Who did what, and when, by Gordon Sharrock

Wanderers 0 FULHAM 0

Wanderers (4-5-1/4-3-3)

JUSSI JAASKELAINEN ... 6

Has he ever had an easier afternoon?

BRUNO N'GOTTY ... 7

Superb defending, shame about the crossing

GUDNI BERGSSON ... 9

Looked like he was taking a stroll in the park

MIKE WHITLOW ... 8

Refused to give an inch to quality opponents

SIMON CHARLTON ... 7

Always there when needed, in either half

RICARDO GARDNER ... 7

Dashing on both flanks but no end product

PER FRANDSEN ... 7

Major contributions in midfield

PAUL WARHURST ... 8

Ooozed class with every tackle and pass

KEVIN NOLAN ... 7

So unlucky with his first half strikes

ROD WALLACE ... 6

Industrious, providing width but no chances

MICHAEL RICKETTS ... 6

Agonisingly close to beating Van der Sar

Subs: Dean Holdsworth for Gardner 75 mins, Gareth Farrelly for Frandsen 84 mins. Not used: Anthony Barness, Jermaine Johnson, Kevin Poole.

FULHAM (4-4-2)

EDWIN VAN DER SAR ... 8

First save from Nolan was top class

STEVE FINNAN ... 8

One of Sam's ex-players, committed and effective

ANDY MELVILLE ... 7

Did as much as anyone to frustrate Wanderers

ALAIN GOMA ... 7

Stretched by Ricketts first half

RUFUS BREVETT ... 6

His challenge on Nolan was out of order and out of place

SYLVAIN LEGWINSKI ... 7

Played too narrow to be effective

STEED MALBRANQUE ... 6

Constantly ran into brick walls

SEAN DAVIS ... 7

Busy but missed Fulham's best chance

JOHN COLLINS ... 7

Precision passing but could find no way through

BARRY HAYLES ... 6

Poor chap! Bergsson was always the boss

LOUIS SAHA ... 6

Needed more than just a 'lucky' hair-do

Subs: Lee Clark (6) for Malbranque 68 mins, Luis Boa Morte (5) for Hayles 68 mins. Not used: Kit Symons, Bjarne Goldbaek, Maik Taylor.

Referee: Mike Dean (Wirral).

Attendance: 23,848.

Shots/headers on target: Wanderers 5, Fulham 1.

Corners: Wanderers 2, Fulham 3.

Offsides: Wanderers 5, Fulham 4.

Fouls committed: Wanderers 12, Fulham 11.

Bookings: Wanderers - Holdsworth 88 mins (foul on Brevett); Fulham - Brevett 85 mins (foul on Nolan).

Man of the Match

GUDNI BERGSSON

A MASTERCLASS in central defending. Once again the evergreen Wanderers' captain was the calmest and most confident performer on the field, showing uncanny awareness, immaculate timing and overwhelming superiority over so-called quality opponents.

Magic Moment

He missed out on scoring in his fifth consecutive Premiership game but Michael Ricketts was agonisingly close when he audaciously chipped Van der Sar from distance and saw as magnigicent effort float narrowly wide of the post.

Moan of the Match

WANDERERS should be furious for not making their superiority count but they only have themselves to blame. For all their quality - at the back and in midfield - their crossing was woeful and wasteful.

KICK B Y KICK 15 secs :Ricketts miscues a cross, which sails inches over Van der Sar's crossbar. 2 mins : Ricketts threatens again with a close range header that is just too high. 5 mins The first of two marginal offside decisions sees Ricketts pulled up after Warhurst and Gardner fashion lightning quick counter attacks. 9 mins Bergsson to the rescue, blocking Saha to save Nolan's blushes. 14 mins It's Bergsson again, intercepting Finnan's cross with Saha ready to pounce. 18 mins Frandsen fires wide after Ricketts tees up Warhurst's pass. 27 mins Supporters' appeals for a penalty are waved away as Van der Sar sends Wallace tumbling. 29 mins The linesman stops Ricketts in his tracks again as Warhurst and Gardner break out. 35 mins Van der Sar goes full length to fingertip Nolan's excellent drive inches wide of the post. 39 mins Nolan - with even more power - tests the Fulham keeper a second time. 41 mins Ven der Sar is finally beaten but Ricketts' superbly executed chip sails a fraction wide of the target. Half-time: Wanderers 0

Fulham 0 46 mins Frandsen delivers a superb cross to the back post but Gardner hesitates and the chance is lost. 52 mins For once Wanderers struggle to clear their lines and Hayles gets in a shot that flies wide of the angle. 55 mins Hayles looks a genuine threat this time but Bergsson shepherds the ball back to the safety of Jaaskelainen. 61 mins Malbranque gets the Bergsson treatment. No contest! 69 mins Frandsen shows the rest the way with a well-directed cross but Ricketts misses it and Gardner fires wide.

71 mins: Saha finally stumbles past Bergsson but Charlton tidies up. 78 mins: Boa Morte draws Bergsson and Jaaskelainen to the left and offers Davis Fulham's first clear sight of goal only for the midfielder to fire too high. Full-time: Wanderers 0 Fulham 0 .