Slavisa Jokanovic remaining grounded despite fearsome Fulham form

Posted Sunday, March 11, 2018 by PA

Slavisa Jokanovic is refusing to get carried away despite watching his Fulham side take another giant stride towards promotion thanks to a last-gasp strike from Aleksandar Mitrovic.

The Serbian notched his second goal of the game deep into stoppage time to make it four successive wins for the Cottagers, who now move up to third in the Sky Bet Championship table after the 2-1 triumph.

It was just a third defeat in 21 games for Preston, who drop to four points off the play-off places.

And Jokanovic hailed the determination and spirit of his players after they battled until the death to claim the all-important win and keep up the pressure on the automatic promotion hopefuls.

“I have to be satisfied,” he said. “It is massive for us in one of the toughest away games we played.

“We knew what we would find here, they put us under lots of pressure, we didn’t find it in the first 45 minutes but in the second half we grew up and we showed great spirit.

“We pushed hard after they scored and we realised we are still in a strong position to win the game and in the end it’s credit for the ambition and the quality that they showed today, especially at the end of the match.

“We know Aleksandar can help us and at the end all the players like Aleksandar deserve to be satisfied and happy with our performance.

“It’s true that we keep going, it really is not easy to play against Preston. They put us under stress and they are a strong and intensive side. The way for us to win the game in this kind of situation in the last minute, we must be satisfied.”

Fulham who broke the deadlock after 69 minutes, Cyrus Christie crossing from the right for Mitrovic, who fired in right-footed from 12 yards.

Ben Pearson picked out Sean Maguire six yards out and his header was fumbled into the back of his net by Marcus Bettinelli to give Preston the equaliser.

But it was Fulham who took home all three points though as Tom Cairney’s delightful lofted cross to the back post was nodded in by Mitrovic.

Preston manager Alex Neil said: “I don’t think the best team won the game. People talk about Fulham being the best team in the division.

“I thought we were the better side, we had the better chances. For how much ball we had at the top end of the pitch we need to hurt them a little bit more.

“I thought my team were brilliant, I really did. I think our naivety at the end is what has probably cost us. I’m critical when I don’t think we’ve played well but I thought we didn’t everything I asked of them today.”