Ream turns to nightmare but Cairney levels late on

DEEP into stoppage time, Tom Cairney received a pass from Sone Aluko, stepped inside a couple of Leeds defenders and curled an unstoppable shot into the top corner. It felt like an incredibly valuable goal in Fulham’s push for the Championship play-offs. This point keeps them five points behind Sheffield Wednesday, who occupy sixth place, but Slavisa Jokanovic’s side retain a game in hand. They are very much in contention. Leeds had been gifted an early lead through Tim Ream’s comedy own goal. Fulham had also been denied a perfectly legal goal when Neeskens Kebano’s rasping shot crashed off the crossbar and bounced over the line in the first half. Replays suggested it should have stood but referee Lee Probert and assistant Matthew Wilkes waved away appeals. Jokanovic was aggrieved despite the late equaliser: ‘We know it is a mistake. The referee is human and can make a mistake but it is a very expensive mistake. ‘From my position, I could see the movement of the ball and was sure it was a legal goal. We scored two but we needed to score three to win the game.’ Jokanovic could have done little to plan for the goal that had Leeds ahead in the fifth minute. Kyle Bartley lifted a free-kick in the general direction of Souleymane Doukara but Ream’s clearance sliced horribly beyond keeper David Button and bobbled into an empty net to the delight of 7,000 travelling fans. Alfonso Pedraza hit a post when handed a great chance to seal it, and after Kalvin Phillips was sent off, Cairney ensured some justice was served. Leeds manager Garry Monk said: ‘Overall it was a fantastic performance and another point towards what we want to do. There were things that went for and against each side.’