Parker ‘relieved’ as fulham finally taste victory

Scott Parker was relieved as Fulham ended a run of five games without a win with a 2-0 defeat of Wigan at Craven Cottage. Parker conceded his side had been scarred after conceding late

equalisers in their previous two games. But Tom Cairney’s 83rd-minute strike created a two-goal cushion following Joe Bryan’s 47th-minute opener to ensure there would be no repeat. You may

like The manager said: “I think everyone was relieved. I was relieved on the side, along with the coaches. Certainly the players, and I think the fans were as well. “I think over the last

few weeks the results haven’t been there, but performances certainly have. We have probably played better over the course of the last few weeks and not got the results. “I think the result

was key tonight obviously, and the second goal going in probably just took that edginess off us. “And I understand that. We have been wounded over the last few weeks and when you have sucker

punches like we have over the last few weeks it has an effect. And certainly it has had an effect on the players and it probably had an effect on the crowd at times. The best features, fun

and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week. “But the players were superb tonight and it’s a good result.” Parker insisted his side had been forced to work hard for the win.

He added: “Every team that has come here has set their stall out and been very resilient in their work and been difficult to break down. “We have worked all week on moving the ball and

trying to get more balls into the box and keeping the tempo high. I felt we did that well tonight, against a good side. “In the last few weeks, we have gone 1-0 up and probably sat off it a

little bit and given the team a bit more impetus to come at us and we have paid the price for that.” Wigan manager Paul Cook had no complaints about the result which brought an end to his

side’s three-game unbeaten run. He said: “It was a fair result. I’ve no problems with the result in any shape or form. “I think Fulham are a very, very good side and they played very well

tonight and deserved the win. “We keep going. It was always going to be a tough night. We stuck at it with admirable qualities without ever looking like we would get back into it.” Michael

Jacobs was substituted at half-time and Cook admitted the midfielder was withdrawn as a precautionary measure. He said: “Michael was feeling his hamstring. He hasn’t pulled it, but we can’t

take any chances. “I was just disappointed with the result and the one or two niggles we picked up but that’s football.” Jamal Lowe and Kieffer Moore, signed from Barnsley and Portsmouth

respectively during the close season, are still looking for their first Wigan goals and Cook admits it will take time for the pair to settle in. He said: “I think they are doing their best.

They’ve stepped up a level and there is a big difference between League One and the Championship. The two lads are working hard and the goals will come.”