Lee Clark scored twice in two minutes as Fulham kept alive their slim play-off hopes with a comfortable First Division victory.

Terry Phelan and Andy Melville were also on target against a poor Sheffield United, who played most of the second half with 10 men after Shaun Murphy was sent off.

The Londoners totally dominated the first half but only had Phelan's 12th-minute effort to show for it.

As Geoff Horsfield and Barry Hayles exchanged passes the defender stole in, took the ball off Horsfield's toe and drove it wide of Blades goalkeeper Simon Tracey.

Clark scored the second in the 61st minute when his 20-yard volley took a deflection that sent Tracey the wrong way.

Two minutes later the midfielder was on the mark again as he finished off one of Fulham's many good moves with a decisive shot that gave the goalkeeper no chance.

Melville completed the scoring in the 72nd minute when he rose highest to head a well-taken corner from Eddie Lewis into the roof of the net.

The visitors had been reduced to 10 men in the 49th minute when central defender Murphy was sent off for his second booking, both for fouls on Horsfield.

This was probably the turning point for United after they had restricted a much better side to just a one-goal lead.

Once Murphy had departed their defence fell apart as the lively Horsfield, well supported by Hayles and Clark, ran them ragged.

A total of six bookings, all for the visitors, told its own tale.

Manager-elect Jean Tigana, watching from the stand, will have been impressed by Fulham's passing and their 15 shots on target.

He might have hoped they would score more than four but hopefully will have been told there are not many opposing teams as feeble as United were today.

Teams:

Fulham: Taylor, Finnan (Uhlenbeek 77), Melville, Coleman, Phelan (Trollope 81), Goldbaek, Hayward, Clark, Lewis (Peschisolido 77), Horsfield, Hayles.

Subs Not Used: Hahnemann, Morgan.

Goals: Phelan 12, Clark 61, 63, Melville 72.

Sheff Utd: Tracey, Kozluk, Quinn, Murphy, Sandford, Devlin, Ford, Brown, Woodhouse, Bent (D'Jaffo 73), Wilson (Gysbrechts 50).

Subs Not Used: Ribeiro, Woodward, Duke.

Sent Off: Murphy (49).

Booked: Murphy, Gysbrechts, Sandford, Ford.

Att: 12,197

Ref: M Warren (Walsall).