Fulham pile the pressure on Southgate

FULHAM survived a late flourish to climb four places in the Barclays Premiership with a victory that heaps further pressure on Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate.

Chris Coleman’s side had lost four of their last five matches heading into last night’s Craven Cottage showdown but goals from Heidar Helguson and Brian McBride stopped the rot.

Helguson hit the first from the penalty spot after George Boateng had brought down Moritz Volz and McBride doubled the lead with a shot that deflected off Chris Riggott.

Boro set up a nail-biting finish for the Cottagers when Mark Viduka pounced in the 74th minute following a dreadful goal kick from Antti Niemi but their search for the equaliser met with failure.

They could scarcely believe their luck at slipping behind after dominating the opening 10 minutes with a scintillating passage of play that left Fulham chasing shadows.

The Cottagers, with their midfield decimated by injury once again, appeared to be facing a long night but Volz’s dart into the box and Helguson’s subsequent penalty saw the initiative change hands.

Viduka raised hopes of a comeback but Fulham did not buckle for a second time.

Fulham stunned the small travelling support into silence by taking a shock 12th minute lead.

Volz weaved into the penalty box from the left only to be clipped on the ankle by Boateng and referee Mike Dean, who was well placed, instantly awarded the penalty. Helguson sent Mark Schwarzer the wrong way to score from the penalty spot.

Fulham went 2-0 ahead through McBride in the 35th minute.

Radzinski did the initial damage with a precision pass to McBride and the USA striker’s shot took a slight deflection off Riggott before finding the bottom right corner.

Boro had faded as an attacking force with Fulham pressing forward in search of the third that would put the result beyond doubt. It nearly arrived in the 68th minute but Helguson nodded Queudrue’s ball straight at Schwarzer when anywhere else and it would have been a goal.

Niemi, back from an operation to remove cartilage from his knee, blundered to help Boro pull one back.

His goal kick only went as far as Yakubu who headed to the feet of Viduka and the Australian striker raced forward before expertly steering the ball over Niemi.

FULHAM: Niemi, Rosenior, Christanval, Knight, Queudrue, Routledge, Brown, Volz, Radzinski (Bocanegra 70), McBride, Helguson.

MIDDLESBROUGH: Schwarzer, Parnaby (Wheater 88), Davies, Taylor, Arca (Cattermole 46), Riggott, Morrison (Johnson 73), Downing, Boateng, Yakubu, Viduka.

Ref: M Dean