Fulham 1 Aston Villa 0: Baird pops up late to pile pressure on Lambert
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UPDATED:
16:23 GMT, 20 October 2012
Fulham midfielder Chris Baird upstaged his returning team-mate Dimitar Berbatov with the late winner as Fulham condemned Aston Villa to more away day misery.
Baird got a deft touch to John Arne Riise's near-post corner to beat goalkeeper Brad Guzan and deny Villa what looked increasingly like a battling point.
Fulham had been the better side, with Berbatov in commanding form on his comeback from a hip injury, but they had failed to convert a hatful of chances.
Winner: Baird is mobbed after his goal
MATCH FACTS
Fulham: Schwarzer, Riether, Hughes, Hangeland, Riise, Sidwell (Karagounis 84), Baird, Richardson (Dejagah 70), Rodallega, Berbatov, Petric (Diarra 64).
Subs Not Used: Stockdale, Senderos, Kasami, Kacaniklic.
Booked: Riise.
Goal: Baird 84.
Aston Villa: Guzan, Lowton, Vlaar, Baker (Lichaj 62), Bennett, Ireland (N'Zogbia 66), El Ahmadi, Delph, Holman, Bent (Benteke 75), Agbonlahor.
Subs Not Used: Given, Albrighton, Bannan, Weimann.
Booked: El Ahmadi, Lichaj.
Referee: Chris Foy (Merseyside).
Attendance: 25,693.
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The home support were beginning to get
edgy when the man they hail as 'Bairdinho' popped up with the kind of
finish Berbatov would have been proud of to snatch the points for
Fulham.
Villa, who had not won on the road in 13 Barclays Premier League matches
dating back to January, had a chance to rescue a point but Christian
Benteke missed a sitter from close-range.
Benteke had been sent on for Darren Bent, who was restored to the Villa
starting line-up after being dropped for the last two matches.
Bent failed to make much of impression – glancing one header wide and
otherwise cutting a picture of frustration up front – unlike Berbatov.
The serene Bulgarian was immediately into the action, playing a key role
as Fulham pressed Guzan into action twice inside the first five
minutes.
Berbatov found a yard of space inside the Villa box and turned on Kieran
Richardson's pass but Guzan reacted quickly to palm the shot away from
an acute angle.
The Bulgarian still has this wonderful ability to play the game at his
own pace and he calmly held off the attentions of Nathan Baker to bring
Sascha Riether into the box.
High hopes: Aston Villa's Fabien Delph (right) is challenged by Steve Sidwell
The German full-back squeezed a pass through to Richardson six yards out
but Guzan blocked his shot and Riether's effort from the rebound went
wide.
Baker's response was to hack Berbatov down from behind, which seemed
just about the only way Villa were going to win the ball off him.
Fulham appeared capable of scoring every time they were in possession.
Eyes on the ball: Dimitar Berbatov take on the Villa defence
Chris Baird and Steve Sidwell anchored the midfield and they always had
runners, with John Arne Riise and Riether given the freedom to attack
from full-back and stretch Villa.
At times Fulham played with five attackers as Richardson, Hugo Rodallega
and the busy Mladen Petric supported Berbatov in causing Villa
problems.
Brede Hangeland ran out of defence and slid a pass to Berbatov, who
clipped a magnificent cross on the turn towards Baird but the header was
wide.
Plenty to ponder: Villa boss Paul Lambert
Gabriel Agbonlahor created Villa's first opportunity himself, cutting in
from the left before unleashing a deflected shot which brought a diving
save from Mark Schwarzer.
Bent could not get enough on Matthew Lowton's cross from the right wing
and his glancing header drifted harmlessly wide but that was as close as
Villa came in the first half.
Riise whipped one cross in for Berbatov, who did well to force a save
from Guzan, and then another for Rodallega but the Colombian headed
wide.
Striking it Rich: Fulham's Kieran Richardson has an effort on goal
Agbonlahor was working hard for Villa and he tried to pick out Bent in
the Fulham box but Sidwell, enjoying a strong game against his old club,
was on hand to intercept.
Villa started the second-half brightly, with Agbonlahor heading over the
bar from Lowton's cross but Fulham still looked the more likely team to
score.
Karim El Ahmadi was booked for a foul on Berbatov that checked a Fulham counter-attack.
Close encounter: Sidwell is closed down by Stephen Ireland
Berbatov failed to make decent contact as he attempted an acrobatic
volley after Rodallega's cross had fallen to him at the far post.
Villa failed to clear their lines properly and it required a brave block
from Lowton to deny Richardson, before Bent was replaced by Benteke.
Ashkan Dejagah came on for Fulham to make his debut and was quickly in
the thick of the action, stinging Guzan's hands with a 25-yard drive
after some sublime build-up play.
On the up: Fulham cemented their place in the top half
Struggling: Villa have now gone four games without a win
Then came the breakthrough. Baird stole in front of Eric Lichaj, Fabian
Delph and Bennett to get a touch to Riise's corner and beat Guzan at the
near post.
The reaction inside Craven Cottage as much one of relief as celebration – although that should have been cut short immediately.
Charles N'Zogbia squared the ball to Benteke six yards out but he
inexplicably failed to hit the target and with that miss went Villa's
hopes of a point.
Game over: Baird beats Guzan from inside the box
