It isn’t how they go in, it is how many you score. Fulham secured their Premiership survival thanks to a pair of Everton own goals in a scrappy victory in Shepherd’s Bush this afternoon but you won’t hear Chris Coleman complaining. The former Fulham captain, a Craven Cottage cult hero whose career was cut short by a horrific car crash just as he was cusp of leading his club back to the promised land, has now rescued the Whites from relegation in his first taste of management. And, whisper it quietly, but the inspirational Welshman might suddenly fancy the full-time job.
There was nothing pretty about the way Fulham emerged with the three points that guaranteed their place amongst England’s elite for another year but after the mess Coleman inherited once Mohamed Al-Fayed dispensed with Jean Tigana, nobody of a Fulham persuasion cares very much. Everton looked shambolic at the back themselves and lost their fixture in the space of seven first half minutes when first veteran defender Alan Stubbs and then goalkeeper Richard Wright put through their own net.
It could cost David Moyes a Champions’ League place with Toffees now needing a result at home to champions’ elect Manchester United on the season’s final weekend. The experienced Stubbs was the last person you would have predicted to suffer from an attack of the jitters, but there was little other explanation for the way his looped backpass flew over a stranded Wright and into the net after Sean Davis had helped on a through ball from Jon Harley.
Things went from bad to worse just before the break for the visitors. The lively Luis Boa Morte was fouled by the corner flag and Steed Malbranque’s whipped free kick caused consternation in the Everton box. Thomas Gravesen swung a boot at it, but only succeeded in catching the ball with his studs, which ruined Wright’s attempt to gather the ball and it went off the England goalkeeper. Wright wasn’t the only custodian suffering from some shaky moments as Maik Taylor spilled a Gravesen shot which allowed Lee Carsley to hit the post from the rebound.
Everton created plenty of chances of their own with Mark Pembridge twice threatening from dead-ball situations but Fulham’s defence successfully kept teenage sensation Wayne Rooney rather quiet. Taylor did deny the England international from a free kick early in the second half and the Whites were comfortable victors after soaking up some early Everton pressure.
FULHAM (4-5-1): Taylor; Finnan, Harley, Melville, Goma; Davis, Legwinski, Clark, Malbranque (Hayles 87), Boa Morte; Hammond (Saha 69). Subs (not used): van der Sar, Knight, J. Collins.
BOOKED: Clark.
GOALS: Stubbs (o.g. 37), Wright (o.g. 44).
EVERTON (4-4-2): Wright; Hibbert (Watson 63), Stubbs, Yobo, Unsworth; Pembridge (Pistone 63), Gravesen, Gemmill (Ferguson 45), Carsley; Campbell, Rooney. Subs (not used): Simonsen, Osman.
BOOKED: Hibbert.
REFEREE: Graham Barber (Hertfordshire).
ATTENDANCE: 18,385.
