Top Hatters give Scott cause for concern...

SCOTT Parker wants his Fulham side to show better game management when Stoke visit Craven Cottage today.

Fulham welcome the Potters having won just one of their past five and Parker is keen for his side to tighten up at the back after rescuing a point in stoppage time during the 3-3 Boxing Day draw at Luton Town.

Bobby Reid scored the last, and his second of the game, of Fulham’s three equalisers in the fourth minute of stoppage time, adding to Aleksandar Mitrovic’s effort.

Kazenga LuaLua, James Collins and Harry Cornick got the goals for the hosts.

“Scoring four goals to win a football match is always going to be difficult,” Parker said.

“They had three shots on target and scored three goals. We put their goal under a lot of pressure, but their goalkeeper pulled off some fantastic saves.

“We were punished by two sucker punches. I want us to play, but also smell and sense the game, and I felt we didn’t do that in the first half.

“Being in the heat of it we’re disappointed, but maybe when it all settles we’ll be fine.” LuaLua put Luton ahead just five minutes in, but Reid needed only four minutes to level. Collins then restored Luton’s lead just before the half hour and that advantage stood until Mitrovic headed home with 13 minutes to play.

Cornick thought he had won it for the Hatters with six minutes left, only for Reid to pop up at the death.

Only goal difference is keeping Luton in the bottom three ahead of this afternoon’s trip to Bristol City and boss Graeme Jones found reasons to be optimistic.

“We would have got beat six weeks ago – there’s enough negatives out there if you want to go searching for them,” said Jones.

“I was absolutely proud as punch for 97 minutes at our display in every single aspect and we’re unfortunate at the end, but we weren’t capable of getting a positive result against

Fulham last time we played them.

“I think we played them nine weeks ago – the financial gulf is huge. I think we bridged the gap with effort and quality at times, I would rather take the positives.”