Veteran midfielder Jim Harvey made one and scored another as high-flying Tranmere Rovers ground out an important victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage this afternoon.
Former Hereford United man Harvey controlled the engine room alongside the experienced Neil McNab and the pair’s know how, amassed over more than a combined 1,000 league outings between them, proved the difference against Alan Dicks’ side. Harvey punished a poor clearance from Fulham goalkeeper Jim Stannard to float a first time ball into the box that was glanced home by Dave Higgins for the centre back’s first goal of the season.
Higgins, whose main job was marking Gordon Davies, was punished for his one defensive lapse of the afternoon just before the hour mark. Welsh veteran Davies escaped the attentions of the Liverpool-born defender to guide home an instinctive finish from the edge of the box after latching onto a lay-off from Phil Gray after clever play from Peter Scott.
But Tranmere secured victory nine minutes later when Harvey arrived unmarked in the area to follow up after Ian Muir’s deflected shot run free across the goalmouth. Rovers could easily have had more with Stannard doing well to keep out an effort from James Steel, but John King’s promotion contenders were good value for this vital victory.
FULHAM: Stannard; North, G. Thomas, Pike (Milton 80), Morgan, Newson, Scott, Ferney (Skinner 77), Brazil, Davies, Gray.
GOAL: Davies (59).
TRANMERE ROVERS: Nixon; Hughes, Vickers, Higgins, T. Thomas, Brannan, McNab, Harvey, Morrissey, Muir, Steel. Subs (not used): Martindale, Irons.
BOOKED: Hughes.
GOALS: Higgins (41), Harvey (68).
REFEREE: Keren Barratt (Coventry).
ATTENDANCE: 4,194.
