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Paul Warburton at GetWestLondon |
Fulham (3) 5-0 (0) Huddersfield
Fulham annihilated third-place Huddersfield to record their biggest victory in over four years - a same score victory over Wolves in March 2012.
Right from the off Whites were on song, and for once in a middling season everything they touched turned to gold.
Chris Martin notched a brace, Tomas Kalas opened his account and Kevin McDonald and Chelsea loanee Lucas Piazon also netted.
But man of the match Sone Aluko deservedly got the applause when he subbed late in the second half.
Piazon should have scored after two minutes when clean through. But his weak shot was easily gathered by Danny Ward.
It mattered little, when almost straight after a free-kick to the back post picked out Ragnar Sigurdsson who nodded down for Martin to fire home right-footed across the keeper.
Recalled Ryan Fredericks was quick across to snuff out the danger of a centre that would have been a tap-in for Nhaki Wells at the back post.
But Fulham were laughing from there on out.
Scott Malone crossed to the back post; Chris Lowe mucked up trying to clear, and the ball fell kindly for Kalas to smack home a half volley into the far corner.
It got better.
Aluko worked wonders to wriggle free of three defenders on the left. He dinked the ball over a fourth and his cross was inch perfect for Piazon to nod down at the back post and in - he could hardly miss.
However, Fulham got a let off when Elias Kachunga's cross found Harry Bunn unmarked who guided an easy header just wide of the upright.
A Tom Cairney curler had Ward scrambling across his goal - but the keeper was helpless a minute later.
On-fire Aluko played a great one-two with Cairney and racing into the box invited Christopher Schindler to trip him in the box.
Ward guessed right but Martin's placed kick into the bottom right was perfect.
Fulham weren't finished even then.
Aluko won't have played better games than this in his nine years as a professional, and again he got free at the byline to pull back for McDonald to also score a debut goal and sweep into the far corner.
Job done, and a first Championship win at the Cottage since the first game of the season. You know what they say about waiting for London buses and five coming along at the same time?
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