Rory Hamill scored the fastest Fulham goal in the club’s history as he gave the Whites a dream start in their 4-2 win over promotion-chasing Mansfield Town at a frozen Craven Cottage this afternoon.
The Northern Irish striker scored after just seven seconds to warm up the Fulham faithful on a bitterly cold afternoon. Veteran midfielder Terry Hurlock played the ball through the Stags defence straight from the kick off and Hamill seized on hesitation from Lee Howarth to hammer the opening goal past a stunned Jason Trinder.
But the visitors equalised within two minutes when left back Ian Baraclough hammered an unstoppable drive past Jim Stannard after Fulham had failed to properly clear a cross from O’Neill Donaldson. Fulham repeated the trick within a minute of the second half getting underway as Duncan Jupp’s free-kick was allowed to reach Nick Cusack, who chested the ball down and volleyed into the roof of the net from twelve yards.
Mansfield levelled through a set piece of their own six minutes later. Simon Ireland’s corner fell at the feet of Stewart Hadley, whose first time effort flew through a sea of arms and legs and past the helpless Stannard, from the left edge of the penalty area. It was a tactical switch from Ian Branfoot, introducing left back Robbie Herrera just after the hour mark, that tilted this even contest in favour of Fulham.
Martin Thomas and Simon Morgan had gradually wrestled control of the midfield back for the home side and they went in front for a third time with ten minutes to play. Cusack climbed above Howarth to flick on a corner and centre back Mark Blake turned the ball home from close range at the far post. Fulham made sure of all three points in the last minute when Thomas grabbed a deserved goal by seeing off the attentions of Baraclough to drill home emphatically from the edge of the area.
FULHAM: Stannard; Jupp, Angus (Herrera 62), Hurlock, Moore, Blake, M. Thomas, Morgan, Cusack, Brazil, Hamill. Subs (not used): Harrison, Mison.
GOALS: Hamill (1), Cusack (46), Blake (80), M. Thomas (89).
MANSFIELD TOWN: Trinder; Boothroyd, Baraclough, Holland, Haworth, Lampkin, Ireland, Donaldson (Aspinall 84), Wilkinson, Hadley, Noteman (Peters 60). Sub (not used): Ward.
GOALS: Baraclough (3), Hadley (52).
REFEREE: Peter Foakes (Clacton).
ATTENDANCE: 4,091.
