wide by Danny Collins, and Clint Dempsey fired narrowly wide in the 39th.
Possession was being given away too readily by both sides as he game cried out for a touch of quality and inspiration. But if Fulham boss Roy Hodgson was marginally the happier manager at half-time, given that Sunderland's need of three points was the greater, it didn't take long for his counterpart Ricky Sbragia start feeling better.
His side came out more purposefully after the break, and Schwarzer was soon forced to leave his line and punch clear a teasing cross from Reid.
The Australian keeper then did well on 55 minutes to parry a curling snapshot from Cisse, but this time Jones reacted more quickly than any of the Fulham defenders to side-foot the ball into the net from close range.
The goal lifted the tension inside the stadium but the Wearsiders really needed a second to calm the nerves, and Malbranque's swerving shot on 63 minutes would have provided it had Schwarzer not pulled off another good save.
The Mackems' hearts were in their mouths five minutes later when Dempsey headed down John Pantsil's deep cross at the far post for Simon Davies, but he could only blaze high over as Fulop rushed out to narrow the angle.
Malbranque then had another good chance to wrap things up seconds later but Schwarzer's superb reaction save thwarted him.
Pantsil's shot was well wide of the target when he found himself in space near the corner of the penalty area, and Jones was denied a brace after beating defender Brede Hangeland but seeing Schwarzer keep his shot out.
Sunderland: Fulop, Bardsley, Ferdinand, Collins, McCartney, Malbranque, Whitehead, Tainio, Reid, Cisse, Jones.
Subs: Colgan, Edwards, Diouf, Chopra, Leadbitter, Healy, McShane.
Fulham: Schwarzer, Pantsil, Hughes, Hangeland, Konchesky, Davies, Etuhu, Murphy, Dempsey, Johnson, Zamora.
Subs: Zuberbuhler, Nevland, Gera, Stoor, Andreasen, Kallio, Baird.
