Saha and Clark crush QPR

Fulham continued their canter towards the First Division title as they swatted Queens Park Rangers aside at Craven Cottage this afternoon.

Louis Saha’s penalty – which was his 25th goal of a quite astonishing campaign – and a last-minute clincher from Lee Clark ensured that the Whites maintained their local dominance whilst looking every inch a Premiership-side in waiting. The derby defeat was damaging for Queens Park Rangers, who remain rooted in the relegation zone, with new boss Ian Holloway still waiting for a first victory. There was a massive gulf between the two sides in truth.

The hosts were in command from the outset and, although Rangers avoided an early calamity when Karl Ready nearly turned Rufus Brevett’s cross into his own net, there was an inevitability about the outcome once Jean Tigana’s side began to put together their pretty passing triangles. Saha might have headed Fulham in front when he leapt to meet Bjarne Goldbaek’s corner but the French forward was denied by the crossbar.

Visiting goalkeeper Lee Harper distinguished himself with top class saves to thwart John Collins and Lee Clark, who both had brilliant games in the engine, but disaster struck after he had parried a shot from the former Sunderland midfielder. Ready was adjudged to have tripped Steve Finnan as the Fulham full back looked to reach the rebound and, although Saha’s spot-kick was delayed by pained protests from the R’s, the Frenchman fired home after a long wait.

Rangers had offered little in the first half but should have been level at the interval when Gavin Peacock was put through on goal by a brilliant through ball from Paul Murray. The former Chelsea midfielder, who missed a penalty against Watford earlier this week, was off target here again after opting to chip Maik Taylor but sending his effort high into the Putney End. The visitors did begin the second half brightly but Leon Knight wasted a good chance by shooting tamely at Taylor.

Fulham made Harper look uncomfortable under a number of crosses but the Rangers custodian did superbly to prevent Saha scoring his second by making a great reaction stop with his legs. Substitutes Luis Boa Morte and Karl-Heinz Riedle both wasted good chances to extend the lead before Boa Morte threaded a beautiful ball between the Rangers defenders and Clark picked his spot in the corner before celebrating with the Hammersmith End.

FULHAM (4-4-2): Taylor; Finnan, Brevett, Melville, Symons; Davis, J. Collins, Goldbaek (Riedle 69), Clark; Saha (Stolcers 80), Hayles (Boa Morte 64). Subs (not used): Hahnemann, Neilson.

GOALS: Saha (pen 37), Clark (90).

QUEENS PARK RANGERS (5-3-2): Harper; Darlington, Rose (Kulcsar 79), Perry, Ready, Plummer; Baraclough, Murray (Kiwomya 57), Peacock; Knight (Warren 72), Crouch. Subs (not used): Miklosko, Wardley.

BOOKED: Baraclough, Crouch.

REFEREE: Mike Riley (Leeds).

ATTENDANCE: 16,021.