Steed Malbranque showed Fulham’s off-colour forwards how to finish as his brace ensured Jean Tigana’s side beat relegation-threatened Southampton at Craven Cottage this afternoon.
The Cottagers made far heavier weather of this encounter than they should have done. The hosts created a bucketload of chances but Steve Marlet, still yet to score since his £11.5m move from Lyon earlier this summer, was hauled off at half-time after lacking composure in front of goal. It was left to Malbranque, usually the creator of Fulham’s most well-crafted chances, to finish off a Southampton side who look in serious danger of going down on this evidence.
Initially, a scrappy contest looked like leaving us with very little to remember. Malbranque had been the best player on the pitch, his intelligent movement posing problems for a Southampton defence that relied on good fortune to have kept a clean sheet for the first 25 minutes. A dreadful mix-up between Jason Dodd and Tahar El-Khalej saw the two Saints defenders collide with one another, allowing Barry Hayles a clear front of goal. The striker’s shot came back off the feet of Paul Jones and Marlet headed the ball across for Malbranque to finish into the empty net from two yards out.
Gordon Strachan’s side levelled within seven minutes – but the equaliser was full of controversy. Fulham played offside against little Latvian striker Marian Pahars but the linesman kept his flag down despite the forward occupying the attention of both Alain Goma and Andy Melville. James Beattie took full advantage – racing onto El-Khalej’s pass and shooting past Edwin van der Sar. The home side were furious and perhaps their righteous anger fired Malbranque’s second, which arrived only sixty seconds later.
Finnan crossed from the right looking for Marlet but El-Khalej read the danger and whipped the ball off the French forward’s toes. His touch presented Malbranque with another finishing opportunity and the meticulous midfielder made no mistake from ten yards out. The home side might have been further in front by the interval with Luis Boa Morte lashing drive inches wide of the far post from 20 yards.
Saha replaced Marlet during half-time and quickly went close twice in quick succession. He should have done better then blaze over the bar when sent clear by Malbranque and Boa Morte wasn’t far away again with another long-range effort. Jones kept the Saints in the contest with a number of superb reaction saves before Boa Morte battered a post midway through the second half. Southampton belatedly went in search of equaliser and should have found one when Anders Svensson struck the bar and Pahars somehow missed an open goal. Referee Andy D’Urso waved away penalty appeals for handball against Rufus Brevett – but a philosophical Strachan admitted afterwards that Fulham had been by far the better side.
FULHAM (4-4-2): van der Sar; Finnan, Brevett, Goma, Melville; Collins, Legwinski, Malbranque, Boa Morte; Marlet (Saha 45), Hayles. Subs (not used): Taylor, Knight, Harley, Goldbaek.
GOALS: Malbranque (25, 33)
SOUTHAMPTON (4-4-2): Jones; Dodd, Bridge, El-Khalej, Lundekvam (Williams 36); Oakley, A. Svensson, Delap, Tessem (Petrescu 55); Beattie (Davies 71), Pahars. Subs (not used): Moss, Draper.
BOOKED: Oakley, Beattie.
GOAL: Beattie (32).
REFEREE: Andy D’Urso (Essex).
ATTENDANCE: 18,771
