A brace from Micky Adams helped Fulham cruise past Darlington at Craven Cottage this afternoon and creep even closer to the Division Three play-off positions.
Ian Branfoot’s men stretched their unbeaten run to eight matches as they easily disposed of a below-par Darlington outfit having been boosted by the return of Robbie Herrera from injury. Herrera’s restoration to the starting line-up allowed the experienced Adams to line up on the left side of midfield and the former Southampton man played a crucial role in this vital victory.
Adams opened the scoring with another fine free-kick – curling an unstoppable effort past Mike Pollitt, who might have been distracted by a dummy from Martin Thomas, in the twelfth minute. Thomas might have doubled the lead but the midfielder shot wide after the industrious Rory Hamill had forced a mistake from the nervy Darlington defence.
The visitors did threaten on the break in the second half but Jim Stannard did well to gather a downward header from Robbie Painter and Fulham quickly put the game to bed at the other end. After captain Simon Morgan was brought down just outside the area, Adams stepped up and hit a low free-kick around a wall that Bernie Slaven was still trying to put together. Darlington’s complaints came to nothing and Hamill then started and finished the move that led to Fulham’s third of the afternoon.
The eager striker stole possession from Sean Gregan and found Cusack, whose low cross from the right back was stepped over by Morgan to allow Hamill to poke the ball into the far corner. Slaven did steer home his 200th goal of a storied career to offer a late consolation for the travelling Darlington fans – but this was a well-earned victory for the Whites, who are now looking up the table eagerly.
FULHAM: Stannard; Jupp, Angus, Marshall, Moore, Blake, M. Thomas, Morgan, Cusack, Adams (Finnigan 75), Hamill. Subs (not used): Harrison, Cork.
GOALS: Adams (12, 59), Hamill (72).
ATTENDANCE: 3,846.
