Daryl Murphy scored his 20th and 21st goals of the season as Town defeated Fulham 2-1 at Craven Cottage. The Championship's top scorer netted on five and 45 in a first half in which the Blues could have been further ahead, before Ross McCormack pulled one back for the Cottagers 16 minutes from time but the three points were never seriously under threat.

Tyrone Mings, Kevin Bru and Jay Tabb returned to the Town starting line-up with Jonny Parr and Stephen Hunt dropping to the bench, while Darren Ambrose missed out having picked up a hamstring niggle.

Dean Gerken was replaced on the bench by Paddy Kenny, the former Colchester man having suffered a hand injury, while David McGoldrick was left back in Suffolk having also missed the 2-1 home victory over Sheffield Wednesday with a thigh problem.

Irish U21 international winger Dylan Connolly was named as a sub for the first time since joining the club, while Cameron Stewart travelled but missed out on a place in 18.

Adam McDonnell, still unavailable with his clearance from FIFA yet to come through despite having been signed in September, also made the trip.

Former England international Scott Parker was back in the Fulham starting line-up, alongside ex-Blues loanee Ryan Tunnicliffe.

The Blues, backed by a following of more than 4,000, including 250 who had made the final leg of the trip by boat, started with a midfield diamond matching the home side’s system with Bishop at the most advanced point, Tabb on the left, Bru on the right and Cole Skuse in the deeper role.

Town might have gone ahead within the first minute, Murphy crossing low to strike partner Freddie Sears but his shot was straight at Fulham keeper Marcus Bettinelli.

The Blues continued to threaten and in the fifth minute Shaun Hutchinson was forced to turn a Sears cross from the right behind.

And from the corner Murphy grabbed his 20th goal of the season to put his side in front. Tabb sent the ball in from the left and the Irishman’s header struck a defender before beating Bettinelli.

Murphy suffered a blow to his head as he scored his goal, what appeared to be a nose injury subsequently requiring lengthy treatment and a new shirt, so the celebration was somewhat muted for a man who had just become the first Town player to net 20 league goals in a season since David Johnson scored 22 in the 1999/00 season.

Fulham had most of the ball in the period after Town’s goal but without being able to cause the Blues any real danger. All too often they eventually resorted to long balls over the top which came to nothing.

On 22 skipper Luke Chambers failed to deal with a deep ball from the right, allowing Alexander Kacaniklic to cross low from the left but Christophe Berra cut it out.

At the other end, Bishop, by now playing in a wide right role with Bru in the centre with Skuse, fed Sears inside the area to the left, but the former Colchester man’s shot was blocked.

But, with rain now falling heavily, the game mostly consisted of Fulham playing the ball around in midfield but unable to find a way through the Blues’ backline.

Town looked the more dangerous side on the break, a defender’s toe preventing Murphy’s 30th minute cross from the left from finding Sears. From the corner, the ball came out to Bishop but the midfielder hit his shot into the ground.

A minute later Cottagers skipper Parker brought the ball forward before feeding Hugo Rodallega, but the Colombian’s first touch let him down and Bartosz Bialkowski claimed.

On 33 Kacaniklic cut in from the right having switched flanks earlier in the half and hit a low shot which Bialkowski pushed around his post.

The home side were beginning to put the Blues under some pressure, Parker lifting a shot just over from the edge of the box after a corner had been cleared to him.

However, Town came close to making it 2-0 in the 36th minute when, after good work from Skuse and Bishop as the Blues broke, the ball ricocheted into Sears’s path in the clear to the right of goal. Fortunately for Fulham, Bettinelli blocked his shot.

The Blues again should have added to their lead a minute later when Murphy held off Hutchinson down the left and crossed. The ball reached Sears, who moved it on to Bishop but Bettinelli acrobatically saved to his left.

Town finally scored the second goal their first-half performance fully deserved in the final scheduled minute. Bishop won the ball on the right just inside the Blues half. Bru found Skuse, who brought the ball forward and moved it left, where Tabb fed Mings.

The left-back whipped over a low ball, which deflected to Murphy on the right of the area, the striker taking a touch before curling home his 21st goal of the campaign.

After Tabb, who had earlier required treatment to a head injury having been blocked off somewhay cynically by Jazz Richards, was replaced by Jonny Parr, the half-time whistle was blown.

Town fully deserved their lead and probably should have been even further ahead with Sears and Bishop both squandering decent chances.

