Bournemouth 2-0 Fulham

Championship leaders Bournemouth saw off resurgent Fulham to extend their unbeaten league run to 13 games.

Brett Pitman put the Cherries ahead on his 250th Football League appearance, heading in Matt Ritchie's corner.

Pitman then had a penalty saved by keeper Marcus Bettinelli after Jack Grimmer fouled Callum Wilson.

Fulham rarely threatened Artur Boruc's goal, but Seko Fofana and Scott Parker went close before Harry Arter drove in Bournemouth's second in stoppage time.

While Eddie Howe's side never threatened to repeat their 6-1 demolition of Blackpool, the win was sufficient to reclaim the top spot they vacated briefly when Ipswich beat Brentford in the early kick-off.

Ritchie's delivery from an early corner was inch-perfect for Pitman, who stole in at the near post to deftly head past Bettinelli.

Despite driving rain and bitter cold, both sides remained committed to the passing game. But while Bournemouth kept Bettinelli busy, the visitors' neat build-up play rarely translated into clear chances.

Ross McCormack roused Fulham spirits with a dangerous cross which missed everyone before Grimmer's push on Wilson earned Bournemouth's spot-kick, but Bettinelli again saved Fulham as he parried Pitman's low effort.

Fofana then curled a shot wide, while McCormack set up captain Parker, whose low drive was pushed wide for a corner.

As time ran out, Bournemouth looked more likely to score, as the lively Ritchie fed Marc Pugh, who was foiled by Bettinelli.

And after Cottagers substitute George Williams was booked for diving, Arter sealed proceedings from the edge of the area with a shot which his brother-in-law Parker narrowly failed to charge down.

Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe: "The challenge for us now going forward is to stay at the top of the table. Everyone wants to knock us off.

"We are a scalp now. We faced that situation in the past couple of weeks now. We're a lot more well known now, so the element of surprise has gone.

"But we were always going to have to cross that bridge and the players are going to come under more pressure now in different ways."

Fulham manager Kit Symons: "We said at half-time we'd weathered the storm a little bit. We had some opportunities, but it wasn't quite to be.

"We rode our luck at times, but we had to be brave and take the game to Bournemouth and I thought we did that in the second period."

• Line-ups
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Line-ups

Bournemouth

Formation 4-4-2

31Boruc

2Francis5Elphick3S Cook11Daniels

30Ritchie8Arter6Surman7Pugh

10Pitman13Wilson

• 31Boruc
• 2Francis
• 5Elphick
• 3S Cook
• 11Daniels
• 30RitchieSubstituted forA Smithat 90+3'minutes
• 8Arter
• 6Surman
• 7Pugh
• 10PitmanBooked at 82minsSubstituted forGoslingat 86'minutesBooked at 89mins
• 13WilsonSubstituted forKermorgantat 90+3'minutes

Substitutes

• 1Camp
• 4Gosling
• 15A Smith
• 18Kermorgant
• 20Fraser
• 32O'Kane
• 38Cargill

Fulham

Formation 4-4-2

40Bettinelli

37Grimmer6Bodurov4Hutchinson3Stafylidis

8Parker21Christensen12Fofana10Ruiz

20Rodallega44McCormack

• 40Bettinelli
• 37Grimmer
• 6Bodurov
• 4Hutchinson
• 3Stafylidis
• 8Parker
• 21ChristensenSubstituted forWilliamsat 66'minutesBooked at 88mins
• 12Fofana
• 10RuizSubstituted forRobertsat 80'minutes
• 20RodallegaSubstituted forWoodrowat 87'minutes
• 44McCormack

Substitutes

• 1Kiraly
• 13Zverotic
• 14Roberts
• 16Woodrow
• 27Williams
• 28Hyndman
• 33Burn

Referee:

Keith Stroud

Attendance:

10,926

Match Stats

Home TeamBournemouthAway TeamFulham

Possession

Home52%

Away48%

Shots

Home17

Away6

Shots on Target

Home7

Away0

Corners

Home6

Away5

Fouls

Home9

Away14

Live Text

1. Post update

   Match ends, Bournemouth 2, Fulham 0.

2. 90'+6'

   Full Time

   Second Half ends, Bournemouth 2, Fulham 0.

3. 90'+5'

   Post update

   Attempt missed. Harry Arter (Bournemouth) left footed shot from the centre of the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Adam Smith.

4. 90'+3'

   Substitution

   Substitution, Bournemouth. Adam Smith replaces Matt Ritchie.

5. 90'+3'

   Substitution

   Substitution, Bournemouth. Yann Kermorgant replaces Callum Wilson.

6. 90'+1'

   Goal!

   Goal! Bournemouth 2, Fulham 0. Harry Arter (Bournemouth) left footed shot from outside the box to the bottom right corner.

7. 90'

   Post update

   Foul by Matt Ritchie (Bournemouth).

8. 90'

   Post update

   Cauley Woodrow (Fulham) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

9. 89'

   Booking

   Dan Gosling (Bournemouth) is shown the yellow card.

10. 88'

    Booking

    George Williams (Fulham) is shown the yellow card.

11. 88'

    Post update

    George Williams (Fulham) has gone down, but that's a dive.

12. 87'

    Substitution

    Substitution, Fulham. Cauley Woodrow replaces Hugo Rodallega.

13. 86'

    Post update

    Attempt saved. Marc Pugh (Bournemouth) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Matt Ritchie with a cross.

14. 86'

    Substitution

    Substitution, Bournemouth. Dan Gosling replaces Brett Pitman.

15. 85'

    Post update

    Attempt missed. Matt Ritchie (Bournemouth) left footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Brett Pitman following a corner.

16. 84'

    Post update

    Corner, Bournemouth. Conceded by Konstantinos Stafylidis.

17. 82'

    Post update

    Foul by Callum Wilson (Bournemouth).

18. 82'

    Post update

    Nikolay Bodurov (Fulham) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

19. 82'

    Booking

    Brett Pitman (Bournemouth) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

20. 82'

    Post update

    Foul by Brett Pitman (Bournemouth).

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