But their victory will have done nothing to ease Charlton boss Alan
Curbishley's desire for the Football Association to name England's successor to
Sven-Goran Eriksson as soon as possible.
Curbishley, one of the names on the FA's shortlist, believes Charlton's season
has suffered ever since he became one of the contenders to replace the outgoing
Swede after this summer's World Cup finals in Germany.
Charlton's performance certainly appeared to underline Curbishley's view as
they were second best for long periods in a game that enjoyed most of its best
moments in the opening 45 minutes.
Boa Morte put the home side ahead in the 15th minute only for Jason Euell to
equalise 10 minutes later. But the Fulham captain struck a glorious winner in
the 29th minute to leave Curbishley thirsting for a speedy resolution to the
FA's hunt for a new national coach.
Charlton began the game with more endeavour than their hosts but the home side
took the lead in the 14th minute when Boa Morte's free-kick from an acute angle
on the right-wing caught the Charlton defence completely by surprise.
• 'It infuriated me'
With everyone expecting a cross into the centre, the Fulham captain drove his
low free-kick towards the near post and into the net with Addicks 'keeper Myhre
left stranded in the centre of the six-yard box.
In the 23rd minute, Knight had to clear Darren Ambrose's dangerous free-kick
into the penalty area but the equaliser arrived from the resultant corner.
Niemi could only punch the ball to the feet of Herman Hreidarsson and when he
turned the ball goalwards, Jason Euell pounced to head the ball home.
Darren Bent should have put Charlton in front moments after their equaliser
but Niemi dived low to his right to keep prolific striker at bay.
In the 28th minute Ambrose let fly with a speculative effort from 25-yards
which rose just too high to trouble the busy Niemi.
But a minute later Fulham were back in front thanks to Boa Morte's second goal
of the afternoon.
Helguson nodded the ball into his path but the Fulham captain still had plenty
of work to do as he advanced across the Charlton defence.
But the visitors allowed Boa Morte time and space to deliver an angled drive
beyond Myhre from just inside the penalty area.
In the 35th minute Myhre was forced to dive lo to his right to keep out a
free-kick from Papa Bouba Diop which threatened to creep inside the upright.
Two minutes later Fulham had a narrow escape when Darren Bent's deflected shot
bounced twice on the top of the crossbar before Boa Morte was fouled on the goal
line under pressure from Euell.
Charlton continued to try and find a way of levelling the scores for the
second time in the game but Fulham, for once in the game, were adopting a more
resolute approach towards their defending.
When the action recommenced both sides found it hard to reproduce the
attacking qualities that had been so admirable in the opening 45 minutes.
Boa Morte was again leading by example for the home side as he cleverly found
enough space to cause Charlton some anxious moments.
But the visitors were persistent in their desire to get back on level terms
and Hreidarsson was unlucky to see his goalbound 25-yard drive deflect off the
outstretched leg of Knight in the 58th minute.
In the 65th minute, Holland fouled Brian McBride on the edge of the penalty to
give Fulham a marvellous opportunity to increase their lead.
Boa Morte, sniffing the chance of a hat-trick, sent his free-kick beyond the
defensive wall only for Euell to deny him a third by clearing off the line.
McBride then sent Wayne Bridge clear on the left but the England international
left-back delivered a poor cross which Myhre collected with ease.
In the 69th minute Euell was lucky not be yellow carded when he brought down
Bouba Diop after an unseemly tangle just outside the Fulham penalty area.
But it took a marvellous double save by Niemi to deny Charlton a share of the
spoils in the 89th minute. First he tipped over a volley from Marcus Bent and
then cleared a header from Hreidarsson with his feet.
Boa Morte leaves Curbishley frustrated
Charlton manager Alan Curbishley was infuriated by Luis Boa Morte's clever
free-kick which put Fulham on the way to a 2-1 victory in today's London derby
at Craven Cottage.
'Once again we ended up chasing the game - but their first goal infuriated
me,' said Curbishley 'Their second goal was a great run and finish - but from our point of view
you can't let players go past four defenders like that and bear down on goal.
'The two goals we lost today were avoidable, and in between that we probably
had the better chances and should have made Fulham pay.
'But we are back to conceding early away from home and having to chase games
again. That is exactly what happened on Wednesday against Middlesbrough and
again today.'
The habit cost the Addicks dear.
'Fulham have a great record here. I thought we had enough about us to get a
point - but sometimes it doesn't work out that way,' added Curbishley.
'In the Premiership that first goal is very important. But once we got
ourselves back in it, I thought we were the better side and created the better
chances.
'We are very disappointed with what we did defensively. Conceding early goals
is something that we got out of our system, and we have got to do that again -
even if there are only four games left.
Fulham's assistant manager Steve Kean is confident they have now done enough
to secure Premiership football for another season.
'We hope that is enough for us,' he said. 'This win puts a bit more daylight between us and the other teams down
there.
'We knew it was going to be difficult against Charlton. But we hope the win
is going to be enough, and it sets us up for the last four games.'
Kean admitted, though, that Fulham wee indebted to goalkeeper Antti Niemi for
a magnificent double save in the last minute to deny Marcus Bent and then Herman
Hreidarsson.
'We were defending deeper and deeper, and Antti earned his money today with
those saves,' he said.
'He made two fantastic saves, and all the lads gave him a pat on the back in
the dressing room.'
Kean also confirmed Boa Morte's successful near-post free-kick was entirely
deliberate.
'It was a cheeky free-kick for our first goal - but Luis says he went for
it,' he reported.
'But his second goal was excellent. He's got such pace and power and he
showed that before finishing his run off with a right-foot shot - which is not
his strongest one.'
Fulham 2 - 1 Charlton Athletic
