Two for Martin as Fulham thrash Huddersfield
Fulham 5 Huddersfield 0
Chris Martin scored twice and Chelsea loanees Tomas Kalas and Lucas Piazon were also on target as Fulham celebrated their biggest win in more than four years.
The rout began as early as the seventh minute, when Ragnar Sigurdsson nodded Stefan Johansen’s free-kick into the path of Martin, who drilled home.
Fulham doubled the lead 10 minutes before half-time, profiting from poor Huddersfield defending – Christopher Schindler missed Scott Malone’s cross in the air and Chris Lowe made a mess of the clearance, allowing an unmarked Kalas to fire in.
Sone Aluko, the game’s outstanding attacking player in a sea of candidates, created the third shortly before the break, as his breathtaking turn sent him clear on the left and he stood up a cross for Piazon to head in.
Huddersfield did have chances in the first half – Tommy Smith headed across the face of goal, Nahki Wells shot straight at Whites keeper David Button and an unmarked Harry Bunn nodded wide.
They also began well after the break, with another Chelsea youngster, Kasey Palmer, forcing David Button into a save seconds after the restart.
But with Aluko and Tom Cairney tormenting the visitors’ defence, Fulham added to their tally with ease midway through the second half.
First Aluko was sent sprawling by Schindler, and Martin tucked away the penalty, before the former Hull man laid on the fifth for Kevin McDonald.
It completed Fulham’s best victory since their 5-0 win over Norwich on the opening day of the 2012-13 Premier League season.
Fulham: Button; Fredericks, Sigurdsson, Kalas (Ream 80), Malone; McDonald (Parker 85), Johansen; Cairney, Aluko (Ayite 75), Piazon; Martin.
Subs not used: Bettinelli, Odoi, Sessegnon, Smith.
