Two first half goals from in-form forward Tony Philliskirk powered Bolton Wanderers to a comprehensive 3-0 win over relegation-threatened Fulham at Burnden Park this afternoon.
Wanderers extended their unbeaten run to twenty three Division Three fixtures and Fulham never looked like threatening a first away win of the season in a horribly one-sided contest. The home side went in front in the seventh minute when Philliskirk tapped home at the far post after Tony Parks could only push out a dangerous low cross from Julian Darby.
Bolton could easily have quickly moved further in front. Stacey North narrowly avoided slicing a clearance into his own net shortly after Philliskirk’s opener, whilst Steve Thompson sent two long-range sighters wide of Parks’ goal before Philliskirk himself hammered a drive from the edge of the area high over the crossbar.
The relief proved only temporary as Philliskirk doubled Bolton’s lead from the penalty spot a minute before the half hour. He went down under the slightest of challenges from Martin Pike, but quickly got to his feet to confidently dispatch the ensuing penalty. Fulham did put up more of a fight in the second half with Stant glancing a header wide from Steve Milton’s cross before Martin Pike chipped over and Scott sent a header wide from Stant’s cross before the striker snatched at a far post chance from a corner.
Bolton were much the better side again in the closing quarter of an hour with Parks preventing Philliskirk from completing his hat-trick before an unmarked David Reeves somehow missed the target from five yards out. Fulham’s misery was complete in the final minute of the ninety when both Gary Brazil and Pike failed to clear the danger before Reeves’ deep cross cut out the unfortunate Parks allowing Mark Patterson to bundle home a third.
BOLTON WANDERERS: Felgate; Green, Seagraves, Winstanley, Cowdrill, Brown, Thompson, Darby, Patterson, Reeves, Philliskirk.
GOALS: Philliskirk (7, pen 29), Patterson (89).
FULHAM: Parks; Finch (Langley 45, Davies 75), North, Pike, Morgan, Newson, Scott, Talbot, Brazil, Milton, Stant.
BOOKED: Stant.
REFEREE: Paul Vanes (West Midlands)
ATTENDANCE: 7,316.
