Hat-trick hero Nick Cusack believes Fulham can win promotion from the Third Division next season.
Cusack was in confident mood after bagging the first treble of his professional career. The former Motherwell and Oxford United striker said: “We’ve got to try and emulate what Carlisle United have done this season and end up as runaway champions. We have a strong enough squad to be promotion favourites. The important thing is to keep young players like Duncan Jupp and Michael Mison.”
Ian Branfoot’s side saved one of their most comprehensive performances for the final day of the season. Cusack was the beneficiary of some dozy defending from a Rochdale side that looked as though they had headed for the beach a week early. The 29 year-old opened the scoring with a predatory finish from a fine Martin Thomas cross with the visitors’ square defence caught on the hop after Fulham broke devastatingly once Jamie Taylor had smashed a shot against Lee Harrison’s crossbar.
Cusack’s second arrived two minutes later when Mark Blake headed on a corner from Gary Brazil and the striker was afforded the time to swivel and shoot high into the Dale net. Thomas then put the contest beyond the visitors with a clever glancing header from an inviting Brazil ball into the box.
The away side carved out several chances to force their way back into the contest after half time but Harrison made a pair of fine fingertip saves to deny shots from Taylor and Steve Whitehall. Fulham, enlivened by their goalkeeper’s heroics, increased their lead eleven minutes into the second half. Cusack turned provider, switching the ball superbly out to teenage midfielder Danny Bolt whose cross was converted at close-range by the razor sharp Brazil.
Cusack completed his hat-trick with a venomous right-footed finish from substitute Rory Hamill’s cross to the cheers of the Craven Cottage faithful.
FULHAM: Harrison; Finnigan, Herrera, Ferney (Mison 64), Angus, Blake, M. Thomas, Morgan, Cusack, Bolt (Hamill 72), Brazil. Sub (not used): Stannard..
GOALS: Cusack (9, 11, 78), M. Thomas (16), Brazil (56).
ATTENDANCE: 4,342.
