Floyd Ayite and Sheyi Ojo on target as Fulham defeat Barnsley

Posted Sunday, December 24, 2017 by PA

Second-half goals from Floyd Ayite and Sheyi Ojo earned Fulham a 2-1 Sky Bet Championship win over struggling Barnsley.

Ayite, recalled by home manager Slavisa Jokanovic following a hamstring injury, opened the scoring nine minutes into the second half at Craven Cottage.

Tom Bradshaw equalised midway through the second period, but parity was only restored for four minutes before Ojo settled matters in the hosts' favour.

Lucas Piazon was named on the Fulham bench following a broken leg, while Barnsley started Ethan Pinnock instead of the injured Matty Pearson in defence.

The Cottagers began the game on the attack. Barnsley goalkeeper Adam Davies failed to hold a Stefan Johansen free-kick on five minutes, but blocked a rebound from Tim Ream.

Davies was called into action again five minutes later to tip a curling Ojo effort over the bar.

The hosts remained on the front foot, with Aboubakar Kamara and Ryan Sessegnon frequently finding space down the left flank.

Fulham goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli almost gifted Barnsley the lead just after the half-hour mark when he misjudged a throw-out from the area and it landed in the path of Harvey Barnes, but the keeper's blushes were spared when he managed to scramble away the resulting shot on goal.

George Moncur sent an effort over the bar for Barnsley on 41 minutes after good work by Mamadou Thiam.

Ayite should have put the hosts ahead two minutes later, but put his header just wide of the upright after an excellent delivery by Ryan Sessegnon.

Fulham started the second half brighter, and Barnsley defender Andy Yiadom did well to clear a low cross into the box from Sessegnon.

The deadlock was finally broken on 54 minutes, when the impressive Ayite picked up the ball from 25 yards and fired home low to the right of Davies.

Barnsley made a double substitution just after the hour mark, with Lloyd Isgrove replacing Thiam, and Adam Hammill introduced for Moncur.

The change paid dividends on 69 minutes, when a cross by Yiadom found the head of Bradshaw to give the visitors their first goal in three games.

Fulham immediately made a change, with Neeskens Kebano replacing Ayite, and their lead was restored on 72 minutes when Ojo netted with a cross-come-shot that fooled Davies.

The home team were able to see out the rest of the game, including four minutes of stoppage time, as Barnsley left west Yorkshire empty-handed.