This can relaunch Fulham’s promotion bid, says Onomah, now just watch us go
JOSH ONOMAH insists that claiming the prized scalp of Leeds can reignite Fulham’s promotion bid.
The 22-year-old midfielder, a makeweight in Ryan Sessegnon’s £25million move to Tottenahm last summer, grabbed a dramatic winner with his first goal for the club. Onomah had been at Spurs since the age of seven and was coached there by Fulham boss Scott Parker as a 15-year-old.
But a loan spell at Sheffield Wednesday last term was dogged by injury and Onomah had copped flak this term as he battled to regain full fitness.
After Fulham ended a threegame losing streak in style, a delighted Onomah said: “It was a must-win game for us. It was a really important day for Fulham.
“Doing it against a side as good as Leeds made it extra special and we have to take all the positives into our next games.”
Marcelo Bielsa’s side are still eight points clear of third-placed Sheffield Wednesday, but the agony of last season’s slump is hard to erase. After winning on Boxing Day last year, Leeds led the Championship but lost four of their next six.
After Parker’s stinging barb that Leeds’s style is “scripted” and easy to read, Stuart Dallas defiantly shrugged off any suggestion his team will crack
Ref: Tim Robinson Att: 18,878 again. He said: “To be nine points clear of the chasing pack halfway through the season I would have bitten your hand off, even after dropping five points this week.
“What is all this about a dip in form? We had come off the back of eight straight wins! We’ll regroup and go again.”
Leeds fell behind to a penalty controversially awarded for Ben White’s minimal contact on Bobby Reid, converted by Aleksandar Mitrovic.
And following Patrick Bamford’s leveller, Mitrovic caused enough penalty-area mayhem to allow Onomah to score.
FULHAM:
LEEDS:
MOTM
ALEKSANDAR MITROVIC (FULHAM)
GRIMSBY
SCUNTHORPE
GRIMSBY jettisoned Sebastian Ring after Kevin van Veen won it for Scunthorpe.
Swedish defender Ring, signed by ex-manager Michael Jolley, left by mutual consent yesterday.
Dutchman Van Veen struck just after the hour mark to win the derby clash and Iron boss Paul Hurst said: “To send our fans away happy is pleasing.”
CARLISLE
COHEN BRAMALL’S first goal as a pro turned out to be a free-kick cracker.
The former Arsenal left-back, 23, added to Nathaniel KnightPercival’s own goal and a second from Callum Harriott to give Colchester victory.
U’s boss John McGreal purred: “Cohen’s got a wand of a left foot.”
Carlisle chief Chris Beech admitted: “It was a world-class free-kick.”
MANSFIELD
NORTHAMPTON
ANDY COOK believes new boss Graham Coughlan can soon get Mansfield winning.
The striker’s fourth of the season gave Stags that hope but Harry Smith levelled late on.
He said: “I’ve been impressed. He’s come in and been a good coach – he’s going to be good.”
Cobblers boss Keith Curle said: “It was definitely a point gained.”
PORT VALE Tozer 39 og CHELTENHAM 0
1 1 0 1
1 1
DAVID WORRALL urged Vale to improve after knocking Robins out of the automatic promotion slots.
Alex Addai scored for Cheltenham, who dropped to fourth, after Ben Tozer put through his own goal. Forward Worrall said: “That’s the standard and we’ve got to go above that now.”
Robins midfielder Jake Doyle-Hayes added: “It was very end-to-end.”