Fulham kept up their hopes for a play-off place after a convincing victory over faltering Stockport at Craven Cottage.

Striker Barry Hayles returned from international duty with the Caymen Islands in inspired form and scored twice with Bjarne Goldbaek and Steve Finnan also getting on the scoresheet.

Hayles got his first in the 11th minute when he was first to react to Lee Clark's blocked shot and hit firmly past keeper Carlo Nash.

Danish international Goldbaek added a second in the 52nd minute when his curling 25-yard free-kick evaded the visitors' wall en route to the far corner of the net.

Tony Dinning brought County back into it in the 63rd minute with a well-taken penalty after a foul by Finnan but Fulham soon restored their two-goal lead.

Two minutes later Finnan made amends for his error by beating the off-side trap and drawing Nash before squaring the ball to Hayles who had the simplest of tap-ins.

The home side continued to press forward and five minutes later added a fourth.

Another free-kick from Goldbaek was only half-cleared and the ball fell to Finnan who drove it back through a crowd of players into the net.

The win which followed hot on the heels of the Cottagers' 3-1 win over Port Vale on Saturday means Paul Bracewell's side have now scored more league goals in four days than they had managed in the previous three months.

But for visitors Stockport they are now without a win since Boxing Day.

Teams:

Fulham: Taylor, Melville, Morgan, Coleman, Finnan, Goldbaek, Clark (Davis 72), Ball, Hayward, Phelan, Hayles (Collins 85).

Subs Not Used: Hahnemann, Symons, Trollope.

Goals: Hayles 11, Goldbaek 52, Hayles 65, Finnan 70.

Stockport: Nash, Bennett, Flynn, Cooper, Woodthorpe, Gibb (Byrne 64), Dinning, Lawson, Wilbraham (Moore 57), Fradin, Elliott (Connelly 46).

Subs Not Used: Gray, Allen.

Booked: Fradin.

Goals: Dinning 63 pen.

Att: 8,688

Ref: S Bennett (Orpington).