Fulham 2 Everton 1: Darren Bent on target as Cottagers claim first home win of the season

 
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Giuseppe Muro25 September 2013

Fulham eased the pressure on manager Martin Jol with victory over Everton in the Capital One Cup.

Darren Bent scored a second-half winner at Craven Cottage to give Fulham their first win at home since April and book a place in the fourth round.

Jol needed this following a poor run in the Premier League and calls for his head from some Fulham fans in recent weeks. Victory, against the previously unbeaten Everton, will give his side a real boost ahead of Saturday’s game against Cardiff.

Everton had led through Stephen Naismith before Dimitar Berbatov, back after missing the Chelsea game with a hamstring injury, levelled after the break.

Bent will have done his England chances no harm in front of the watching Roy Hodgson by coming off the bench to give Fulham victory after 68 minutes.

Fulham had fallen behind after just 13 minutes. Naismith latched onto a clever reverse pass from Gerard Deulofeu before thumping home through David Stockdale’s legs.

Berbatov headed wide but Everton then came within a whisker of doubling their advantage when Sylvain Distin headed against the post from Deulofeu’s cross.

John Arne Riise fired over. Berbatov came close from a corner but Everton still looked the more likely. Deulofeu, on loan from Barcelona, flashed an effort wide.

Fulham had been disjointed in the first half but whatever Jol said to his players during the interval did the trick. Alex Kacaniklic forced Joel Robles into a fingertip save minutes after the restart and Berbatov looped a header onto the roof of the net from Scott Parker’s centre.

The equaliser came after 54 minutes. Parker slipped in Taarabt and Seamus Coleman could only divert the ball into the path of Berbatov, who calmly slotted past Robles.

Game on. All of a sudden Fulham were on top and Berbatov came close to putting the home side ahead when his shot bounced just the wrong side of the post.

Fulham went ahead 22 minutes from time. Bent, who had replaced Taarabt, was given the freedom of the Everton penalty area and promptly powered a left-footed shot through the legs of Robles.

Stockdale saved brilliantly to deny on-loan Chelsea forward Romelu Lukaku late on and Fulham held on.

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