Fulham moved ten points clear of their nearest challengers at the top of the First Division after winning at Watford this lunchtime with a classical away display.
The Whites, who hammered Graham Taylor’s side 5-0 at Craven Cottage on Boxing Day, were a cut above at Vicarage Road again this afternoon as they outpassed and outplayed their hosts. They were clinical in front of goal even without the services of Barry Hayles, who had scored a hat-trick against Watford before Christmas. It was something of a surprise that the league leaders had to wait until just before the hour mark to take the lead when Luis Boa Morte bagged the first in a vital brace and top scorer Louis Saha settled matters after Watford had been handed a lifeline by Heidar Helguson.
The Hornets carried a real threat during a tight first half and, whilst Fulham’s fabulous approach play has been winning praise since Jean Tigana overhauled their footballing philosophy after taking over last summer, the plaudits definitely belonged to Maik Taylor. The Northern Ireland international goalkeeper made a superb save to deny Tommy Mooney from point blank range, successfully parrying the ball away from Gifton Noel-Williams for good measure, but the Watford top scorer should really have buried a great chance from Tommy Smith’s cut back.
Boa Morte had cause to curse his own finishing when he failed to find the target after a lightning Fulham break had seen Saha and Lee Clark cut the home defence to ribbons. Boa Morte and Saha’s movement and interplay meant Watford were never able to relax and Alec Chamberlain was forced to thwart the pair with good reaction saves on three occasions before half time. Bjarne Goldbaek also saw a shot blocked before Boa Morte was gifted the easiest of chances to open the scoring just before the hour.
Mooney had rattled the bar with a header but rather than be shaken by a lucky escape, Fulham swept upfield in another swift break. The usually reliable Neil Cox appeared to have intercepted Saha’s pass on the edge of the Watford box but he was carless with his backpass towards Chamberlain, with a lack of power allowing Boa Morte to nip in, round the stranded goalkeeper and give Fulham the lead. The Portuguese forward then wasted a glorious chance to double the visitors’ lead when he wanted an extra touch after being released by Clark but he made amends shortly afterwards.
Clark, who dictates games for fun at this level, produced another peach of a ball through the Watford defence and Boa Morte skipped past Chamberlain again to put the Cottagers firmly in control. Their hold over the three points was only threatened when Helguson amazingly punched the ball past Taylor from a corner – and the goal was allowed to stand. Fulham protested furiously but restored their two-goal advantage when Goldbaek picked out Saha with a precise cross and the Frenchman turned home his 22nd goal of the season.
WATFORD (4-4-2): Chamberlain; Cox (Hyde 77), Kennedy, Ward, Panayi; Nielsen, Vernazza, C. Palmer, Smith (Wooter 78); Mooney, Noel-Williams (Helguson 45). Subs (not used): Baardsen, Perpetuini.
BOOKED: Kennedy, Panayi.
GOAL: Helguson (79);
FULHAM (4-4-2): Taylor; Finnan, Brevett, Melville, Symons; Davis, Clark, Goldbaek, Fernandes; Saha, Boa Morte. Subs (not used): Hahnemann, Neilson, Sahnoun, Stolcers, Riedle.
BOOKED: Boa Morte, Davis.
GOALS: Boa Morte (60, 67), Saha (82).
REFEREE: David Pugh (Bebington).
ATTENDANCE: 18,333.
