Fulham lead Black Cats at break

Sunderland 0, Fulham 1 (half-time)

Japanese World Cup star Junichi Inamoto fired Fulham into a half-time lead at Sunderland as the Londoners continued their rich vein of form.

Inamoto struck 34 minutes into a tight first half with his side’s first direct shot at goal, but it had earlier taken a good save from Edwin van der Sar to deny Matt Piper the opener and defender Rufus Brevett did enough the prevent Marcus Stewart setting the Black Cats on their way.

The Dutchman needed to be at his best on the half-hour when Piper climbed well to meet Gray’s cross with a powerful header, the keeper clawing the ball away and then recovering to catch Flo’s looping follow-up.

But he needed the help of his defenders seconds later after Reyna split the Fulham defence to send Stewart clear, Brevett getting in a vital block as the striker tried to round van der Sar before Knight cleared up.

And after a sustained period of Sunderland pressure, it was Tigana’s side which took the lead 11 minutes before the break when Hayles got a touch to Brevett’s left-wing cross to flick the ball on to Inamoto, who controlled well before firing left-footed past Thomas Sorensen.

Flo managed to battle his way into the Fulham box four minutes before the break as the visitors’ defence creaked, but again, van der Sar came to the rescue to smother the ball at the striker’s feet.