A brace from Barry Hayles sparked a goal bonanza as Fulham settled their FA Cup third round replay at Luton Town with goals in the space of six second half minutes.
The Whites, who were forced to travel to Kenilworth Road by Matthew Spring’s stunning equaliser at Craven Cottage eleven days ago, had to wait until just before the hour mark for Hayles to break the deadlock. The barrel-chested forward touched home a cross from Lee Clark to give the Division One side the lead after an error from Stuart Fraser gave Steve Hayward the opportunity to send Lee Clark scampering along the left wing.
The classy Clark laid on the second for Hayles just two minutes later. The former Sunderland midfielder produced a peach of pass to find the former Bristol Rovers centre forward after a dreadful mistake from Paul McClaren. The visitors made it three through Hayward’s fabulous free-kick from fully thirty yards.
Paul Bracewell’s side will now take on Premiership opposition in the shape of Wimbledon at Craven Cottage in the fourth round in January.
LUTON TOWN (4-3-3): Abbey; Fraser (Boyce 60), Watts, Doherty, Johnson, Locke; Spring, McClaren, Matt Taylor; Douglas, George. Subs (not used): Tate, Ayres, Scarlett, Kandol.
FULHAM (5-3-2): Maik Taylor; Finnan, Brevett, Morgan, Melville (Trollope 78); Hayward, W. Collins, Clark; Horsfield, Hayles. Subs (not used): Hahnemann, Uhlenbeek, Selley.
BOOKED: Hayles.
GOALS: Hayles (57, 60), Hayward (63).
REFEREE: Graham Frankland (Cleveland).
ATTENDANCE: 8,170.
