Fulham moved effortlessly on towards the Premiership as they thrashed Tranmere Rovers 4-1 this evening in an exhibition of counter-attacking football.
Jean Tigana’s side have redefined how you thrive in Division One by remaining true to the Frenchman’s fundamentals of possession, moving and pace even when faced with some of the league’s more physical sides. The results have been even more successful that Mohamed Al-Fayed would have dreamed when he persuaded the former Monaco manager to take over from Paul Bracewell at Craven Cottage and they utterly overwhelmed bottom club Tranmere in front of the television cameras this evening.
The Londoners picked apart their hosts at will and showed enough quality on the ball to avoid the Prenton Park humbling that has befallen plenty of English’s football giants in cup competitions in recent years. Louis Saha returned to the starting line up in place of the banned Luis Boa Morte and took just three minutes to do what he does best. The opening goal arrived courtesy of a lightning Fulham break, begun by goalkeeper Maik Taylor, and finished by Saha who spun away from Jeff Kenna to send Andrejs Stolcers’ cross beneath a beaten Joe Murphy.
Simon Osborn didn’t endear himself to his new employers when he dwelt on possession in front of Lee Clark. The former Sunderland midfielder stripped Osborn of the ball and advanced ominously before slipping in Barry Hayles, who thundered in his nineteenth goal of the campaign from the edge of the box. Rovers threatened sporadically but they could have done with Mickey Mellon converting a good chance from seven yards right before half time rather than dragging his shot wide.
Substitutes Seyni N’Diaye and Stuart Barlow did pose problems for the Fulham defence in the second half but Jason Koumas thrashed over the top after N’Diaye had lifted a lovely ball into his path. The Welsh midfielder was soon punished as Clark skated past Kenna and Richard Jobson to beat Murphy and make it 3-0 from another excellent Fulham counter-attack. Saha scored his second of the evening with a simple header from Kit Symons’ cross with six minutes remaining after Steve Finnan had encouraged the centre back to surge along the right flank.
Osborn did make amends by pulling a goal back for the hosts in stoppage time – but, by then, a timid Tranmere had been beaten into submission.
TRANMERE ROVERS (4-4-2): Murphy, Kenna, Allen, Jobson, Roberts, Koumas, Flynn, Mellon, Osborn, Allison (N’Diaye 45), Rideout (Barlow 45). Subs (not used): Achterberg, Yates, Hume.
GOAL: Osborn (90).
FULHAM (4-4-2): Taylor; Finnan, Brevett, Melville, Symons; Davis, J. Collins, Stolcers, Clark; Saha, Hayles. Subs (not used): Thompson, Neilson, Betsy, Moller, Riedle.
GOALS: Saha (3, 84), Hayles (28), Clark (65).
REFEREE: Roger Furnandiz (Doncaster).
ATTENDANCE: 12,362.
