Fulham foil Irons

Upton Park
Tuesday 24 February 2004

Fulham boss Chris Coleman was absent with a virus but two goals in the space of four second-half minutes before Boa Morte's last-minute clincher will have aided his recovery.

These two teams contested an FA Cup Final in 1975, with West Ham emerging victorious over a Fulham side that included Hammers legend Bobby Moore, and this match took place 11 years to the day after the England World Cup-winning captain died at the age of 51.

But West Ham could not do justice to the great man's memory, despite dominating most of the match, forcing Edwin van der Sar into another outstanding display.

Hayles was left out of the starting line-up, and Zat Knight also had to be content with a place on the bench because of a foot injury, but Alain Goma was passed fit despite a hamstring niggle. Cup-tied defender Ian Pearce missed the chance to return to Upton Park.

West Ham brought in Brian Deane, Kevin Horlock, Wayne Quinn and Anton Ferdinand because six players were ineligible, including Jon Harley, currently on loan from the Cottagers.

Van der Sar was the hero when the sides met at Loftus Road and he had to be alert early on with Horlock testing his handling from distance.

Harewood was the next to go close, hitting the foot of the upright after leaving the Dutchman stranded out of position.

But the Fulham goalkeeper then pulled off a fantastic save to tip Harewood's vicious shot over the crossbar in the 20th minute.

David Connolly put a free header wastefully high and wide from a Matthew Etherington free-kick, before Harewood was denied again yards from the goalline when Fulham got enough bodies in the way at a Michael Carrick corner.

It took the visitors 27 minutes to put a meaningful shot on goal, Moritz Volz forcing Stephen Bywater into a save, but it was difficult to tell which was the Premiership side as Fulham struggled to get their game in gear.

Boa Morte was then guilty of a glaring miss when he put a free header wide from Bobby Petta's cross with a glancing touch in the 42nd minute.

Suddenly the match was flowing from end to end with Bywater sprinting out to clear at the feet of Boa Morte before a stretching Harewood missed the target with a toe-poke as the half drew to a close.

West Ham had lost only once since Boxing Day, and Fulham were struggling to make any headway.

But Malbranque was allowed time and space to line up a shot from 18 yards only to drag it wide of the far post.

And substitute Knight should have done better with a wayward header when Carlos Bocanegra nodded a Sean Davis corner back to him.

Harewood then miscued badly when set up by Connolly at the other end, but Bywater saved well from a Davis diving header and suddenly the Hammers were being penned back.

Davis shot marginally wide before Bywater was forced to save from McBride when Ferdinand had dallied too long. But the warning signs were there, and Fulham were soon ahead.

Bocanegra's deft chip sailed over the head of Hayden Mullins and McBride controlled with his chest before firing over Bywater into the top corner.

Van der Sar denied Harewood yet again with his legs shortly afterwards, but substitute Hayles made it two with a close-range tap-in 11 minutes from the end.

Boa Morte made sure in the last minute despite Ferdinand's attempt to clear off the line. Manchester United now await.

Team Details

West Ham: Bywater, Ferdinand, Dailly, Quinn, Harewood, Horlock, Mullins, Carrick, Etherington, Connolly, Deane. Subs: Forde, Lee, Lomas, Carole, Mellor.

Fulham: Van der Sar, Volz, Legwinski, Goma, Bocanegra, Sean Davis, Malbranque, Boa Morte, Djetou, Petta, McBride. Subs: Crossley, Inamoto, Pembridge, Hayles, Knight.

Referee: M Riley (W Yorkshire).