Sean Farrell scored a superb hat-trick as fantastic Fulham thrashed Burnley 4-0 at Craven Cottage this afternoon.
Don Mackay’s men earned revenge for the 5-2 Turf Moor thumping in October in some style as they ripped through the Clarets right from the off. Burnley’s cause was hardly helped by the dismissal of Ian Measham for two bookable offences, although the midfielder was fortunate to only see yellow for recklessly high challenge on Glen Thomas. The Whites took the lead five minutes before the break when Mark Kelly leathered in a lovely left-footed volley from the edge of the box.
Fulham utterly exploited their numerical advantage in a storming second half. Thomas produced a peach of a through ball to send Gary Brazil scampering down the wing five minutes after the interval and Farrell was on hand to double the lead from a pinpoint cross. He might have scored a spectacular third with a bicycle kick from Julian Hails’ cross before Brazil nodded over the bar from barely two yards out, but this wasn’t a day where the Cottagers would regret those misses.
Farrell scored a scrappy goal at the second time of asking from another Hails’ centre on 65 minutes and looked set to complete his hat-trick five minutes later when he was tripped by Kevin Wilson. But the striker’s spot-kick was well saved by Marlon Beresford, who then prevented Udo Onwere scoring a superb solo goal, but the insatiable Farrell was not to be denied. He scored his third of an incredible afternoon fifteen minutes time, turning home Brazil’s ball before being mobbed by his team-mates in front of the Hammersmith End.
Such was the fluidity of Fulham’s performance that Farrell could have finished with five were it not for a pair of late saves by Beresford. The victorious home side even earned applause from Burnley’s travelling support after the final whistle – an indication of the quality of their victory.
FULHAM: Stannard; G. Thomas, Pike, Morgan, Newson, Onwere, Bedrossian, M. Kelly, Hails, Brazil, S. Farrell. Subs (not used): Baah, Haag.
BOOKED: S. Farrell.
GOALS: M. Kelly (40), S. Farrell (50, 65, 75).
BURNLEY: Beresford; Davis, Pender, A. Farrell, Measham, Wilson, Harper, Dreary, Francis, Heath, Conroy. Subs (not used): Jakub, Monnington.
BOOKED: Measham.
SENT OFF: Measham.
ATTENDANCE: 5,531.