Having got the early goal, the Blues challenged Fulham to find a way through them but Bialkowski in the Town goal had rarely been seriously threatened.

The Blues always posed more danger on the break with two-goal Murphy once again outstanding as he took a season’s total beyond the 20-goal mark.

Former Town loanee Ryan Tunnicliffe shot over shortly after the restart as the home side looked to get back into a game which already appeared a lost cause.

On 50 Bettinelli was off his line quickly to claim at Parr’s feet after a sharp first-time through ball from Bru.

The second half begun in much the same pattern as the first with the home side unable to seriously test Bialkowski. In the 56th Lasse Vigen Christensen crossed from deep on the right but Rodallega couldn’t keep his header down.

At the other end, Parr scuffed a shot wide from distance before Berra was somewhat harshly booked for a foul on Kacaniklic. Ross McCormack, who came close to joining the Blues during Roy Keane’s time as Town boss, curled the freekick well over.

In the 68th minute, after Murphy had been penalised for a high boot as he looked to hook a Berra header from a corner beyond Bettinelli, Noel Hunt replaced Sears, who was warmly applauded off by the large Blues following. Fulham switched Rodellega for Brian Ruiz to cheers from the home fans.

As the game moved into its final 20 minutes, Kacaniklic was found deep inside the Town box but Bru did enough to prevent the Swede from getting in a clean shot at goal, forcing the ball behind from a corner, which Town defended comfortably.

Bishop hit a 73rd minute strike from the edge of the box after Parr had brought the ball forward along way.

A minute later, Fulham pulled a goal back out of nothing. Tommy Smith missed a cross in from deep on the left and McCormack behind him made no mistake from close range.

The goal seemed to finally wake the home side and their fans up and the Blues found themselves under serious pressure for the first time, Kacaniklic hitting a shot on the turn over.

Soon after, Paul Anderson replaced Bishop for the Blues, then Bru was booked for a foul on Konstantinos Stafylidis.

Town twice came close to making it 3-1 in the 82nd minute following a freekick on the left.

Hunt hooked the ball back in from the right towards Murphy, but it was deflected out to Mings, whose powerful shot was blocked on the line by Stafylidis, who handled according to a number of Town players. The loose ball fell to Berra, whose shot was superbly tipped over by Bettinelli.

Skuse was booked for a foul on Ruiz as the game moved towards its final five minutes, then Patrick Roberts replaced Kacaniklic for the Cottagers.

On 89, with Fulham’s push for an equaliser having stalled somewhat, Tunnicliffe was booked for a frustrated late challenge on Mings.

In injury time Hunt required lengthy treatment after an aerial collision with Hutchinson and was eventually taken off on a stretcher with the Blues ending the game with 10 men.

Despite McCormack’s goal giving the home side hope of grabbing a point in the closing stages, anything other than a victory would have been harsh on Town, who really ought to have taken more of their chances in the first half.

After the brief flurry following the Cottagers’ goal, the Blues, who have put their tricky spell firmly behind them, were never in any real danger of conceding a second and Mings and Berra were unfortunate not to add to the Blues’ lead at that stage.

With Middlesbrough and Derby in FA Cup action this weekend and Bournemouth drawing 1-1 at home to Huddersfield, the result sees the Blues remain in fourth but now only two points behind the Cherries, who return to the top, and Boro and one off the third-placed Rams.

Fulham: Bettinelli, Richards, Hutchinson, Bodurov, Stafylidis, Christensen (Woodrow 64), Tunnicliffe, Parker, Kacaniklic (Roberts 85), Rodallega (Ruiz 68), McCormack. Unused: Kiraly, Burn, Grimmer, Fofana.

Town: Bialkowski, Chambers (c), Mings, Berra, Smith, Skuse, Bru, Bishop (Anderson 76), Tabb (Parr 45), Murphy, Sears (N Hunt 68). Unused: Kenny, Clarke, S Hunt, Connolly. Referee: Mark Haywood (West Yorkshire).

