McCormack hat-trick stuns Middlesboro’

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Fulham 4 Middlesbrough 3

Ross McCormack grabbed a dramatic stoppage-time winner to earn Fulham victory after an incredible second half.

Michael Turner put the Whites in front with the last attack of the first half, and McCormack doubled the lead from the penalty spot.

Adam Reach pulled one back for Middlesbrough just after the hour mark but almost immediately George Friend was sent off for bringing down Hugo Rodallega and McCormack converted again.

But 10-man Boro, needing a win to maintain pressure on front-runners Watford and Bournemouth, hit back to level with headers from Ayala and substitute Kike.

In a frantic finish, they sent goalkeeper Dimitrios Konstantopoulos upfield for a corner and Fulham countered, allowing McCormack to complete his hat-trick.

The first half was tame by comparison. Marcus Bettinelli got a faint touch to a Grant Leadbitter volley, while at the other end Konstantopoulos made a good save from Rodallega.

But seconds before half-time, Fulham found a breakthrough. Bryan Ruiz’s corner was nodded down by Shaun Hutchinson in to the path of his centre-back colleague Turner, who stooped to head in from close range.

Early in the second half, Konstantopoulos produced an outstanding one-handed save to keep out Rodallega’s header but it wasn’t long before Fulham made it 2-0.

McCormack was adjudged to have been bundled over by Ayala and the striker sent the keeper the wrong way from the spot.

Middlesbrough made a triple substitution on the hour mark and it was rewarded within minutes as Reach’s shot eluded the dive of Bettinelli.

But Fulham were awarded another penalty as Rodallega was upended by Friend, who was sent off, and McCormack converted again.

Both sides had chances in an end-to-end last 20 minutes.

Ayala pulled it back to 3-2 when he headed in a cross from ex-Harrow winger Albert Adomah.

And Spaniard Ayala also went close when he curled a shot just over the bar and produced a save from Bettinelli when he charged down a clearance.

Middlesbrough’s pressure eventually told two minutes from time when Fulham failed to clear their lines and Kike rose to meet a long ball and his looping header beat Bettinelli.

But Boro knew they couldn’t settle for a point and they chose to send Konstantopoulos up, a decision they regretted when McCormack led a counter to roll home the winner.

Fulham (4-4-2): Bettinelli; Hoogland, Hutchinson, Richards; Guthrie (Fofana 76); Tunnicliffe, Kavanagh; Ruiz (Woodrow 81); McCormack, Rodallega (Smith 88).
Subs not used: Kiraly, Voser, Burn, Roberts.

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