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Fulham And Wigan Boost Survival Bids

Sun 16 Mar, 07:09 PM


A second-half goal from Brian McBride revived Fulham's hopes of avoiding relegation as they dented Everton's Champions League bid with a 1-0 victory at Craven Cottage.

McBride notched the decider in the 67th minute when he met a cross from Simon Davies to head past Tim Howard.

Everton's best chance was wasted by striker Aiyegbeni Yakubu three minutes before the break when his shot was well saved by Kasey Keller, while Joseph Yobo sent a powerful header just wide as the clock ticked down.

It was struggling Fulham's first victory since beating Aston Villa at the beginning of February and Roy Hodgson's side deserved to take all three points with a performance of grit and determination that Everton could not match.

The Toffees' cause was not helped by England striker Andrew Johnson's 13th-minute departure after he suffered what appeared to be an ankle injury.

Wigan also boosted their survival hopes as Emile Heskey scored his first goal for seven months to give the Latics a crucial 1-0 win in their relegation showdown with Bolton.

The Latics are now six points off the drop zone, despite playing with 10 men for 86 minutes following an early controversial red card for Jason Koumas.

Heskey's 34th-minute winner ended a 20-match goal drought, before Bolton were denied an equaliser midway through the second half as referee Steve Tanner failed to spot Michael Brown's deliberate handball on the line.

After that incident, Wigan were then rarely troubled until injury-time - when Erik Edman cleared a Kevin Nolan header off the line after he had seized upon a Heskey backflick to a long throw from Ivan Campo.

In Sunday's final game, Manchester City produced a spirited second-half fightback to beat Tottenham 2-1 at the City of Manchester Stadium and claim their first win in four Premier League matches.

Robbie Keane had put the visitors in front in the 32nd minute by clipping a left-footed shot past Joe Hart.

However, just before the hour Stephen Ireland poked home from close range before Nedum Onuoha's powerful header clinched a first victory for City since the Manchester derby on February 10.

Ireland's strike ended a six-hour 14-minute goal drought stretching back to City's success over Manchester United and provided the catalyst for a much-improved display from Sven-Goran Eriksson's previously struggling side.

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