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Man of the Match: Fulham 1-0 Bolton Wanderers: Ben Amos

All hail that man between the sticks, Ben Amos

Ben Amos was Bolton's standout performer against Fulham yesterday
Ben Amos was Bolton's standout performer against Fulham yesterday
Dave Thompson/Getty Images

Had it not been for Ben Amos yesterday, Bolton Wanderers would have seen in the end of a dreadful campaign on the wrong end of a four or five goal beating by a poor Fulham side.

The goalkeeper was in inspired form as he kept out a series of shots from the lively Tom Cairney and made a breathtaking late double save to keep the defeat almost respectable - on paper at least.

Amos has been excellent for most of this season, despite a couple of mistakes of late. But realistically, if you're playing behind a Bolton side that concedes chances for fun and fails with the basics of marking the opposition then you're inevitably going to make a few mistakes here and there.

Without Amos this season we would be in an even worse position with an even worse goal difference than we already are, as shown when the appalling Paul Rachubka has filled in for him - conceding 20 goals in his eight appearances.

Amos was at his best at Fulham yesterday, first pulling off a superb flying first half save from a long range curling effort by Cairney, which was destined for the top corner - but didn't even make the club's highlights reel.

He made another excellent save from young American midfielder Emerson Hyndman, turning a fierce near post shot away. He also made another save from big forward Matt Smith, before being helpless to stop Cairney's follow-up winner. But the best was yet to come from Amos.

Cairney fed a ball across the goal to Smith, who fired at goal only to be denied at point blank range by Amos. Then the ball bounced down to the feet of Ross McCormack, who looked like he had to score with a shot into the far corner but Amos recovered to parry with another great save and then catch the rebound.

Amos has been superb for the majority of this season, and I dread to think how many we would have conceded without him.