Freddie Sears scored after 16 seconds to put the Blues in front at Fulham but Cottagers’ skipper Ross McCormack equalised in the 14th minute and the game remains 1-1 at half-time.

Town’s starting XI was unchanged for the fourth successive game, while Kevin Bru and Tommy Oar returned to the bench after hamstring and groin injuries respectively, but David McGoldrick dropped out due to injury. Jay Tabb also missed out on a place in the 18. For Fulham, former Blues loanee Richard Stearman started on the right of a back three.

In last season’s corresponding fixture, Town went in front after five minutes. This time around they needed only 16 seconds to grab the lead.

Sears latched on to a Daryl Murphy knockdown on the left just inside the Fulham half and burst past several defenders before shooting low to keeper Andy Lonergan’s left and into the corner of the net for his sixth goal of the season.

Having gone in front Town continued to take the game to the home side and in the ninth minute they were within a whisker of making it 2-0. Following a series of Fulham mis-clearances, Ainsley Maitland-Niles found himself some space on the edge of the box before unleashing a strike which beat Lonergan but hit the bar.

The Blues remained encamped inside the Fulham half and on 11, after Town had won corners, Jonas Knudsen hit a shot which deflected away from goal and was again unconvincingly cleared by the shambolic Cottagers’ backline, who appeared to be struggling to get used to their revised formation.

But on 15 the home side levelled via their first shot of the game. Knudsen fouled Alexander Kacaniklic 30 yards out and skipper McCormack smashed a low freekick which skimmed across the sodden turf and into the right corner of Dean Gerken’s net.

It was a great strike but hardly a deserved equaliser on the balance of the first quarter hour which had been dominated by the Blues.

After Gerken had claimed a Fulham corner, Cole Skuse played Sears in on the left of the Fulham area but the former Colchester man’s strike flew just over. At the other end, McCormack cut in from the left but shot high and wide.

On 29 a Skuse shot deflected through to Lonergan, a Town target during Jim Magilton’s time in charge.

As the half moved into its final quarter hour the Blues began to regain their early level of control. Pitman almost played in Sears - who was by now operating on the right - with a clever reverse pass, then Douglas screwed a shot wide.

Maitland-Niles, now on the left, brought the ball inside in the 34th minute and took it to the edge of the box unchallenged before hitting a low shot which Lonergan saved down to his right.

Town continued to have most of the ball in the closing minutes of the half but without testing the Cottagers’ keeper further.

Having made a superb start via Sears’s excellent opening minute goal, the Blues dominated the early stages and could well have added to their lead with Maitland-Niles unfortunate to hit the woodwork.

Fulham’s leveller came entirely against the run of play, although it was a great strike from McCormack, and for a spell after the goal the game was more even.

But the Blues were again well in charge as referee Trevor Kettle’s whistle signalled the end of the half.

Fulham: Lonergan, Richards, Stearman, Burn, Ream, Garbutt, Kacaniklic, Cairney, O’Hara, McCormack (c), Dembele. Subs: Lewis, Hutchinson, Fredericks, Smith, Woodrow, Pringle, Hyndman.

Town: Gerken, Knudsen, Chambers (c), Smith, Berra, Skuse, Douglas, Maitland-Niles, Sears, Murphy, Pitman. Subs: Bialkowski, Parr, Fraser, Oar, Coke, Bru, Malarczyk. Referee: Trevor Kettle (Rutland).

Photo: Action Images

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