Fulham has warmed up for its upcoming Europa League qualifying clashes with an emphatic 5-0 victory over Perth Glory that was powered by an eight-minute Erik Nevland hat-trick.
Andrew Johnson opened the scoring for the Cottagers in the 16th minute but for most of the first half on Wednesday night, the Glory produced a solid defensive effort that held their Premiership opponents in check.
But as squally rain swept across the terraces at Members Equity Stadium, the Glory found themselves badly exposed by Nevland and strike partner Eddie Johnson after the break, the two half-time substitutes ripping Perth’s defence apart in a sizzling eight-minute burst from the hour onwards.
From then on it was party time for Fulham as the match opened up completely, Andranik delivering the coup de grace in the 83rd minute after accepting a slide rule pass from former Melbourne Victory defender Adrian Leijer.
The Cottagers fired the first shot in the third minute, Zoltan Gera shooting wide before Mile Sterjovski was well tackled down the other end by Chris Smalling, just as the Glory marquee man shaped to shoot.
In the seventh minute, Sterjovski was in the action again, laying the ball off for Victor Sikora to fire wide of the right upright.
The Glory attacks prompted Fulham to step up its intensity somewhat, the Londoners creating a succession of corners before Andrew Johnson opened his account in the 16th minute.
Scott Bulloch was yellow carded for a challenge on the Fulham marksman and from the resulting free kick, Johnson eventually burst through the Glory’s defensive line. His initial chipped effort was tipped up by Aleks Vrteski, but the Perth stopper couldn’t take possession and Johnson raced onto the loose ball, slipping it home with his left foot.
However, that was the best of the action in a somewhat lacklustre first half.
Bulloch forced Qantas Socceroos’ stopper Mark Schwarzer into a dive during the 23rd minute but his shot always seemed to be heading wide, while the Glory’s back four had to be constantly alert for Andrew Johnson and Zamora attempting to slip through any cracks.
In the 25th minute Zamora, possibly playing his last game for Fulham after the club agreed to with Hull on a $10.26 million (AUD) transfer fee, was well blocked by Jamie Coyne on the right as he shaped to fire in a cross.
Four minutes before the break, Scott Neville crudely blocked a fast-running Zamora, giving away a free kick on the edge of the box, but Danny Murphy sent his effort well over the bar as the rain started sweeping in from the ocean.
As Fulham struggled to integrate its half-time changes, the Glory enjoyed their best spell of play just after the break. A marauding Wayne Srhoj almost broke through the Cottagers’ defence but sent his powerful effort offline as Jamie Harnwell’s downward header went narrowly wide.
There were ominous signs for the Glory, though as Nevland found himself free in the 58th minute. The 31-year-old’s shot may have missed the target on that occasion, but he was just warming up for the explosion to come.
It started with a blistering run from Eddie Johnson, who accelerated into the area, unselfishly passing across to an unmarked Nevland who made no mistake.
Four minutes later, a substitution in defence between the outgoing Scott Neville and Naum Sekulovski presented Nevland with another opportunity, the striker burying his effort past the stranded Vrteski before the Norwegian hit-man finished off his hat-trick in the 68th.
Once again it was Eddie Johnson doing the lead-up work, the striker’s reverse pass exposing the Glory’s defence and allowing Nevland to chip his shot into the top right-hand corner.
Seventeen-year-old Glory striker Million Buttshire gave the crowd some excitement, but it was Fulham which finished off the night in style, Leijer’s brilliant pass allowing Andranik to bury a quality finish past Vrteski.
Perth Glory 0
Fulham 5 (Johnson 16, Nevland 60, 64, 68, Andranik 83)
