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Leicester: Arphexad, Sinclair, Taggart,
Walsh, Elliott, Impey (Gunnlaugsson 53),
Savage, Oakes (Fenton 120), Zagorakis
(Gilchrist 105), Marshall, Heskey.
Subs Not Used: Flowers, Thomas.
Goals: Marshall 85, 111, Walsh 87.
Fulham: Taylor, Finnan, Melville, Coleman,
Symons, Morgan, Trollope, Collins,
Hayward, Horsfield, Peschisolido (Brevett
80).
Subs Not Used: Hahnemann, Uhlenbeek,
Selley, Brooker.
Booked: Hayward, Horsfield, Finnan,
Brevett.
Goals: Peschisolido 58, Horsfield 75,
Coleman 92.
Leicester win 3-0 on penalties
Att: 13,576
Ref: M Reed (Birmingham)
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Worthington Cup 12.1.00
Leicester City 6 (penalty shoot out)
- Fulham 3
The Wily Old Foxes Come Good Again.
Peter Gilbert 12.1.00
Well what can you say - this game had everything basically but
it started in desultory fashion with neither side seemingly able
to put anything together that ever looked as if it would amount
to much. So half time was a bleak time in the swirling
wind and January rain at Filbert Street, when many of us must
have wondered why we had bothered to drag ourselves out here
just to be abused by the weather.
The hour was nearly up before anything significant happened but
what followed was a roller coaster of emotions.
We almost drew first blood when first Heskey, then Zagorakis
tried to dig the ball out for a shot but finally it fell to Marshall
who's effort skimmed the post.
Two minutes later Horsfield went on a mazy run that took him
round three defenders and then he slipped the ball across to
Peschisolido who appeared to mishit it whilst falling backwards
but it ended up in the top corner.
Gunnlauggson came on for an unfit Impey.
Heskey had a clear header on goal but he mistimed his effort
and it fell easily into the 'keepers arms.
At 1-0 down Elliott was thrown forward but almost immediately
Walsh gifted a ball to Peschisolido who crossed the box , was
dispossessed by Taggert only to see the ball break loose for
Horsfield to tap in and suddenly it appeared all over and with
only seven minutes to go the game seemed a bridge too far.
But wait what is this - Zag has a shot blocked.
Oakes pumps up a long ball which is headed down by Walsh for
Marshall to volley home in true Steve Claridge style.
Two minutes later a similar ball from Savage which Marshall heads
on for Walsh to lash the ball into the roof of the net. He nearly
broke the net and he did break Fulham hearts and we took them
into extra time although with a little luck either way we may
not have got there as Peguy dropped the ball in the box and Walshy
had another effort which was inches away from Taggert's outstretched
boot.
We had hardly settled down to extra time before we'd headed off
the line and conceded a sloppy goal from a corner when Coleman
latched onto with his head.
Elliott had a goal disallowed, Zag sent a glancing header just
wide, Sinclair shot wide,Taggert put in a last ditch tackle and
then Elliott showing great close control slipped the ball through
to Marshall who thundered it through a sea of legs into the back
of the net. Oh! what joy. We had fought back from
a desperate situation to score for a third time and draw level.
Deep deep into stoppage time of extra time, Heskey had a shot
which was goalward bound deflected wide. There was hardly time
to take the corner, but during extra time Gilchrist and Fenton
had come on as MON juggled his team about. If we
had blocked at Arsenal we did just the opposite here with sometimes
five strikers going at Fulham.
So into penalties we go, we could hardly bear to watch but like
a moth attracted to the flame neither could we take our eyes
off the action. It went like this.
Gunnlauggson - scores
Coleman - misses
Savage - scores
Trollope - misses
Fenton - scores
Horsfield - shot saved by Peguy Arphexad
and Filbert Street erupts in pure joy as
we go through to the semi final with Aston Villa. Apparently
John Gregory had been there but he left when we were 2-0 down
with seven mins. to play; he'll now have to re-write his team
talk and prepare for a battle royal in blue.
I didn't feel sorry for Fulham;they came along and did their
best but were found lacking at the vital moment. Their fans made
the mistake of singing about Wembley when they would have been
better served watching out for Those Wily Old Foxes.........some
folks just never learn.
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