Photo: Action Images

BillBlue added 10:02 - Feb 15 Only just found out what happened yesterday! A super three points so very well done to everybody concerned but special congratulations to Murph for reaching the 20 goal target so early in the season too. Just goes to show what happens when you place the player in his correct position. I see I won my bet in that I betted Tabb would be picked again in one of the next three matches but even I wasn't cynical enough to expect him to be picked in the first one! Now MM you really have to reshuffle the defence otherwise these 'silly' goals we keep giving away are going to cost us. No need to say who I want in but what to do next, move Smith over to his other foot or play Chambers in his correct position? warktheline - You say "I know many see me as over zealous, and over the top with my enthusiasm for McCarthy,"! That is not the way I see you at all, I see you as totally obsessed, you post and post and post and forever McCarthy like a little boy whose Dad has just won the World Championship or something - think about it. I agree McCarthy is a good manager for this level of football but I would feel ten times as secure if he had the ability to get us to the next level and, please, note I am not talking about promotion, he may well do that but it is what happens after that that I am worried about. COYB

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Warkys_Tash added 10:41 - Feb 15 Blues & Trues: I know quite a few Budgies & believe me they are more worried about facing us in the play-offs - It will either best the best or worst day of your life & we bragging rights that would go on forever!!
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warktheline added 12:49 - Feb 15 @billblue, you are entitled to your opinion, if you see it that way, no problem. Put it this way, if I was playing for him, I would run through brick walls.......come to think of it, the players that buy into his ideas and work ethics do the same, that tells it own story.....enough said!
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ITFCforlife added 13:03 - Feb 15 Great performances yesterday from most of the players but Bru was poor. The home fans were terrible and only seemed interested in the match for a minute or two after their goal
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warktheline added 13:12 - Feb 15 Billblue, horses for courses, I've never touted McCarthy as a top Premiership manager, but as a Championship manager, I don't see many better with credentials. Too many only read sentences what they want to read, to conform to their ideologies. I think the saying is 'taken out of context'. If McCarthy was my dad, I sure would be proud of his past achievements, and the excellent job he is currently doing! Some of my friends are Chelsea supporters and often tell me to count my blessings, reminding me of the shambolic, and embarrassing performance we put in to our FA cup display at the Bridge, a few seasons ago.......all that has now changed, some of you, and you are certainly one of them, have short memories, and show a total lack of respect at the slightest blip. Maybe that's how you live your life, not me.

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runningout added 13:31 - Feb 15 No need to be concerned about anyone in any league. If you are, get a grip
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bazza added 14:04 - Feb 15 Bill blue, you keep clutching at them straws. Nobody cares!!
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PJH added 15:16 - Feb 15 Strange that there are something like half as many posts after a win than there are after a defeat. Does that suggest that 50% of posters have nothing to say if things are going well?
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bohslegend added 15:24 - Feb 15 PJH that's exactly what it say.
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TimmyH added 15:38 - Feb 15 I think there was nearly 115 odd posts when we beat Sheff Wed on Tuesday so not always the case. I say play our creative players midfield, Parr/mings as RB's and Sears and Murph upfront and McG might have to play his way back into the starting 11...and in part Mick has done that the last couple of games other than Parr at right back.
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PJH added 15:41 - Feb 15 True TimmyH but some of those posts were people congratulating themselves on the team that they picked!
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warktheline added 16:11 - Feb 15 Also many post were quarrels over if an 'anti-mick club' actually existed !!!! The best they can come up with this weekend, has been presented by Billblue, the big debate is as follows, if the big fella gets us promoted.....'what happens after that, that is what worries me'!!!!!! If that's not moving the goal posts, I don't know what is!
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bazza added 16:14 - Feb 15 Next will be, what if mick gets an ingrown toenail, and can't manage anymore. Because I can't sleep at the thought of this!!!
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BlueMachines added 16:33 - Feb 15 Firstly great result for Town. Always satisfying to see/hear/read that the team performed well, whatever the line up. Maybe there a large proportion of posters who haven't commented because they didn't see the game, due to it being an 'Away game'? Some are happy to post whether their opinion has any foundation or not (Bohslegend), others aren't. Many of the posts just indicated that they wanted a more positive approach and a willingness from the manager to change it if it wasn't working. Which it wasn't, and that's what has happened. The changes have brought a change in fortunes so those posters have been proven right. MM has made the changes, so those posters who have said he isn't a bad manger have also been proven right. @Billblue. I'll give you credit, that middle bit did make me laugh.

