FULHAM suffered their fourth League defeat of the season on a ground where they
have not won for almost 50 years.
However, they can have few complaints after being finally overwhelmed
in a match played throughout in the atmosphere of a cup-tie.
Leading scorer Louis Saha was a surprise absentee from the Fulham
line-up, the Frenchman having suffered a groin strain during Saturday's win
over Nottingham Forest.
However, such is Fulham's strength in depth that a ready-made
replacement was on hand in the shape of Barry Hayles, who has just recovered
from injury.
Burnley paraded their new loan signing Gareth Taylor, who arrived
yesterday from Manchester City, and the striker was soon in action, but saw
his shot blocked after Ian Moore had headed down Paul Cook's measured cross.
Moore had an excellent chance to open the scoring when Taylor
returned the compliment, but lost his footing as he was challenged and hooked
the chance wide.
Burnley were unrecognisable as a team who had lost eight of their
previous 10 league matches and the leaders found themselves in the unusual position
of soaking up the pressure with goalkeeper Maik Taylor going full-stretch to
keep out a ferocious 20-yard drive from Burnley's Taylor.
With Burnley players snapping into the tackle, Fulham found it
difficult to get their usual passing game flowing, though they almost took a
fortunate lead in the 33rd minute when Luis Boa Morte managed to get Lee Clark
away on the left.
Clark's cross posed little danger before Cook almost diverted
it into his own net, but goalkeeper Nik Michopoulos was alert to the danger.
Keith Weller shot across the face of the Fulham goal as Burnley
continued to call the tune and there were appeals for a penalty when Moore went
down under the challenge from Andy Melville, but referee Steve Lodge was unimpressed.
Jean Tigana's half-time talk appeared to have done its job because
Fulham were much more in the game on the restart and took the lead in the 49th
minute with a splendid goal.
Steve Finnan has won many admirers this season and he will have
gained a few more for the manner in which he waltzed into the box, evading tackles,
before clipping the ball to Hayles, who headed his 17th goal of the season.
Clark, Goldbaek and Sean Davis were now finding more space and
Fulham almost went two up when Finnan struck the outside of a post. However,
they were fortunate not to concede a penalty in the 67th minute when Kit Symons
tugged Moore's sleeve as the Burnley striker burst into the box.
In the circumstances justice was probably done six minutes later
when Taylor headed Mitchell Thomas's right-wing cross back across goal for Moore
to equalise.
However, rampant Burnley were not done and in the 89th-minute
Moore played Glen Little through and the midfielder scored his first goal of
the season.
Source sport telegraph by Ron Gubba