Some brilliant Burnley finishing saw the Clarets cruise to a comfortable 3-1 victory over Fulham at Turf Moor this afternoon.
Adrian Randall opened the scoring for the home side in the ninth minute, clinically firing past Jim Stannard after a lovely one-two at pace with summer signing Kevin Russell had opened up a gaping hole in the Fulham defence. Sean Farrell spurned the Cottagers’ clearest chances to equalise, shooting too close to Marlon Beresford when space opened up after a clever Gary Brazil pass, before the forward was inches away from connecting with Brazil’s cross.
Farrell also missed a good chance to equalise just after the interval when he struck a shot wastefully over the bar after more inventive approach play from Brazil. Burnley punished Fulham’s failure to take their chances when Russell and Randall worked a shooting opportunity on the left edge of the box for David Eyres, whose low effort had too much power for Stannard.
Brazil brought Fulham back into the contest with a lovely lob over Beresford from 35 yards after he had beaten the Burnley offside flag, but the hosts restored their two-goal lead within six minutes when John Deary was invited to cut in from the right and curl a fine finish around Stannard and into the far corner. The margin of victory might have greater for the Clarets but Stannard superbly kept out a Les Thompson drive before producing a stellar double save to deny Deary. Adrian Heath thought he had added a fourth with a cute back header, but his celebrations were cut short by the offside flag.
BURNLEY: Beresford; Davis, Pender, Thompson, Measham, Eyres, Deary, Randall, Francis, Heath, Russell. Subs (not used): Monnington, Farrell.
GOALS: Randall (9), Eyres (50), Dreary (63).
FULHAM: Stannard; G. Thomas, Pike, Marshall, Morgan, Onwere, Ferney, Hails, Baah, Brazil, Farrell (Eckhardt 75). Subs (not used): Harrison, Angus.
GOAL: Brazil (57).
REFEREE: John Lloyd.
ATTENDANCE: 9,021.
