MOHAMMED AL-FAYED left the store behind for the afternoon - but went home facing
a big shopping bill.
The Harrods boss, who has already ploughed millions into his Fulham dream,
will probably have to fork out another small fortune if he wants to hang on
to Luis Boa Morte.
The on-loan Portuguese striker, rejected by both Arsenal and Southampton,
is being linked with a move back home to Sporting Lisbon or Benfica. But if
his show yesterday is anything to go by, Fulham will definitely need him when
they get up there among the Premiership big boys. Never mind what Arsene Wenger
and Glenn Hoddle think. Boa Morte now really looks the part ... just ask Forest.
He ran them ragged for most of yesterday's game and with a bit more luck might
have had at least a couple of goals to show for his efforts.
From the moment the scarf-waving Al-Fayed milked the applause on the pitch
beforehand, you knew Fulham - and Boa Morte - were up for this. The London side
had not beaten Forest at home since 1974, but the visitors were under the cosh
from the word go.
Veteran keeper Dave Beasant was called into action with no time to ease his
41-year-old frame gently into the fray.
John Collins, back after three months out through injury, took control in
midfield for the runaway league leaders.
But it was Boa Morte who was the real headache from Forest's point of view.
The striker, on loan from Southampton for the season, looked every bit a Premiership
player. His lightning runs posed all sorts of problems before he finally found
a way to break the Forest resistance midway through the first half.
Rufus Brevett started the ball rolling with a superb tackle on the halfway
line. Lee Clark then helped it on its way with a well-placed 25 yard pass. After
getting on the end of it, Boa Morte turned Forest inside-out again before setting
up Louis Saha with a ball his fellow striker spectacularly volleyed home.
The 22-year-old French hitman had gone three games without a goal as Fulham's
march towards the First Division title stuttered in recent weeks. But he rediscovered
his goalscoring touch in style to sink Forest.
Fulham did have a scare five minutes later when Collins surrendered the ball
dangerously inside the box. But when Jim Brennan beat home keeper Maik Taylor
with his shot, Andy Melville was on hand to clear off the line.
From then on it was business as usual for Fulham and for the born-again Boa
Morte. The so-speedy forward was desperately unlucky not to get on the score
sheet himself on the half-hour. Once again he left defenders in his wake before
unleashing a ferocious shot that Beasant beat out bravely.
Truth to tell, if it hadn't been for the Forest keeper the scoreline might
well have resembled the one down the road at Twickenham.But his side at least
made a fight of it after the break.
The lively Marlon Harewood suddenly started to make his mark and Fulham were
back-pedalling. Andy Johnson went close and there were frantic clearances by
Melville and keeper Taylor as Forest laid siege late on, but Fulham hung on
to the points.
FULHAM: Taylor 6 - Finnan 7, Melville 7, Symons 7, Brevett 7 - Goldbaek (wdrn)
6, Clark 8, Davis 7, Collins (wdrn) 7 - *BOA MORTE 9, Saha (wdrn) 7.
Subs: Riedle
7, Stolcers 6, Moller 6.
FOREST: *BEASANT 8 - Edwards 6, Bart-Williams 7, Benali 6 - Olsen 6, Scimeca
6, Jones (wdrn) 6, A Johnson (wdrn) 7, Brennan 7 - Harewood 8, D Johnson 6.
Subs: John 6, Williams 6
Source The People