Fulham 2-2 Bristol Rovers

Fulham 2-2 Bristol Rovers

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Fulham twice had to come from behind to force a replay with League One strugglers Bristol Rovers.

Danny Coles' right foot drive gave the visitors a shock lead inside three minutes, but David Healey headed Fulham level five minutes before half-time.

Against the run of play, Rovers regained the lead after the interval thanks to Craig Hinton's header.

But Danny Murphy spared the Premiership side's blushes with a rasping effort to force a replay on Tuesday week.

Both sides searched for a winner in a pulsating finish to this cup tie, but Rovers will be happiest with the result after defending for large parts of the game.

The 7,000 travelling fans greeted the final whistle with a huge roar as Fulham's supporters, who have not seen their team win in 10 games, booed their team from the pitch.

The visitors stunned their Premiership hosts inside three minutes as Danny Coles beat Antti Niemi with a right foot drive.

Fulham, who currently sit 19th in the Premiership, looked nervy and struggled to break down a resilient Rovers side, who seemed buoyed by their early breakthrough.

Clint Dempsey did put the ball in the back of the net with a header on 10 minutes, but it was ruled out for a foul on Rovers defender Steve Elliot by Dejan Stefanovic.

Fulham's American striker then headed straight at Steve Phillips and saw his shot deflected into the arms of the opposing goalkeeper as the home side searched for an equaliser.

Hameur Bouazza, returning from a one-match ban, lasted just 25 minutes as he was replaced by Chris Baird after sustaining an arm injury, before David Healey saw his appeals for a penalty turned down after tumbling on the edge of the area

Both Healey and Paul Konchesky shot wide but, five minutes before half-time, the Northern Ireland international levelled the scores.

A poor clearance by Aaron Lescott was helped back in by Moritz Volz and Healey, unmarked, scored from inside the six yard box.

The goal seemed to fill Fulham with more confidence and Phillips saved well from Healey, before making a good save from Alexey Smertin's 25-yard curler.

The Cottagers were far more confident in the second-half and after a slick move Dempsey's shot was saved low by Phillips, before a great tackle from Hinton denied the American a shot on goal after he turned well in the box.

But midway through the second period Rovers retook the lead against the run of play to once again stun Fulham and silence the home fans.

Chris lines' cross was met well by Hinton who rose unmarked eight yards out to head in his side's second goal of the afternoon.

However, their lead lasted just 10 minutes as Danny Murphy fired the home side level.

Steven Davis, with his first touch after replacing Alexey Smertin, played ball forward and Healey's knock down was hammered home emphatically by Murphy from 20 yards.

Fulham piled on the pressure in search of an equaliser but it was Rovers who finished the strongest as they earned a replay at the Memorial Ground on Tuesday 15 January.