Albion’s Fulham Meetings
Brighton & Hove Albion welcome Fulham to the Amex Stadium on Saturday afternoon, and it will be the first-ever Premier League meeting between the clubs - but here’s a look some recent matches between the Seagulls and the Cottagers. Following an Auto Windscreens Shield [now EFL Trophy] match between the sides at the Goldstone Ground in 1996 - which the Seagulls won 3-2 - the clubs had to wait almost 18 years until their next meeting. Fulham were relegated from the Premier League after the 2013/14 season, which set up two games between the clubs in 2014, as the sides competed in the second tier of English football. The Cottagers sealed victory on their first visit to the Amex Stadium, as goals from Hugo Rodallega and Lasse Vigen Christensen cancelled out Darren Bent’s goal, after the former Fulham man, who was on loan at Albion, put the Seagulls in front. Sami Hyypia departed and Nathan Jones took temporary charge for Albion’s next meeting against Fulham, this time at Craven Cottage - and it proved a successful evening for the Seagulls. Adrian Colunga converted from the penalty spot in the 60th minute, before Solly March claimed his first league goal for Albion in the closing stages, as he raced through and picked out the bottom corner to make it 2-0. Albion returned to Craven Cottage at the start of the following campaign - with Chris Hughton now in the dugout - and Tomer Hemed’s stoppage-time penalty won the contest, after Tom Cairney cancelled out Sam Baldock’s opener. A hat-trick of wins were secured when Fulham travelled to the south coast for the reverse fixture, and the Seagulls claimed an emphatic 5-0 win against the London club, as they continued their push for promotion. Albion narrowly missed out on reaching the Premier League, which meant two further games against Fulham during the 2016/17 season - and Hughton’s team were able to continue their winning streak with two comeback victories. Kevin McDonald put the visitors in front at the Amex, but second-half strikes from Baldock and Glenn Murray turned the game on its head and sealed three hard-earned points for the Seagulls. Hughton’s side then travelled to London for the reverse fixture at the start of January, and Albion had David Stockdale to thanks for his first-half heroics, as he saved a penalty from Stefan Johansen. Lucas Piazon then gave the Cottagers a 55th-minute lead, but two goals in as many minutes from Hemed and Lewis Dunk completed an explosive turnaround in front of thousands of jubilant Albion fans at Craven Cottage. Victory for Albion on Saturday afternoon would stretch their winning streak over Fulham to six matches, but this weekend’s visitors head to the Amex in confident mood after beating Burnley 4-2 last weekend.