There's only one “F” in Fulham. So went the title of the fanzine. Which rumour has it is still going, if not strong, then well, still “going” at least.

And that is some achievement even if we couldn't find a copy outside Craven Cottage yesterday.

There's only one F in Fulham, except there's not. There’s many “F’s” currently in Fulham. When looking for them you could start with the Food, the exceptional Putney Pies, the best Football Fare in England, narrowly beaten by the Legendary Killie Pie which takes the best in Britain award (in my eyes anyway).

On the pitch, there's Flair, Fulham play fantastic football, the sort you would gladly pay money to watch, Fast, Furious and with skill.

There's Fight, going a goal down coming back to take a 2-1 lead before being pegged back by an Alex Pearce headed goal from a corner.

And there's the Fans too. Where else would you have home and away fans mixing on the concourse? A “neutrals” section I believe you might call it. It works because you just can't hate Fulham.

How could you hate a team founded before the Rams, whose only honour is being crowned Champions of the level both teams currently play at?

How could you hate a club that has produced the likes of Johnny Haynes, George Cohen, Rodney Marsh, Alan Mullery and Ray Lewington? A club that would accommodate George Best, Alan Mullery and Bobby Moore.

How could you hate a team that play in white shirts and black shorts?

You can't.

Even if your record at Craven Cottage shows that the last time you won in the League at Craven Cottage was back in our “Championship” winning year of ‘68/69, Frank Wignall coming off the bench to score in our 1-0 victory.

So Fulham is always one of those days out that are a must. After a couple of obligatory beers in Putney it's to the match.

Steve McClaren makes three changes, in come Matej Vydra, Craig Bryson and Johnny Russell for Darren Bent, Hughes and Weimann. So pace and on the deck it has to be. In theory anyway.

Fulham though play the early football, Floyd Ayite feeds Lucas Piazon only for Alex Pearce to block and Scott Carson to collect the low shot.

Our defence was the busier and Scott Carson was called on to make a couple more saves which he handles confidently.

Despite seeing little of the possession, we have an air of solidarity at the back. Shots blaze over the bar from long range, we don't care, our keeper nonchalant.

We care more when Russell bashes the ball forward from the half way line; there is no danger, a bread and butter clearance for the centre half. But rather than head it the defender attempts a kick, it fails spectacularly and the ball runs to Tom Ince.

Ince is through. One on one with the keeper. In the box. And cool as a Cornetto our hero slots the ball past David Button in the Cottagers goal.

Thirty five gone and the stand bounces.

Our lead though lasts but ten minutes, their No 2, Ryan Fredericks bursts into the Derby penalty area, Marcus Olsson isn't tight, we are narrow, Fredericks reaches the goal line and two yards out drives a low cross into the centre, Carson elects to stick out a foot, it misses and Ayite has a simple tap in to level the scores.

In truth 1-1 as the half time whistle blows is a fair reflection of the first forty five.

On the hour mark the Rams concede again, a straight shot which seems to go through Pearce with Carson unmoving on the line, a sucker punch from Stefan Johansen.

Trailing we gamble, on come Bent and Abdoul Camara, off go Vydra and Russell.

A corner to our left, in the centre Pearce and Richard Keogh speak; Pearce hand over mouth hatches a plan. Both our centre halves stand together and as the ball is floated in Pearce attacks it whilst Keogh stays stationary and blocks two markers, his own and Pearce’s.

The ball is inch perfect near the front post and Pearce heads firmly down and into the net to make it two all. Derby County have finally scored from a corner is the buzz in the stands!

Fifteen minutes left, the home side press for a winner, it leaves space and in the dying minutes Bradley Johnson in the centre circle is hacked at by Michael Madl, he stumbles, he’s through, a long way to go but only the keeper to beat.

The keeper… and the referees whistle. The latter stopping any thoughts of the former.

Too quick to blow the game is called back, Andy Woolmer the ref compounds his lack of judgement by only issuing a yellow when a red, last man, goal scoring opportunity and all that was deserved.

The game restarts and from having just one player in front of the ball, Fulham now have eleven. Where’s the justice in that? There's not much in ten, but at least it's fair play.

It ended 2-2, a fair result, the home side dominated possession and had more shots on target whilst the Rams winning seven game streak came to an end but we are still unbeaten.

Performance wise we were better today than on Wednesday and when we have our strongest team fit and on the field, we look capable of beating anybody, take a few players out though and our options become limited.

Still a good day out and a deserved result.

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