Match preview: Fulham v BoltonSETTING THE SCENE Wanderers’ head into Wednesday’s game with Fulham eager to bounce back after their weekend defeat to Derby County.
With former player Kit Symons now in caretaker charge at Craven Cottage, Fulham head into the tie full of confidence off the back of back-to-back victories, having clinched their first home win and first league win of the season against Doncaster Rovers and Birmingham City respectively.
Recent history, meanwhile, does not make pretty reading for Dougie Freedman’s side with the Whites’ last league win away at Fulham coming all the way back in November 1992.
However, Bolton have enjoyed better luck in West London in cup competitions, recording League Cup and FA Cup victories over Fulham in 2007 and 2011 respectively, while the Trotters also hold the overall superior record in this fixture since the first meeting between the two sides in 1908.
ALL-TIME RECORD | Fulham wins | Draws | Bolton wins |
League | 28 | 21 | 27 |
FA Cup | 0 | 0 | 3 |
League Cup | 0 | 2 | 2 |
Total | 28 | 23 | 32 |
TEAM NEWSChris Herd could make his maiden Whites’ league appearance after missing the weekend’s clash with Derby County, while Max Clayton could also come into contention to make his first appearance for the club.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]Meanwhile, Adam Bogdan, Liam Trotter and David Wheater remain long-term absentees for Bolton, while Marc Tierney and Sanmi Odelusi will also miss out.
LAST TIME OUT27/09/2014: Birmingham City 1-2 Fulham (Hoogland 63, Rodallega, 71)
Fulham came from behind to secure their first league win of the season on Saturday, as goals from Tim Hoogland and Hugo Rodallega clinched victory over Birmingham City.
David Cotterill’s 25-yard curler had put Blues ahead shortly before the interval, but Fulham fought back after half-time with Hoogland levelling the scores from close-range following a goalmouth scramble.
And less than ten minutes later Rodallega scored the goal that proved to be the difference on the day, firing home from a tight angle to secure the win for Fulham.
Fulham: Bettinelli, Amorebieta, Bodurov, Burn, Hoogland, Parker, Christensen, Hyndman (Stafylidis 45), Ruiz (Woodrow 66), Rodallega, McCormack.
ONE TO WATCHJoining Fulham from Leeds United in a Championship-record £11m deal, all eyes were always going to be on Ross McCormack this season.
One of the second tier’s most feared marksmen on his day having notched over 20 goals in a season for both Cardiff City and Leeds United, McCormack was the division’s leading goalscorer with 28 goals last season.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]Tasked with the challenge of scoring the goals that secure the West London side an immediate return to the Premier League this year, the campaign has not gone to plan for either McCormack or Fulham so far, with the Cottagers currently residing in the bottom three.
And with just two league goals to his name since his move to London, all parties will be hopeful that the Scotland international can rediscover his scoring boots sooner rather than later.
LAST TIME WE WERE HERE17/12/2011: Fulham 2-0 Bolton Wanderers (Dempsey 32 , Ruiz 34)
Clint Dempsey and Bryan Ruiz combined twice in the space of the two minutes to secure victory for Fulham on Wanderers’ last visit to Craven Cottage.
The hosts took the lead shortly after the half-hour mark when Moussa Dembele fed Ruiz down the right-hand side as the Costa Rican picked out Dempsey in the area as the forward steered his header home past Jussi Jaaseklainen.
Dempsey then returned to the favour just over a minute later when he set Ruiz free down the centre of the pitch, giving him the space to score with a cheeky lob.
Bolton's best chances on the day fell to Mark Davies, Chris Eagles and David Ngog but all three were unable to find a way past David Stockdale.
MAN IN THE MIDDLEWarwickshire-based referee Stuart Attwell takes charge of Wanderers’ midweek trip to Fulham at Craven Cottage.
An established Premier League referee, Mr Attwell has taken charge of seven Whites’ matches in the past, including Bolton’s last victory against Fulham where a solitary Ivan Klasnic strike secured the win at Craven Cottage in February 2011.
Michael George and Lee Venamore will run the line, while Matt Foley is the fourth official.
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