Fulham eased into the Europa League's third qualifying round after a 4-0 home win over Crusaders.
Cottagers set up qualifying tie with Croatian outfit
Fulham eased into the Europa League's third qualifying round after a 4-0 victory over Crusaders at Craven Cottage.
The Premier League outfit won 3-1 in last week's first leg in Belfast and sealed a 7-1 aggregate win to set up a trip to Croatian side RNK Split next week.
Fulham were frustrated in the first half and Andrew Johnson's neat finish to a team move was the only goal to show for their barrage of attacks.
However, goals were much easier to come by after the restart as Damien Duff, Bobby Zamora and Steve Sidwell all netted to send the majority of the 15,767 supporters home happy.
Martin Jol sent out a strong-looking side as the Cottagers looked to secure a safe passage, handing new signing John Arne Riise his Fulham debut.
Despite needing a huge swing to progress, Crusaders' substantial travelling support bellowed choruses of "we're going to win 3-0" from the outset.
The visitors went close to keeping their hopes alive in the third minute when Stuart Dallas found space to turn and hit a 20-yard shot that sailed just over the bar.
However, Fulham were controlling possession with ease and Johnson almost took advantage with a fizzing drive in the eighth minute.
Johnson opener
The Cottagers continued to exert pressure without too much effort and converted that dominance into an opening goal with a slick team move in the 19th minute.
Riise squared a cross from the left flank and Zamora's step-over gave Johnson the opportunity to jink wide of his marker and strike low into the bottom left corner.
The home faithful thought Sidwell had doubled Fulham's advantage five minutes later, but his neat flick from Johnson's cross had only rippled the side-netting.
Zamora's stooping header tested goalkeeper Sean O'Neill as the home side continued to press, before Crusaders had a chance of their own.
Ciaran Gargan broke free down the left wing and Timmy Adamson nudged his cross just over the bar after getting ahead of Brede Hangeland in the six-yard box.
It proved to be a mere respite for Crusaders, who were forced to defend for the remainder of the half.
Sidwell went closest to netting another first-half goal, shooting just wide after a superb team move cut through the middle of the Crusaders team.
Fulham continued in the same vein after the break and only a point-blank save from O'Neill prevented Sidwell nodding home Duff's free-kick.
Sidwell threat
Sidwell was proving a real thorn in Crusaders' side and was a whisker away from netting with a 52nd-minute back-post header that nicked the post before going wide.
However, Duff soon ended any remaining hopes the Northern Irish side had of progression by shooting across goalkeeper O'Neill from a tight angle after latching onto a great ball from Philippe Senderos.
Fulham netted a third goal in the 66th minute after another slick team move, with Duff stepping over Johnson's left-wing cross for Zamora to finish with gusto.
And the west Londoners' advantage was increased further four minutes later as Sidwell belatedly netted, heading home Duff's corner.
Jol made wholesale changes after the fourth goal and substitute Bjorn Helge Riise almost made the ideal impact, although his fierce shot went just wide as the game petered out.
