- Fulham entertained Watford in the third round of the FA Cup on Thursday night
- The Cottagers comfortably progressed following a dominant 4-1 victory
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Half a century on from their one and only FA Cup final appearance and Fulham are on the move again, as they eased past Watford with minimum trouble.
Back in 1974-75, they required two replays to overcome Hull City in the third round. Here, with replays a thing of the past, the team ninth in the Premier League were far too strong for the team ninth in the Championship.
Both sides rested first-teamers, and both sides made seven changes but the difference in class was clear throughout and Marco Silva’s team silenced the early taunts from an impressive following of almost 5,000 in the away end, aimed at their former manager.
Fulham had the ball all night and with 27 attempts at goal might have won more comfortably once Rodrigo Muniz fired them ahead midway through the first half.
Alex Iwobi had already drawn a fingertip save from Jonathan Bond, but they did not break through until the visitors made a rare foray forward and were punished on the counterattack.
Fulham comfortably progressed to the FA Cup fourth round after beating Watford 4-1
Rodrigo Muniz gave the Cottagers the lead in the first half after a smart finish from the striker
But Watford hotshot Rocco Vata levelled soon after with a stunning goal from 30 yards out
Joachim Andersen won the ball in his own penalty area to launch the move which ended with a delightfully crisp finish by Muniz from a low cross by Adama Traore.
It was his fourth goal of the season, although the Brazilian took a knock just before half time and hobbled off gingerly holding his back and did not make it back for the second half.
Watford were back in the tie by then, with an early contender for goal of the third round by teenager Rocco Vata.
The Glasgow-born Republic of Ireland Under-21 international with Albanian heritage signed from Celtic collected a pass on the left, turned quickly and sped away from Sasa Lukic, taking aim on the run from 30 yards.
The effort screamed and dipped, and goalkeeper Steven Benda was nowhere near it. Tom Ince tried to replicate it before the interval with another sweet strike from distance. This one was straight at Benda and he made the save with comfort.
Raul Jimenez replaced Muniz and fired Fulham back into the lead with his 10th goal of the season, his third penalty scored in five days.
It was given after a clumsy and needless foul by Antonio Tikvic on Traore at a time when there seemed to be very little threat.
Fulham’s muscular winger was out on the very edge of the penalty area moving away from Watford’s goal.
The Cottagers restored their lead through the in-form Raul Jimenez in the second half
The Mexican striker kept up his 100 per cent record from the spot in his domestic career
Joachim Andersen (centre) then put his side 3-1 up as he popped up with a rare goal
Marco Silva selected a strong side as he outlined his intentions to take the FA Cup seriously
Timothy Castagne added the gloss on the victory as he struck home a fourth goal late on
The contact from Tikvic was minimal but Traore went over and with no VAR at this stage of the FA Cup that was enough to persuade referee Matthew Donohoe to point to the spot.
Jimenez found the net and Silva’s team took control. Bond made saves from Emile Smith Rowe and Ryan Sessegnon but was beaten for the third time when Andersen smashed in at the second attempt from a corner.
Fulham pushed on. Andreas Pereira, captain on the night, went close when he rattled the bar and Timothy Castagne headed in the fourth at the near post.
With the tie won, Silva took off Andersen, Iwobi and Smith Rowe, probably with Tuesday’s trip to West Ham in mind, a repeat of the 1975 FA Cup final, and the cue for a little more Wembley nostalgia.
