A brace from Gary Brazil fired Fulham to their first home win of the calendar year as dismal Darlington were thrashed at Craven Cottage last night.
The damaging defeat leaves Darlington deep in the relegation zone and in serious danger of dropping down to the fourth division. They started well in SW6, however, and had the ball in the net after a quarter of hour, although Lee Ellison’s was rightly ruled offside. An even first period was enlivened two minutes before the interval by former Newcastle forward Brazil, who brilliantly chipped Mark Prudhoe to give Don Mackay’s men the tonic of a half-time lead. Brazil, who seems to divide the Fulham fanbase, started the move in the centre circle by spreading the play to David Byrne and advanced to deftly dink the ball over Prudhoe after Farrell had flicked on the winger’s cross.
The hosts should have been out of sight early in the second half when referee Ray Bigger harshly adjudged that Kevan Smith had handled a John Marshall cross. Farrell fired the penalty wide of the target, but that only served to fire up the Fulham striker. He made amends six minutes later when he drilled Marshall’s precise pass in the bottom corner with real aplomb.
The Quakers then had to push men forward to try and rescue an unlikely point – and were caught short at the back. Jeff Eckhardt headed the third when he converted Byrne’s cross at the back post with thirteen minutes remaining and there was even time for Brazil to score the simplest goal of his career after Prudhoe raced out of his goal to collect Eckhardt’s hopeful punt forward but the ball bounced over the luckless goalkeeper, allowing Brazil to roll a finish into the unguarded net in bizarre circumstances.
A delighted Mackay said afterwards: “I was pleased with the win. I was worried the missed penalty might put us off track, but it actually worked the other way round and made us more determined. I only wish more people were here to see it because we are playing some attractive football. This could be our last season at Craven Cottage. People should come for the memories before it’s too late.”
FULHAM: Stannard; Eckhardt, Pike, Marshall, Morgan, Tucker, Byrne (Hails 80), Scott, M. Kelly, Brazil, Farrell (Haag 80).
GOALS: Brazil (43, 78), Farrell (57), Eckhardt (77).
DARLINGTON: Prudhoe; Gaughan, Tait, Pickering, Smith, O’Shaugnessey, Isaacs, Coverdale, Cusack, Ellison, Dewhurst. Subs (not used): Cork, Gray.
REFEREE: Ray Bigger (Norfolk).
ATTENDANCE: 2,988.
