English Premier League Midweek Roundup - Part 2
Mark Hughes’ Fulham registered a rare away victory last night as the Cottagers beat Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium by 2 goals to nil.
It were the most unlikeliest of sources that scored the goals as a brace from Chris Baird helped ease some pressure on his manager.
The win means that Fulham climbed out of the relegation battle but are still in danger as the cushion of comfort is just two points.
Chris Baird scored the first and second goals for his club and both were sublime beauties as both were struck from long way outside the box.
The first goal came in the first half when Barid was given time and space outside the 18 yard box and his thunderous shot was too hot to handle for the Stoke keeper.
Baird scored his second from a free kick when a lay off set the midfield up and his low curling shot easily sailed into the net.
Fulham’s defeat at the hands of West Ham had dragged the London side into the bottom three but they climbed right back out with this win.
The win was Fulham’s first in 27 away games and eases the nerves of the manager as he was facing the sack only after five months of taking the charge at Craven Cottage.
West Ham, on the other hand, failed to climb out of the bottom 3 after claiming 4 points from their last 2 games. They could only draw their fixture with Everton 1-1.
Tony Hibbert was clumsy at best as he scored at the wrong side of the pitch to give the home side the lead in the 16th minute.
The East Londoners were looking to build on a recent good run of form and a win would have lifted them out of the bottom three but Everton equalized just on the stoke of half time.
Seamus Coleman bagged the goal as a defensive mistake by a West ham defender allowed the midfielder time and space to shoot and the youngster did not make any mistake.
Over at the Ewood Park, Steven Kaen silenced his doubters as he guided his side to a 3-1 win over West Brom.
The Scott had conjured just one point after his appointment after the sacking of Sam Allardyce but he justified the faith of the owners with a well deserved and a convincing win.
West Brom’s unorganized defence was punished by Nicola Klanic early in the first half to give his side a dream start but it did not last long as the Baggies equalized just a few minutes later.
Jerome Thomas nodded in a Somen Tchoyi's intelligent first time cross to restore the parity on the night.
But, the Baggies continued to be all over the place at the back as Nicola Klanic restored the home side’s lead and Mame Briame Diouf made three points safe in the second half when he finished from close range.
West Brom’s misery was compounded when a studs up challenge by Gabriel Thomas on Nicola Klanic was adjudged by the referee to be worthy of a red.
Over at the Stadium of Light, Sunderland surrendered their impressive home record as they were beaten by Ian Holloway’s Blackpool.
It was an old adversary of Steve Bruce that came to haunt him on the day as in the 50th minute; D J Campbell gave his side the lead.
Campbell scored another in the injury time to make sure that his side were leaving the Stadium of Light with all three points.
The win lifts Blackpool back into the top half of the table while Sunderland are also just barely hanging in there.
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