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Walk_the_Wark added 16:42 - Feb 15 For all the pro-Mick people with short memories- Here is what I said when Mick was put in charge, and what I will CONTINUE TO SAY UNTIL HE GOES!!! I am copying this so I can re-post it if its contorted again… 1. MM is a good championship manager, with good people/motivating skills and will eventually get us promoted. 2. MM is limited in his skill set and out of date tactically 3. We will play old-fashioned hoof-ball, be organised and difficult to break down, but never have a Plan B 4. We will be destroyed in the Prem- money or no money. 5. It's a shame we didn't hire MM to scrap us out of relegation with a big bonus, on a 1 year deal, and then seek to replace. There is nothing I have seen past or present from McCarthy which does not concur with this. Thanks

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thebeat added 17:03 - Feb 15 The reason there is less posts when we win is simply because people arent frustrated with the negative team selection/formation which has caused the defeat. When Mick gets the team selection right i.e. the one most of us want with attacking intent we tend to win. When he picks his dogs of war favourites in a negative system we tend to lose, hence more people want to have their say, its not rocket science.

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bazza added 17:05 - Feb 15 Out of date hoof ball that has Man U in 3rd, and West Ham in 8th in the premier league... You should have stopped after point 1.... The rest was a load of old pony!!
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bazza added 17:09 - Feb 15 I'm sure mick decides on his team selection and tactics/formation after reading through the comments section of twtd.... not because he can work it out for himself..ffs ??
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dirtydingusmagee added 17:31 - Feb 15 good first half performance,great to get that early goal.Was worried when D M was sidelined thought he was done for the day.Guess he was full of adrenalin from scoring and more so when he got his second.Would have liked him to have got a hat trick.Thought Murphy and Sears played very well together.I havnt had reason to criticise Mick up til now,but was surprised and disapointed to see Sears substituted,as i thought he could make or score another goal.The fact we didnt and a mistake led to us conceeding a goalmade last ten minutes a bit worrying .Any way well done lads keep it up .Surprise surprise no comment from walberswicks !

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thebeat added 17:39 - Feb 15 bazza im not saying he does, but its not a coincidence that our best runs of results and performance levels this season have been when we've attacked teams with players getting picked for what they give to the team going forward, the teams and formations the so called "anti mick" brigade on here call for all the time, not just for running around like a headless chicken for 90 minutes ala Anderson and Tabb.

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PJH added 17:46 - Feb 15 Bluemachines-Your point about the fact that the game was away therefore less ITFC supporters and by definition contributors saw it is valid except the posts after the Rotherham game ran to 7 pages when there were more than twice as many ITFC supporters at Fulham than at Rotherham. I am not trying to create an argument here but it does seem to be a fact that there are twice as many posts after a poor result. dirtydingusmagee-I think walberswicks still on way back from Fulham.Must have gone by train! It would be nice if those that only come on after a bad result would come on here after a win if only to say "well done MM and team".

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bazza added 17:47 - Feb 15 Mick sees the players in training and picks accordingly I'm sure, as for anything else, the table doesn't lie...
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BlueMachines added 18:16 - Feb 15 Fair point PJH. I'd say thebeat has hit the nail on the head though.
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PJH added 19:08 - Feb 15 BlueMachines/thebeat-Lets call this little discussion a draw(if you agree). It just that I think(and in some cases I am sure) that some people on here are itching for something to go wrong so that they can pounce. You, however, both make valid points.
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bohslegend added 19:19 - Feb 15 Still laughing bluemachines I comment when we win, and I comment when we dont win. The consistency in what I say is that I support the team, with 'support' being the key word. You negative lot always try to justify your criticism after we win, rather than just saying, look we have a good manager in charge, he's got us in contention for promotion on an almost zero budget, lets try and be happy. Because at the end of the day, as bazza has pointed out, the table doesn't lie. In my opinion if you are criticising MM because we're doing well but just not doing well the way you personally would like us to do well, I'm afraid I'll never understand that bit. I'm continually amazed that a noisy (but persistent - I'll give you that) minority think that by mouthing off here on the TWTD forum MM somehow listens to them and changes the team to meet their demands!!?? Bonkers. For the rest of us, this is a great season. It's a thrill. We are pushing for promotion and we getting closer. Next season will look after itself. Those saying "Ah well, he might be good now but we'll be found out in the Premier" - I like that challenge! I' like the fact that we'll have to prove so many wrong yet again. And MM will have his chance to prove to not only many wearing replica Ipswich shirts but also many outside our club wrong about his ability to manage at the highest level.

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