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Fulham, Bolton earn crucial victories survival

Manchester City's Darius Vassell, left, celebrates with teammate Benjani Mwaruwari after scoring during their match against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland on Saturday. PHOTO: AFP

Fulham and Bolton gave themselves hope of staying in the Premier League with wins over Reading and West Ham respectively on Saturday. Although they each remained in the bottom three, Bolton’s 1-0 success saw them move to within two points of Birmingham and Wanderers boss Gary Megson praised Kevin Davies, whose goal wrapped up what could be a priceless victory.

Meanwhile Fulham’s 2-0 victory at the Madejski Stadium — their first league win on their travels since 2006 — left them four points adrift of relegation rivals Birmingham.

US international Brian McBride put Fulham ahead in the 24th minute. They then hit the crossbar three times before Erik Nevlan’s late goal secured their fifth league win this season.

Everton missed out on the chance to go level on points with near-neighbors Liverpool in the battle for fourth place after Birmingham City claimed a point in a 1-1 draw at Goodison Park.

Only the Premier League’s top four at the end of the season will qualify for the Champions League and Everton’s draw left them two points behind fourth-placed Liverpool ahead of the Reds’ match against Blackburn yesterday.

Birmingham City's Mehdi Nafti, center top, and Stephen Kelly, center bottom, battle for the ball with Everton's Victor Anichebe, partially obscured during their English Premier League match at St Andrews, Birmingham, on Saturday. PHOTO: AP

At St Andrews, the match was deadlocked until Everton’s England defender Joleon Lescott headed in from close range in the 78th minute. But Mauro Zarate drew Birmingham level seven minutes from time with a 20m free-kick, a point leaving the Midlanders on the brink of the drop zone.

One consolation for Everton was that fifth-placed Portsmouth remained four points behind them after a goalless draw at home to Newcastle.

Sunderland were left looking nervously over their shoulders after a late flurry of goals saw them lose 2-1 to Manchester City while their north-east rivals Middlesbrough too were left just seven points above the drop zone after a 1-1 draw away to Tottenham.

It was goalless at the Stadium of Light until Nyran Nosworthy’s foul on Daniel Sturridge led to a penalty 11 minutes from time. City’s Elano then scored from the spot. But Sunderland hit back minutes later though Dean Whitehead. That though was not the end of the scoring with City striker Darius Vassell scoring a second for the visitors three minutes from time.

Spurs went ahead at White Hart Lane in the 27th minute when Aaron Lennon’s mishit shot went in off Middlesbrough defender Jonathan Grounds for an own-goal before Stewart Downing drew Boro level in the 69th minute.

Aston Villa added to relegated Derby County’s woes with a 6-0 thrashing. At Pride Park, visitors Villa were 3-0 up by the 36th minute with Derby goalkeeper Roy Carroll contributing to all three goals.

The Northern Ireland intermational, under challenge from Olof Mellberg, made a hash of dealing with Ashley Young’s free-kick as Villa went ahead in the 25th minute and barely 60 seconds later his clearance straight to John Carew was returned into the net by the Norway striker from 20m.

Then another poor Carroll clearance led to a wonder-goal from Stilyan Petrov who lobbed the ball back over the keeper’s head from just inside the half-way line in the 36th minute.

Gareth Barry made it 4-0 just before the hour mark, Gabriel Agbonlahor added a fifth in the 76th minute and Marlon Harweood became the sixth different scorer five minutes from time.
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