Simon Morgan’s double set Fulham on the way to an impressive Easter Monday win at Hartlepool United in the Whites’ longest away trip of the season.
A soaked Victoria Ground was passed as playable despite persistent rain, but the Whites were without forward Sean Farrell, who had been left out following Saturday’s success at home to Leyton Orient. Skipper Morgan, who later went close with a couple of efforts for the visitors, created Fulham’s best chance of the first half with a clever ball over the Hartlepool back four, which Gary Brazil drove just over the crossbar. Peter Baah also almost opened the scoring, whilst the hosts only effort of any note before the break saw Scottish defender John MacPhail stretch Jim Stannard from a set-play.
Brazil went close to doubling Fulham’s advantage early in the second half with a looping header from Martin Pike’s cross, but the visitors had a massive let-off when a misplaced pass from Ara Bedrossian allowed attacking midfielder Nicky Southall to advance on goal only for Stannard to make a superb save. That proved particularly costly for Pools as Bedrossian brilliantly created space for himself with an artful flick from a throw-in to cross into the box. Both Brazil and Morgan had shots blocked but the Fulham skipper fired into the corner of Martin Hodge’s net on the follow-up.
Morgan put Fulham in a commanding position by scoring a second six minutes later. Udo Onwere sent him scampering clear of a horribly square home back four and Morgan finished with a minimum of fuss to the delight of the travelling fans. He might have had a hat-trick were it not for the frame of goal, but Brazil added a fabulous third with ten minutes by curling an excellent effort around the helpless Hodge and into the far corner from the edge of the area.
HARTLEPOOL UNITED: Hodge; Cross, Tait, Gilchrist (Peverell 71), MacPhail, Nobbs, Gallagher, Honour, Olsson, Emerson, Southall.
FULHAM: Stannard; Nebbeling, G. Thomas, Pike, Morgan, Newson, Bedrossian (Haag 75), Onwere, Hails, Baah (M. Kelly 59), Brazil.
GOALS: Morgan (62, 68), Brazil (80).
REFEREE: Joe Worrall (Warrington).
ATTENDANCE: 2,361.
