Morecambe and Wise, Little and Large, Abbott and Costello - and now Saha and
Boa Morte.
Okay, so Louis Saha and Luis Boa Morte may not be a comedy double act, but the
goalscoring duo certainly know how to put smile on the faces of Fulham fans.
Behind every good promotion campaign there is usually a crucial goalscoring
partnership.
That is certainly the case for Fulham, as Saha and Boa Morte took their
combined tally to 38 goals in all competitions so far this season.
Boa Morte struck twice and Saha grabbed the other goal as Fulham followed up
their 5-0 Boxing Day victory over Fulham with another convincing result which
stretches the gap between the two clubs to 18 points.
Watford had a point to prove at Vicarage Road and only an heroic save by
Fulham goalkeeper Maik Taylor prevented them taking a 20th-minute lead.
They should have taken the lead when Tommy Smith made a great run down the
left flank and delivered a low cross into the box.
The ball beat two defenders and fell perfectly for striker Tommy Mooney on the
six-yard line. With Taylor apparently stranded at his near post, all Mooney had
to do was turn the ball into the net to add to the 16 goals he has already
scored this season.
The Hornets skipper made good contact, but somehow Taylor pounced on the ball
and smothered it with his body to keep Fulham on level terms.
Watford made the brighter start and Mooney was involved after only three
minutes when he latched on to a good through ball from Paolo Vernazza on the
left edge of the box.
Taylor rushed out of his goal to meet him, but Mooney seemed caught between
going for goal and crossing for Gifton Noel-Williams, and his chip over Taylor
proved to be neither.
Saha, wearing gloves and a matching grey woollen bandana, was always a threat
and forced a free-kick on the right edge of the box after 41 minutes, but
Watford goalkeeper Alec Chamberlain caught the cross comfortably.
Boa Morte had three chances to score in the final three minutes of the half,
but Watford survived.
First, he blasted high and wide from a tight angle, then was denied by
Chamberlain as he tried to lift the ball over the goalkeeper just inside the
box.
Finally, he looked favourite to score as he got round the back of the defence,
but his shot from just inside the right edge of the box was deflected wide by
the covering defender.
At the start of the second half the visitors were looking anything but a team
who are seven points clear of their nearest challengers at the top of the table,
as Watford pinned them back in their own half.
But the danger was just around the corner for Graham Taylor's men, who were to
concede two goals in seven minutes.
The game turned in the space of 60 seconds, with Watford hitting the bar after
59 minutes and Fulham racing up the other end to score.
A long throw-in down the Watford right was flicked on by Darren Ward and
Mooney sent a header against the Fulham bar.
The Cottagers responded with a break which saw Saha feed Boa Morte inside the
box, and he cleverly skipped round Chamberlain and slotted the ball home to give
the visitors the lead on the hour.
Boa Morte might have doubled the lead after 65 minutes, but he drove the ball
across the face of the goal.
Two minutes later, Watford almost equalised when Peter Kennedy hit a great
shot from 20 yards which Taylor turned away at full stretch.
But Fulham hit back again after 67 minutes and scored a second goal which
sealed the game.
This time Lee Clark fed Boa Morte inside the left edge of the box and he kept
a cool head to slot the ball home and record his 15th goal of the season.
The last throw of the dice saw Watford boss Taylor bring on Micah Hyde and
Nordin Wooter for Neil Cox and Tommy Smith with 12 minutes remaining.
The double substitution had an immediate effect, as Heidar Helguson - a
half-time substitute for the injured Noel-Williams - pulled a goal back for
Watford to set up a rousing finale.
Allan Nielsen's long throw-in on the right flank after 78 minutes was flicked
on by Ward and Helguson bundled the ball home at the far post.
But Fulham showed why they are the champions-elect by restoring their two-goal
advantage after 82 minutes.
Bjarne Goldbaek charged down the right and into the box, and teed-up Saha in
the middle to slide home his 23rd goal of the season in all competitions.
Boa Morte should have sealed his hat-trick after 86 minutes. He lost his
marker with a good turn but blasted the ball wide.
It had been a brave effort by Watford and a vast improvement on the Boxing Day
rout.
But Fulham remain odds-on certainties to win the division, while the Hornets
at least have two games in hand on the teams above them as they bid to move up
into the second automatic promotion spot.
Watford (0) 1 Fulham (0) 3
Watford: Chamberlain, Cox (Hyde 77), Palmer, Kennedy, Panayi,
Ward, Nielsen, Smith (Wooter 78), Vernazza, Mooney,Noel-Williams (Helguson 45).
Subs Not Used: Baardsen, Perpetuini.
Booked: Kennedy, Panayi.
Goals: Helguson 79.
Fulham: Taylor, Finnan, Brevett, Melville, Symons, Davis,
Clark, Fernandes, Goldbaek, Saha, Boa Morte.
Subs Not Used: Sahnoun, Riedle, Neilson, Stolcers, Hahnemann.
Booked: Boa Morte, Davis.
Goals: Boa Morte 60, 68, Saha 82.
Att: 18,333
Ref: D Pugh (Bebington).
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