CAULEY’S COTTAGE

CAULEY WOODROW enjoyed a dream return to Craven Cottage on a nightmare day for Marek Rodak.

Barnsley striker Woodrow took just 24 minutes to mark his first game back at Fulham since moving to Yorkshire in August

2018 with a penalty.

He then played in Jacob Brown to slot in the second on 51 minutes.

But both goals were gifted to the Tykes by Rodak howlers.

Then, to compound a horrible day for the keeper, he was beaten at his near post when Woodrow smashed in his second in the

79th minute. Incredibly, the visitors’ first win in six games saw them complete the double over third-placed Fulham.

More importantly it moved Barnsley to within six points of safety and Tykes boss Gerhard Struber said: “Cauley is a very important player and today he had a really good game, scored and also worked very hard off the ball.

“The gap is six points now and if we can reproduce this in the next few weeks, it is not so easy for any opponent against us.”

Fulham boss Scott Parker and skipper Tom Cairney had rolled out the red carpet for Woodrow in their programme notes.

But Woodrow and Barnsley were not here to enjoy the hospitality as

their energetic press knocked highflying Fulham out of their stride.

That graft was rewarded midway through the half.

Alex Mowatt’s pass was miscontrolled by Brown but Rodak fumbled the ball then fouled the Barnsley man as he tried to recover. The referee pointed to the spot and Woodrow sent the keeper the wrong way.

Barnsley stopper Brad Collins was not called into serious action until the first minute of the second half.

He did well to block Aleksandar Mitrovic’s shot on the turn with his feet and it looked as if the hosts were about to mount a big second-half comeback. But it proved a false dawn.

Five minutes later the wind held up

Woodrow’s ball over the top to leave the on-rushing Rodak in no-man’s land and Brown lifted the ball into an empty net.

Woodrow capped his day by turning Michael Hector inside out before beating Rodak at his near post for the third.

There was still time for Josh Onomah to rattle the crossbar on a day to forget for Parker and his promotion hopefuls.

The Fulham boss said: “It was a big shock and I did not see that one coming there are no excuses.

“We were beaten by a better side that had more intensity.”