Fulham 2, Middlesbrough 1Fulham's slow stumble towards relegation trouble was ended last night when they had the good fortune to meet a team in even worse form than their own.
Middlesbrough were bright in attack for much of the first half but the same compliment could not be applied to a defence which was considerably more laid-back than Gareth Southgate will be when he glances at the league table this morning, and was deservedly punished.
They were unlucky to concede the penalty from which Heidar Helguson opened the scoring but the marking that allowed Brian McBride to extend the home side's lead was of the very lowest order. Fortunately for them Fulham are not immune to defensive lapses themselves and one of them brought Middlesbrough back into the game. Antti Niemi's goal-kick fell to Yakubu Aiyegbeni and Mark Viduka latched on to his header to score.
Fulham had not so much as set foot in the visitors' penalty area before Moritz Volz cut in from the left, and once there his footing was none too sure. The merest hint of contact from George Boateng was all it took for the German to tumble, and Helguson's penalty was typically assured to open the scoring .
For their second McBride was unmarked when Radzinski found him 25 yards out and the American placed the ball into the far corner. Guardian Service
FULHAM:Niemi, Rosenior, Christanval, Knight, Queudrue, Routledge, Brown, Volz, Radzinski (Bocanegra 70), McBride, Helguson. Subs Not Used: Lastuvka, Runstrom, Zakuani, Niclas Jensen. Goals: Helguson 12 pen, McBride 35.
MIDDLESBROUGH:Schwarzer, Parnaby (Wheater 88), Davies, Taylor, Arca (Cattermole 46), Riggott, Morrison (Johnson 73), Downing, Boateng, Yakubu, Viduka. Subs Not Used: Jones, Christie. Goals: Viduka 74.
Referee:M Dean (Wirral).