Burnley gave their Second Division survival hopes a huge boost by stunning promotion-chasing Fulham at Turf Moor this afternoon.
The Clarets got off the best possible start when Andy Cooke fired them in front in just the second minute. Cooke crashed home at the second attempt after latching onto a clever ball from Payton having sent his first shot saved by Maik Taylor. Both Cooke and Payton spurned good chances to extend the home side’s lead but Fulham twelve minutes before the break when the in-form Paul Moody raced onto a clever pass from the peerless Paul Beardsley and scored with the follow-up after Chris Woods had parried his first effort.
The big-spending visitors had the better of the chances after that but Winstanley saved well from Beardsley, Moody and Peschisolido before substitute Tony Thorpe headed wide from a Rufus Brevett cross when it appeared to easier to find the net. Payton pinched a precious three points for Chris Waddle’s side when he bundled in Damien Matthew’s right-wing cross eight minutes from time.
BURNLEY (4-3-3): Woods; Winstanley, Ford, Mullin, Matthew; Little (Brass 89), Weller, Harrison; Payton (Vinnicombe 85), Cooke, Moore. Subs (not used): Hoyland.
BOOKED: Little, Moore.
GOAL: Cooke (2), Payton (82).
FULHAM (4-4-2): Taylor; Lawrence, Brevett, Blake, Coleman; Bracewell, Smith, Beardsley, Brazier (Trollope 59); Moody, Peschisolido (Thorpe 65). Subs (not used): Hayward.
BOOKED: Moody, Brazier.
GOAL: Moody (33).
REFEREE: David Pugh (Wirral).
ATTENDANCE: 9,745
