Fulham impress in victory over Palace

Fulham's Sone Aluko (right) and Crystal Palace's Jason Puncheon battle for the ball

Sone Aluko, Matt Smith and Floyd Ayite scored to give Fulham a morale-boosting 3-1 victory over Crystal Palace in their final pre-season friendly.

Despite a clutch of injuries – and other first-team players involved in an under-23 game at Southampton – the Whites were good value for their win against a virtual full-strength Palace.

Smith headed straight at Palace keeper Julian Speroni, who also made a save from the lively Floyd Ayite.

At the other end, Jesse Joronen – playing in the absence of the injured David Button and Marcus Bettinelli – produced a terrific block to keep out a Scott Dann header.

Fulham made the breakthrough they deserved on 36 minutes, when Tom Cairney threaded a pass through to Aluko, who shimmied past Speroni and rolled the ball into an empty net.

They were gifted their second goal not long after the break. A low Dennis Odoi cross carried no menace but Speroni spilled it in front of Smith, who gratefully tapped in.

Palace should have pulled one back immediately afterwards, Jason Puncheon slashing wildly at a cut back from Connor Wickham.

They did eventually find the net with 12 minutes to go, as two substitutes combined.

Luke Dreher’s ball over the top found Keshi Anderson – who once scored a hat-trick in six minutes against Palace while on trial at Brentford – and he beat a hesitant Joronen to the ball and finished coolly.

Joronen was then called upon to save Mile Jedinak’s hooked volley, while Lasse Vigen Christensen and Ayite both went close for Fulham late on.

And they added a gloss to the scoreline in injury time as Ayite started and finished a rapid counter attack.

Fulham: Joronen; Odoi, Kalas, Madl, Sessegnon; Tunnicliffe (Parker 65), McDonald, Cairney, Ayite; Aluko (Stearman 83), Smith (Christensen 70).
Sub not used: Rodak.