Fulham clinched the Second Division championship in style by putting four goals past Millwall on a special night at Craven Cottage.
The Whites were 3-0 up inside 48 minutes, which conveniently allowed England boss Kevin Keegan to turn his mind to fine tuning his squad selection with international duty impending. They capitalised ruthlessly on Millwall’s Auto WIndscreens Final hangover, with 20 year-old forward Kevin Betsy responding to be handed a first senior start with his first goal for the club. The £150,000 arrival from Woking showed high quality finishing in turning home after clever combination play between Paul Peschisolido and Rufus Brevett.
Betsy had warned the Lions of his threat by hitting the base of the post two minutes previously and the Cottagers quickly took total command. Hayles added a second in added time at the end of the first period when he connected with another Brevett cross after the full back had bombed along the left flank. Millwall were hindered by injuries to defenders Gerard Lavin and Joe Dolan but there was no let up as Kevin Symons headed in his eleventh of a remarkable goalscoring season three minutes after the interval.
The Welsh centre half proved he was more useful at the other end of the field when he screwed a shot wide when it seemed easier to score and Millwall briefly showed some fight when Keith Stephens and Alan McLeary summoned Paul Shaw from the substitutes bench. The former Arsenal forward almost scored with his first touch but he did grab his customary goal against the Cottagers two minutes later, only for Steve Finnan to make it four in the final minute.
FULHAM (3-4-3): M. Taylor; Albert, Symons, Coleman; J. Smith, Brevett, Finnan, Hayward; Betsy (Davis 78), Peschisolido, Hayles. Subs (not used): Smith, Lehmann.
BOOKED: Hayles.
GOALS: Betsy (19), Hayles (40), Symons (48), Finnan (89).
MILLWALL (3-5-2): Roberts; Lavin (Odunsi 7), Dolan (Grant 36), Nethercott; Reid, Stuart, Ifill, Bircham, Cahill; Sadlier (Shaw 71), Harris.
BOOKED: Reid, Nethercott, Odunsi, Stuart.
GOAL: Shaw (75).
REFEREE: Roger Furnandiz (West Midlands).
ATTENDANCE: 11,266.
