Geoff Horsfield continued his sensational form with a brace as Fulham battered Luton 4-0 to move nine points clear at the top of Division Two.
The former Halifax centre forward took his tally to eight goals in his last five games and the travelling Fulham fans unfurled a huge banner proclaiming ‘Horsfield for England’ after the one-time brickie had scored his second of the night at Kenilworth Road.
Kelvin Davis produced a superb penalty save to deny Steve Finnan from the spot after Alan White had been sent off for hauling over Barry Hayles in the box – but the dismissal ruined what had been a lively came as a contest. It took Horsfield just two minutes to exploit Fulham’s numerical advantage as lashed home his eleventh goal of the season for the Whites after a powerful solo run.
Paul Trollope doubled the visitors’ lead twenty minutes into the second half – blasting home his first goal of the campaign – after latching onto a Horsfield lay-off. The Fulham number nine made it three by thumping home Steve Finnan’s fine cross and Hayles rounded off the scoring six minutes from time to the delight of Kevin Keegan, who now has the tricky task of ignoring his club’s potent striker when he settles on his first England squad.
LUTON TOWN (4-4-2): Davis; Johnson, Alexander, White, Thomas (McGowan 73); Harrison, Spring, McKinnon, Douglas (McLaren 62); Gray, George (Cox 62).
BOOKED: McKinnon, White.
SENT OFF: White.
FULHAM (4-4-2): Taylor; Finnan, Brevett, Symons, Coleman; Smith (McAnespie 81), Morgan, Hayward, Trollope; Horsfield (Lehmann 87), Hayles (Betsy 87).
BOOKED: Finnan.
GOALS: Horsfield (34, 73), Trollope (64), Hayles (85).
REFEREE: Mike Dean (The Wirral).
ATTENDNACE: 7,242.