FULHAM’S STEF OF DREAMS WINS THRILLER
CHRIS WILDER has drummed a defiant message into his high-flying Sheffield United stars: “Don’t be scared of anyone.”
FULHAM earned the bragging rights in the west London derby after Stefan Johansen’s 85th-minute cracker at Loftus Road made it another Friday night horror show for QPR.
Rangers have now lost their last 11 games on a Friday night.
In stark contrast, it was an evening for Slavisa Jokanovic and his players to savour as they moved to within a point of the play-offs. Fulham opened the scoring on 41 minutes when the outstanding Ryan Fredericks raced towards goal.
His shot took a wicked deflection off QPR defender Jack Robinson to fly past stranded keeper Alex Smithies.
Fulham should have doubled their lead on 83 minutes when Joel Lynch felled Neeskens Kebano – but Rui Fonte fired his spot-kick high over the bar.
However, Johansen (left) ensured the three points were heading back to Craven Cottage when he sent a low shot fizzing into the bottom corner for his third league goal of the season.
QPR pulled back a consolation goal in injury time when Conor Washington’s shot deflected over David Button.
And Ian Holloway’s men almost snatched an unlikely equaliser when Smithies came up for a corner and headed inches wide – but that was the last act of a thriller.