Southampton (2) 4 Fulham (2) 2
A match played in the middle of a cheerful gale rather resembled the old schoolboy game of blow football, but Southampton had marginally more puff.
They came from two goals behind yesterday to maintain their unbeaten home record and move into the top half of the table with a hat-trick from James Beattie and a fourth from Brett Ormerod. This is hardly the most glitzy of strike partnerships to be found in the Premiership but the alliance has yielded 10 goals this season. "The most important footballers are the strikers," said their manager Gordon Strachan.
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Fulham midfielder Steed Malbranque scored Fulham's second2
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As the final whistle went Beattie reached up and caught the ball from a long, windswept goal-kick from Antti Niemi, before walking from the field with it stuffed proudly under his shirt.
His recent conviction on a drink-driving charge - he has been banned for 30 months - knocked this old-fashioned centre-forward off his game.
"It's been a very difficult time for me," he said. "I always thought that I was mentally strong and that it would not affect me. But it has. I know what I did was wrong and that I will never do it again. It was one minute of madness."
Beattie's goals come in clutches. He had 10 in as many games two years ago and five in five last season.
Strachan nodded in agreement when the point was made, before adding, with unconscious humour: "Yeh, he seems to go on these daft binges."
Fulham must be tempted to appeal against this result standing on the grounds that it was wind-assisted. Southampton certainly troubled the more precise and neat London side when they employed the long ball in the gusty conditions.
Yet it was Fulham's more intricate, shorter game that was the more impressive in the opening passages and it did put them two up inside the first 25 minutes.
The first goal was scored, on his 30th birthday, by Lee Clark, making his first start to a match since Boxing Day. Those calf and achilles injuries were forgotten when his drive was deflected by Michael Svensson. The ball curled inside the left post with Niemi a helpless spectator.
Fulham scored again in the 24th minute. Luis Boa Morte, under pressure, did well to work the ball out to the left and the cross from Steve Finnan was met by Steed Malbranque. But the Southampton defence, and particularly Fabrice Fernandes, were guilty of ball watching. The Frenchman was to atone before the half-time whistle.
Fulham were given only three minutes to enjoy their cushion before Southampton stuck a pin in it. Alain Goma was penalised for handling as he tussled with Ormerod and Beattie took a fine penalty, shooting into the top corner.
Match Stats |
Soton |
Fulham |
Goal attempts |
14 |
7 |
On Target |
7 |
3 |
Fouls |
12 |
19 |
Corners |
3 |
5 |
Offsides |
4 |
2 |
Yellows |
1 |
2 |
Reds |
0 |
0 |
source: www.sportinglife.com |
Fulham's fragile dominance had been blown away and Southampton levelled before half-time. Fernandes, left-footed, though he plays on the right, put over an excellent cross and the Fulham defence, mistiming their offside move, gave Beattie room to place his firm header past Edwin van der Sar. This was an afternoon of blustery blunders in defence.
Early in the second half another Fernandes cross was almost converted by the diving Beattie. But the No9 did complete his first hat-trick in the 53rd minute, a glancing header from Anders Svensson's free-kick after Boa Morte had been booked for a needless foul on Ormerod.
The scoring was completed in the 72nd minute when Ormerod slipped the ball past Van der Sar after some slick approach work by Fernandes and Chris Marsden.
After their third win in a row Strachan's ambitions of a top-half finish do not look so fanciful. "The first 20 minutes felt strange. I don't know whether it was the early kick-off or the wind but it felt surreal.
"But the players came back by themselves, without any motivation from me or the crowd. And they did so in horrible conditions."
Southampton:
Niemi, Bridge, Michael Svensson, Lundekvam, Dodd, Marsden, Oakley, Anders Svensson, Fernandes, Beattie, Ormerod (Delgado 79).
Subs Not Used: Jones, Telfer, Williams, Tessem.
Booked: Michael Svensson.
Goals: Beattie 27 pen, 42, 53, Ormerod 72.
Fulham:
Van der Sar, Finnan, Goma, Knight (Ouaddou 59), Brevett, Clark, Djetou (Hayles 63), Malbranque, Legwinski, Boa Morte, Marlet.
Subs Not Used: Taylor, Melville, Stolcers.
Booked: Boa Morte(53,F), Goma(73,F).
Goals: Clark 15, Malbranque 25.
Att: 26,188
Ref: M Halsey (Lancashire).