SOBS V FULHAM

The Lads took on the Cottagers on Wearside and somehow managed to lose 3-1 - a scoreline that somewhat flattered our opponents. I'm not saying we deserved to win, but sucker punches, dodgy reffing, and weak forward play let us down.

Being yet another daft kickoff, there were alarms set (in Bishop at least - we love an early start, despite Monty the dog nearly getting my sandwiches out of my pocket) and any amount of time to discuss the return of Xhaka and who would make way, as well as the promising showing of our latest addition to the wide positions at Oxford. Ah, the FA Cup. We've won two games so it's officially a run, but our opponents won't be known until five days before the tie thanks to midweek games for Bristol last and next Tuesday preventing the rearranged game taking place. Sorting transport will be a pain!

And speaking of Oxford, I wonder if their manager has watched the game again and realised what a pillock he made of himself in his interview?

Anyway, on to Fulham. In my eyes, you if you stop Iwobi, you stop them and therefore Wilson and Kevin - although the latter is apparently somebody's perfect cousin. Let's just say we'd been around the town and were in the Vaults when the team news arrived.

Roefs

Mukiele, Ballard, Alderete, Hume (c)

Angulo, Sadiki, Diarra, Le Fee, Ta Bi

Brobbey

... and a bench of Ellborg, Geertruida, Talbi, Mundle, Isidor, Rigg, O'Nien, Mayenda, and Xhaka. Great options from the bench!

Interesting, and exciting, if looking a tad lightweight and lacking experience out wide, and no sign of Cirkin. Let's see what Fulham's gaffer makes of that.

On an unusually bright and sunny afternoon, and with Steve Jardine and family in the away end due to lack of tickets, we faced a lime green Fulham and attacked the Roker End, and kicked off. Nordi was back in long throw duty, with no wrist bandage, and he had a few chances from the right to hoy it in. We'd had, and wasted, a corner before Nordi went down hurt and gamely limped on for five minutes before being replaced by Gerty. Angulo burst down the left on 14 and won a corner, but either we weren't delivering as we can or Fulham had done their research.

We had another from the right, and we're struggling to get Brobbey involved, but when he charged down the keeper it raised our spirits and the noise level. Enzo won another corner, on the right, but they cleared it and went down our end through their inside left channel- only to blaze it way over.

Le Fee must have been the subject of much debate, as they tried to remove his shirt several times but escaped any cards. Likewise their number 7, who was leading into every challenge with his elbow. It wasn't him who crocked Ta Bi, but our winger did a Mukiele and went down a couple of times before being eventually replaced by Mundle, with Angulo coming to the right to accommodate.

He took the free that had resulted from the second wallop on Ta Bi, we got caught on the break and needed Hume belting across from our left to block at the expense of a corner, which we cleared and got up the field - but Sadiki's shot was well saved. At long last Raul Jimenez was pulled up, and booked, for sticking his elbow in again - hey, just because you got your head bashed in doesn't mean you should be trying to do it to opponents. Dirty get.

It was Fulham's turn to have a man down, and he was replaced by Bobb as seven added minutes were announced. We had a shot blocked, Fulham shot way over, and yet another elbow by Jimenez, this time on Angulo near halfway, was ignored. A minute later he was at it again, on Alderete, but a second yellow? Pfft, not a chance. We ended the half with a blast over the top from Diarra, and that was it.

Kevin Kyle did the half time draw, and to be honest we could have done with him dishing out some battering to the visiting defenders.

No changes, as usual, and when Roefs collected to break up an attack his quick distribution set us away but after Enzo's great take, he stopped - no shot, no layoff, chance gone. We then got BB away down the right and he cut in - but the layoff was poor. Our next attack was better but Mundle's clipped effort was the wrong side of the post.

Then, on 52, it went wrong. A Fulham break was ended by another Hume block, and just like Liverpool, we allowed a free header to be nodded in. Never mind that the scorer should have been in the bath before the break, we should have got there first.

It got worse. Despite the ref and VAR not giving a penalty for a challenge by Brobbey, Mr Ref overruled himself and VAR to give them a penalty which sent Roefs the wrong way for 0-2.

We almost made the most of a play on on 67, but Angulo blazed over, so with 20 to go we swapped Brobbey, Angulo, and Diarra for Mayenda, Isidor, and Xhaka. I'm not sure why, but a couple of minutes later Ballard appeared in the box, dribbling in along the line, and was very obviously knocked over. Penalty, which Enzo whacked in high to the keeper's right.

Game on?

Not really, even though Mayenda chase gave Issy a chance that he hooked wide. The ref continued his poor afternoon by agreeing with an impossible offside when they had four men goalside of our recipient, but hey - we were almost used to it by then.

With six to go, another Fulham break brought their third, nine added minutes were announced - in which we looked sadly not that bothered despite Hume and Mundle having shots blocked.

Man of the Match? Well, Enzo had his moments, Sadiki had a go, and Ballard was there - but a defender can't have it considering the manner of their first goal - and Hume was OK on the wrong side.

Oh, go on then. Sadiki, purely because I have to pick someone - although I'll accept anyone else's choice.