Boa Morte exposes Chelsea

Chelsea 1 Fulham 1

Whether it's a spat over the height of leylandii or merely the distribution of Premiership points, disputes with neighbours can be stressful events which are frequently resolved by compromise. This was ultimately the case here yesterday, though not before Fulham had responded to a perceived injustice which resulted in Chelsea's goal with a quite exquisite equaliser from Luis Boa Morte.

This was no drop-in for tea and sympathy by a Fulham team who, having been temporarily forced to quit their famous old family estate, were for the first time this season actually back on home territory. Though they still need a victory to be assured of Premiership status next season, things are looking auspicious again under caretaker-manager Chris Coleman. After seeing his men defeat one Champions' League aspirant, Newcastle, and hold another here yesterday during his three games in charge, the former Welsh international might have been tempted to believe that he is already cut out for this management lark. But he insisted: "It's definitely too early for me. I wouldn't accept it even if it was offered. Maybe in a couple of years' time."

Claudio Ranieri, after witnessing his team carelessly discard two points, which makes Champions' League qualification all the more problematic, would presumably counsel him to the same effect. At the start of play Ranieri had been insistent that his team must win all three of their remaining games to be sure of finishing in the top four. By the end, the Italian had radically revised his opinion. "If we win against Liverpool [their final game] we are in the Champions' League," he reflected.

Fulham can only fantasise about such possible nights ahead. Their aspirations have declined a long way since their bullish chairman, Mohamed Al-Fayed, promised to transform his club into the "Manchester United of the south" after they won promotion two years ago.

Coleman, evidently determined to demonstrate that he is no mere clone of the departed Jean Tigana, had changed their established 4-4-2 formation to a 4-2-3-1, with Elvis Hammond the lone front-runner. For most of the first half it was a largely thankless task for the 22-year-old.

Gianfranco Zola, who had scored a wondrous goal in the 4-1 triumph over Everton as a late substitute, fashioned Chelsea's first clear opportunity. His exquisite pass found Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, but the Dutchman dwelt on the ball and was eventually thwarted by excellent defending from Andy Melville and Steve Finnan. Then Frank Lampard was felled in the area by Sean Davis, though the Fulham midfielder appeared to have nicked the ball away in the process. Referee David Elleray rightly ignored penalty claims.

At that stage Fulham – or, as the match programme rather dismissively described them, the "Loftus Road Tenants" – had the look of men who were decidedly uncertain about their Premiership futures. Not that the home side were looking too inspired, either, and it required a bizarre and somewhat fortuitous goal six minutes before the interval for Chelsea finally to assert themselves.

Zola curled in one of his tantalising free-kicks from the left flank. It evaded everyone, including goalkeeper Maik Taylor, who slipped, and bounced up against the bar. John Terry, appearing at the far post, attempted to force the ball over the line with shoulder or chest – the Fulham fans angrily claimed it was arm – and it was actually Alain Goma who diverted it into the net. "I'm not complaining," said Coleman, who clearly has much to learn about the job. "Though if we had lost 1-0 I might have had something different to say." Perversely, the goal actually served to galvanise Fulham, and they enjoyed one of their best periods of the match, Carlo Cudicini having to make smart saves from Hammond and Davis.

Just after the break, Graeme Le Saux slung over a precise cross for Hasselbaink, and it took an acrobatic save from Taylor to turn away his header. Then the pacy striker supplied William Gallas to send the ball goalwards with a deft touch. He was denied by Taylor, who lost the ball. When Lampard pounced for the kill, the England midfielder contrived to strike the bar.

The escape gave the visitors heart, and they gained a merited reply in the 66th minute. It was a virtuoso goal too, with Fulham working the ball out of defence to Boa Morte on the edge of the home area. The Portuguese midfielder left Marcel Desailly for dead as he cut in, then dragged the ball back and appeared to be going nowhere; yet, with his back virtually to goal, he unleashed a superb shot across and past the bemused Cudicini.

At the death, John Collins might just have won it with a long-range attempt. But that would have rewarded Fulham too generously for their second-half enterprise; and been too much for Chelsea to bear.

Chelsea 1
Goma og 39

Fulham 1
Boa Morte 66

Half-time: 1-0 Attendance: 40,792