Martin scores on return as Fulham beat Barnsley
Fulham 2 Barnsley 0
Chris Martin marked his return with a goal and left-back Scott Malone scored a cracker as Fulham produced another impressive display at Craven Cottage.
On-loan Derby County striker Martin, playing his first game for the Whites since Boxing Day having been hankering for a move back to his parent club, converted a penalty in first-half injury time.
Slavisa Jokanovic’s side played some excellent football after the break and doubled their lead on 55 minutes, Martin’s ball across the box crashed home on the half-volley by Malone.
The victory lifted Fulham above their visitors and into eighth in the Championship.
Tom Cairney and Martin both had shots saved by Barnsley keeper Adam Davies early on but, for all their dominance, Fulham could have ended up trailing at the break as the Tykes’ Adam Hammill rattled the bar after a brilliant run.
As it was, it was the Whites who went in ahead when Kevin McDonald was adjudged to have been hauled down in the box at a corner and Martin slammed home the spot-kick.
They inflicted another blow to Barnsley 10 minutes after the break when Martin and Sone Aluko combined on the edge of the box, and when the ball was worked out to Malone, the left-back drilled it into the far corner.
Fulham kept control of the game nicely and could have scored more goals, with Stefan Johansen firing narrowly wide and Davies making excellent saves from first Martin and then Cairney.
Tomas Kalas was fortunate not to concede a penalty, after the referee saw nothing wrong in his strong-arming of Adam Armstrong as the pair battled for a through ball in the box, but the Whites were clear and deserving winners.
Fulham: Button; Fredericks, Kalas, Ream, Malone; McDonald, Johansen (Parker 87); Aluko (Odoi 90), Cairney, Piazon (Sessegnon 89); Martin.
Subs not used: Bettinelli, Madl, Sigurdsson, Smith.
