Fulham continue to demonstrate that they are the best team in the First Division
with an emphatic win at promotion rivals Watford.
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Two Goal Luis Boa Morte
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Jean Tigana's side out-passed Graham Taylor's side, and with Lee Clark pulling
the strings in midfield, the strike partnership of Luis Boa Morte and Louis Saha
were able to score the goals that sends Fulham 10 points claer at the top of the
table.
Barry Hayles had dismantled the Hornets defence on Boxing Day in a 5-0 Fulham
win, and the Cottagers completed a quick league 'double' despite missing the
big striker.
That was down to the approach play that gave Boa Morte two simple second-half
finishes, with 22-goal Saha also able to finish some fine build-up work when
he tapped in Bjarne Goldbaek's cross.
That third goal came soon after Watford had been controversially handed a
lifeline, literally, when sub Heidar Helguson used his arm to nudge home Allan
Nielsen's long throw with 11 minutes left.
The plaudits this season have been directed at Saha and the midfield duo Lee
Clark and Fabrice Fernandes, but Fulham's first-half hero was goalkeeper Maik
Taylor.
Taylor's fine 20th minute save from Tommy Mooney came during Watford's best
period. The Hornets' top scorer should have buried Tommy Smith's low cross from
inside the six-yard box, but Taylor instantly reacted to Mooney's scuffed effort
to claw the ball clear with Gifton Noel-Williams lurking.
Boa Morte also lacked poise after a wonderful Fulham break used Saha and Clark,
with the latter finding the on-loan Southampton ace who could only drag his
shot across goal.
The movement of the front two caused Darren Ward and Steve Palmer endless
problems as a Watford defence that lacked Paul Robinson and Robert Page struggled
to protect Alec Chamberlain.
Young James Panayi made his Vicarage Road debut at left-back and coped well
with the experienced Goldbaek, as Fulham's incisive passing failed to create
a goal for an hour.
It was a mistake by ever-present Neil Cox that presented Fulham with the opening
goal. Saha burst to the edge of the area but his pass seemed to have been cut
out by Cox.
The former Bolton full-back's touch back to his goalkeeper was not strong
enough and Boa Morte, who had kept running, was able to round Chamberlain to
net.
Five minutes later Boa Morte dallied after a beautiful pass from Clark, but
soon doubled his tally with an identical finish to the first after another pinpoint
ball from former Sunderland and Newcastle schemer Clark.
Watford worked hard in midfield but were rarely able to worry Andy Melville
and Kit Symons, two fine Smith crosses apart, and Peter Kennedy's 66th minute
deflected drove was a rare second-half save for Taylor.
Watford: Chamberlain, Cox (Hyde 78), Palmer, Panayi, Ward, Kennedy,
Vernazza, Nielsen, Mooney, Smith (Wooter 78), Noel-Williams (Helguson
46)
Subs not used: Baardsen, Perpetuini
Bookings:: Kennedy 72, Panayi 90,
Goals: Helguson 77
Fulham: Taylor, Finnan, Brevett, Melville, Symons, Davis, Clark, Fernandes,
Goldbaek, Saha, Boa Morte.
Subs: Sahnoun, Riedle, Neilson, Stolcers, Hahnemann.
Bookings: Boa Morte 24, Davis 39,
Goals: Boa Morte 59 Boa Morte 68 Saha 82
Referee: D Pugh (Bebington)
Minute-by-minute updates
90 mins: Panayi booked for petulant tackle on Goldbaek
90 mins: Boa Morte awarded man of the Match by Chris Kamara
89 mins: Boa Morte nearly scores after tackling Chamberlain!
88 mins: Taylor clears after Wooter pressures Brevett
86 mins: Chance of the hat-trick but Boa Morte shoots wide
84 mins: Fulham dominate possession this half too - 58% again
82 mins: GOAL! 1-3. SAHA taps in after Goldbaek reaches byeline
80 mins: Fulham still complaining about handball by Helguson for the
goal
79 mins: GOAL! 1-2. Nielsen throw flicked on and bundled in at back post
by HELGUSON
78 mins: Wooter and Hyde on for Palmer and Smith for Watford
77 mins: Palmer does well to dispossess Saha
74 mins: Helguson effort tanmely wide - Watford know game's up
72 mins: Kennedy booked for foul on Goldbaek
70 mins: Taylor clutches Cox cross - he's been excellent too
68 mins: GOAL! 0-2. BOA MORTE moves onto Clark pass to net
66 mins: Kennedy robs Goldbaek and his 25-yard shot well-saved by Taylor
65 mins: Boa Morte has great chance to wrap it up, dallies
64 mins: Davis tries again from distance - Fulham look confident
62 mins: Nielsen hits a 20-yard shot wide
60 mins: GOAL! 0-1. BOA MORTE rounds Chamberlain after Cox error
60 mins: Mooney heads against bar after Ward flicks a long throw
58 mins: Cox hits swerving drive over
58 mins: Smith too clever and chance goes
56 mins: Great tackle by Panayi as Saha burts into the box
55 mins: Nielsen shot dips but not enough from 20 yards
53 mins: Clark pulls ball back for Goldbaek who shoots low for Chamberlain
to save
52 mins: Boa Morte's touch lets him down after Saha pass into feet on
penalty spot
50 mins: Helguson limping already
49 mins: Nielsen fails to control loose ball on edge of area in good
position
47 mins: Both sets of fans vocal despite the early kick-off time
45 mins: Helguson replaces Noel-Williams at the break
HT 0-0:
45 mins: Nice turn from Clark but shot drifts wide
45 mins: Boa Morte misses fine chance after Clark one-two
44 mins: Ward error gives Boa Morte chance, but he clears with open goal
begging
42 mins: Boa Morte injures himself after losing control - self-inflicted
harm
42 mins: Chamberlain catches Fernandes right-wing free-kick easily
41 mins: Saha runs at defence but Palmer clears low cross
38 mins: Davis winks at ref, but his foul on Nielsen was noticed and
he is booked
37 mins: Melville does well to block great low Smith cross
35 mins: Clark again dangerous with his late runs from midfield
33 mins: Finnan wriggles past two, Nielsen touches him but no penalty
given.
30 mins: Kennedy's 20-yard free-kick deflected but Taylor clasps
29 mins: Fulham rightly unhappy as Brevett penalised for foul on Kennedy
28 mins: Davis and Noel-Williams battling well, but Fulham man wins free-kick
24 mins: Boa Morte booked. Now the striker handles deliberately.
23 mins: Boa Morte catches Palmer - lucky not to be booked
22 mins: Cox earns a corner - it's end-to-end now
22 mins: Boa Morte runs into Panayi looking for a penalty - not given
21 mins: Now Symons stretches to clear Cox cross
20 mins: Great Save! Taylor claws away Mooney 5-yard effort after Smith
cross
19 mins: Fulham clearly on top now. Possession is at 58% for the visitors
18 mins: Ward and Noel-Williams combine to clear danger for Watford
17 mins: Boa Morte's workrate wins a second Fulham corner
15 mins: Clark tries audacious dipper - long-range shooting is order
of the day
13 mins: Symons awkward header in own box nearly sets up Nielsen
12 mins: Melville heads Goldbaek corner at Chamberlain
11 mins: Ward slips but bandana-clad Saha cannot get shot on target
8 mins: Davis drags low 25-yarder wide
7 mins: Clark shoots from 15 yards but Chamberlain can save
5 mins: Vernazza confident in midfield
4 mins: Saha runs ball out on left - game is bright
2 mins: Mooney gets into great position but execution not right with
chip
0 mins: Fulham kick-off