Rate it!

7 votes

Fulham eased to a 2-0 win over a lacklustre Hull City at Craven Cottage to keep the visitors in the bottom three of the Premier League table.

Goals from Bobby Zamora (pictured left) and Diomansy Kamara (right) were enough for the hosts but in truth they should have scored more after missing a hatful of great chances against Phil Brown's strugglers, who have now suffered six defeats in nine league games.

The three points saw Fulham climb to 12th, with a game in hand on many of the teams above them.

Hull started well enough but, after Zamora netted close to half-time, they lost heart and Fulham could have run up a cricket score.

The first half was high on neat build-up play but low on chances.

Hull's lone striker Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink was isolated and not quick enough to chase the diagonal balls his defenders often launched early on, but as the match progressed the Tigers looked to shorter passes and had more possession.

Fulham played their usual passing game but, with strike duo Kamara and Zamora often dropping deep, the goal threat did not match possession.

They did look more likely to score though, with Zamora poking over from close range after a clever run to reach Kamara's cross, while Damien Duff's low drive was smartly tipped round the post by Boaz Myhill.

Duff and Clint Dempsey were Fulham's brightest sparks, swapping flanks and buzzing across the penalty area with intent, and it was another shot by Duff that led to the Whites' opener.

Aaron Hughes's long ball was chested down by Kamara, and Duff struck a vicious half-volley that Myhill did well to bat out.

But the loose ball dropped to Zamora, who was borderline offside, and the former West Ham and Tottenham striker - who rejected a move to Hull in the summer - stooped to head past the outstretched arms of the Wales keeper.

The second half saw Hull strangely subdued, while Fulham continued their metronomic passing and utterly dominated possession.

The Tigers did have the first opportunity of the half though, when on 53 minutes Stephen Hunt was played in a by a low, bobbling Paul McShane cross, but the Ireland winger scooped the finish well over.

The introduction of Jozy Altidore to assist Vennegoor of Hesselink had little effect as, on 64 minutes, Roy Hodgson's side deservedly went 2-0 up when Kamara tapped home at the far post after Zamora raced clear of the away defence and drilled a cross-shot across the six-yard box.

Sixty seconds later it could have been three but the excellent Dempsey drove just wide after good hold-up play from Zamora.

The Cottagers were all over Hull and Zamora somehow fired straight at Myhill when Duff's shot was deflected into his path.

Kamara put a great opportunity wide when he carved a shooting position from close range after excellent build-up play from Dempsey and Zamora.

Hull seemed to have given up, lacking leadership and drifting aimlessly around the pitch, typified when Dempsey headed a Duff corner wide - despite the relative size of their defence, there was no Tigers defender within a yard of the American.

In the dying minutes, substitute Erik Nevland almost made an immediate impact but he snatched at the finish after being played through by a delightful touch from Zamora, while soon after Myhill was fortunate to see his spilled save from Zamora drop beyond the Norwegian striker.

Hull had a few chances to salvage some late pride, but Paul Konchesky got enough on Altidore's rising drive to put it wide and Hughes blocked Geovanni efforts twice in quick succession in injury-time.

Reda Maher / Eurosport