The Hereford Times

Fulham avoid the drop

1:25am Monday 12th May 2008

Fulham fans danced with delight after Danny Murphy's header 14 minutes from time kept them in the Barclays Premier League with an amazing third straight away win as they beat Portsmouth 1-0.

Midfielder Murphy was left virtually unchallenged to nod in Jimmy Bullard's free-kick in a largely dismal game at Fratton Park which left FA Cup Finalists Portsmouth nursing their fourth consecutive defeat before next week's Wembley final against Cardiff.

But Fulham did not care a jot for Pompey's plight and boss Roy Hodgson was able to celebrate a remarkable escape having almost given up the ghost a month ago when they lost at home to fellow strugglers Sunderland.

Since then they have beaten Manchester City, Birmingham and now Portsmouth - although Harry Redknapp's side, even without the injured David James and Sol Campbell, had ample possession and opportunity to sink their visitors.

Jermain Defoe, Niko Kranjcar and Pedro Mendes all went close but they really did not threaten Fulham's brave defence too much.

Those Fulham fans who packed the Milton End of Fratton Park were down in the dumps long before half-time after hearing relegation rivals Reading and Birmingham had both gone ahead.

They knew they should have done the same but for a brilliant save by goalkeeper Jamie Ashdown, who was standing in for the injured David James for the third match in a row, when he denied Simon Davies from Paul Stalteri's cross.

Portsmouth were mainly restricted to long-range efforts and could not find a way past Kasey Keller.

And they were made to pay when Bullard swung in a free-kick and Pompey generously left Murphy with all the room and time he needed to steer a simple header home and send the fans behind the goal wild with delight.