Fulham eased to an entertaining fifth away win of their Second Division campaign as they beat Blackpool with something to spare.
Any worries that the Whites might suffer from a hangover after their midweek exploits at Anfield in the League Cup were swiftly put to bed as Kevin Keegan’s side swiftly opened up a two-goal lead at Bloomfield Road. Simon Morgan recovered from the disappointment of scoring an own goal at Liverpool by finding the net at the right end to give the visitors the lead. The Fulham veteran volleyed home an inviting cross from Paul Bracewell to break the deadlock on 24 minutes with his first goal of the season – and the Cottagers were 2-0 up from their very next attack.
Lively forward Geoff Horsfield was hauled down in the area by a dozy Tony Butler and Steve Hayward made no mistake from twelve yards. Full back John Hills gave the home side some real hope by halving their arrears with a fabulous free-kick from 25 yards on the half hour, but Horsfield restored Fulham’s two-goal cushion within four minutes with a brilliant striker.
The former Halifax forward smashed in his second goal for the Londoners with real aplomb after being picked out by Paul Peschisolido after the Canadian striker, who scored his own stunning strike on the big stage in midweek, had surged down the left flank. The Whites were made to fret in the second half after Martin Aldridge drove in another excellent free-kick from 20 yards out – but Keegan’s men held on for an important victory.
BLACKPOOL (5-3-2): Banks; Thompson, Butler, Carlisle, Robinson (Bent 52), Hills; Bryan, Bushell, Clarkson; Conroy (Nowland 79), Aldridge. Subs (not used): Garvey.
BOOKED: Carlisle, Clarkson, Butler.
GOALS: Hills (30), Aldridge (62).
FULHAM (4-4-2): Taylor; Uhlenbeek, Brevett, Symons, Coleman; Bracewell, Morgan, W. Collins, Hayward; Horsfield (Lehmann 88), Peschisolido. Subs (not used): Smith, Beardsley.
BOOKED: Brevett.
GOALS: Morgan (24), Hayward (pen 26), Horsfield (34).
REFEREE: Graham Frankland (Middlesbrough).
ATTENDANCE: 5,904.
