Fulham moving up as Clarets’ worries grow

FULHAM moved into ninth place in the Premier League with a comfortable win over Burnley at Craven Cottage last night.

First-half goals from Danny Murphy and David Elm put the home side in control and Bobby Zamora wrapped up all three points with a second-half free-kick.

Burnley, who have yet to win away this season, remain close to the relegation zone.

There was little to enthuse about in a dull opening period but captain Murphy broke the deadlock in the 23rd minute.

A cross from Nicky Shorey was headed into his path by Elm and the Fulham midfielder applied a neat finish from six yards.

Burnley almost levelled from the restart but Steven Fletcher’s 20-yard angled drive flashed past Mark Schwarzer’s right-hand upright.

Dickson Utuhu was denied Fulham’s second goal in the 28th minute when his 20-yard shot was brilliantly pushed to safety by Jensen.

But the second goal arrived in the 31st minute when Zamora got the better of Leon Cort only to see his shot parried by Jensen.

However, Elm followed up to slip the loose ball beyond Jensen from six yards for his first goal for the club.

Burnley boss Brian Laws immediately replaced Cort with Chris Eagles.

In the 42nd minute the Clarets almost pulled a goal back when a 25-yard free-kick from Tyrone Mears hit the angle of crossbar and post.

And Burnley eventually paid for some woeful defending in the 54th minute when Zamora was fouled by David Edgar on the edge of the Fulham penalty area.

The striker dusted himself down and curled a low free-kick into the bottom corner of the net to make it 3-0.

In the 69th minute Murphy almost worked a shooting chance for himself after threading his way through the Burnley defence but Jensen smothered the danger.

Substitute Stefano Okaka should have made it 4-0 to Fulham in the 78th minute but Jensen pulled off another fine save to deny him.

Okaka then saw a 90th-minute shot flash just the wrong side of the post as Fulham tried to finish with a flourish.

FULHAM: Schwarzer, Shorey, Hangeland, Hughes, Baird, Duff (Riise 77), Etuhu, Murphy, Davies (Greening 62), Elm, Zamora (Okaka 71).

BURNLEY: Jensen, Mears, Carlisle, Cort (Eagles 32), Edgar, Elliott (Cork 56), Bikey, McDonald, Fox, Fletcher, Nugent (Paterson 76).

Referee: Chris Foy (Merseyside).