Steve Bull’s five hat-trick of a superb season fired Wolverhampton Wanderers’ to a 5-2 thrashing of ten-man Fulham at Molineux this afternoon.
The unstoppable centre forward scored twice in the first fifteen minutes as Fulham’s new centre half Doug Rougvie, signed from Shrewsbury Town last week, endured a nightmare debut. Bull opened the scoring with a fierce drive from eight yards out after Jim Stannard had saved well from Andy Mutch with Fulham’s marking non-existent at an early corner. The red-hot striker, valued at more than £1m, made it two when he chested down a right-wing cross from Andy Thomas and swivelled to shoot past Stannard from eleven yards out.
Gordon Davies gave the Whites’ hope when he forced home a low cross from Clive Walker in the 25th minute to overtake the legendary Johnny Haynes and become Fulham’s all-time leading goalscorer, but it proved a false down for Ray Lewington’s side. Glen Thomas inadvertently headed into his own net with Bull lurking behind him to restore Wolves’ two-goal advantage before John Marshall conceded a penalty that was clinically converted by Thompson to make it 4-1.
Bull completed his hat-trick in the 71st minute before debutant Rougvie grabbed a consolation goal to make the scoreline a little more respectable for Fulham. Lewington will have to do without the services of Walker for at least two games of the promotion run-in, however, after the former Chelsea winger was shown a second yellow card for dissent in stoppage time having argued with the referee.
WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS: Kendall; Thompson, Bellamy, Venus, Dennison, Vaughan, Gooding, Downing, Mutch, Bull, Streete.
GOALS: Bull (3), Thomas (o.g.), Thompson.
FULHAM: Stannard; Thomas, Elkins, Rougvie, Marshall, Scott, Barnett, Wilson, Walker, Cole, Davies. Subs (not used): Skinner, Sayer.
BOOKED: Wilson.
SENT OFF: Walker.
GOALS: Davies (25), Rougvie (81).
ATTENDANCE: 15,621.
