Three and easy by Mitrovic fires Fulham to third in Championship

Fulham 3 Swansea City 1

Any concerns over Fulham’s resolve across this season’s Championship campaign were exquisitely dismissed with Aleksandar Mitrovic answering all questions, thanks to a first half hat-trick at Craven Cottage.

The Whites’ sorcerer was on call in the sort of game which should be negotiated with relative ease if automatic promotion straight back to the Premier League is to be achieved. Now in third place, Fulham might just have rediscovered their groove.

Dropped points and a Carabao Cup exit last week to Leeds United briefly raised a few pre-match doubts. Other rivals, though, do not have a forward with the presence and ruthlessness of Mitrovic. The Serb, fresh from a new five year contract, has netted ten goals for the club already and disappointments over his lack of sharpness last season have been forgotten, with pressing business now at hand.

This triple salvo across the opening 45 minutes certainly pleased the Cottage faithful, and they were treated to a breezy performance overall against a leaden Swansea City.

Fulham, needing to get back to winning ways following recent setbacks, started brightly, and they had a decent shout for a penalty in only three minutes. Swansea full back Ryan Manning – who used to ply his trade up the road in west London at QPR - appeared to nudge Harry Wilson as he was about to take aim from 15 yards out.

Certainly the onus was on the Cottagers to perform in the kind of aggressive fashion expected against the Swans who had won just once in their last five Championship encounters. The concession of two points away to Bristol City at the weekend had rankled Head Coach Marco Silva.

Cool finish

He was fortunate, then, to witness his side open the account in just 12 minutes – and it was Mitrovic who kept his cool for the first of his memorable evening.

Industrious Neeskens Kebano started the move on the left and Tim Ream instantly headed back a Swansea clearance into the path of well-positioned Mitrovic. There may have been a whiff of offside, but the Serb had the presence of mind to turn Kyle Naughton to line up a right foot shot, which he subsequently fired past visiting keeper Ben Hamer into the net.

The Cottagers’ attitude was fully committed – Kebano was causing havoc with his pace and determination - and the fact that Swansea hadn’t created anything of note for much of the first half was testimony to Fulham’s domination. Mitrovic could have added a second, only to see Hamer save his six yard header following Joe Bryan’s precise cross from the left. Then it was the turn of Bobby Decordova-Reid to open up the brittle Swans, but the midfielder really should have possessed more composure than to lash wildly over from a dozen yards.

Any anxiety at such profligacy from Silva on the touchline dissipated soon enough when Mitrovic did double Fulham’s lead in the 31st minute. The move was wonderfully executed after Joe Bryan set Kebano free on the left. The low cross by the Congolese international evaded the Swans’ defence, before Mitrovic gently guided the ball past Hamer into the far corner.

If Fulham thought they could relax and mark time until the interval, they found, even against an opponent lacking vision and potency, a lack of concentration can be so costly. And so it proved, when, quite unexpectedly, the Welsh side pulled a goal back in 37 minutes.

Joel Piroe sent Jamie Paterson free with a through ball, taking advantage of a second of home hesitancy – and the Swans’ attacker nicked the ball past Fulham keeper Paulo Gazzaniga before calmly finishing into an empty net with a couple of defenders unable to brush him aside.

Hat trick completed

There was plenty happening on a mild late summer night by the Thames and, for the west Londoners, the sheer magnitude of Mitrovic’s presence ensured the healthy deficit was restored without delay. With a minute to go before half time, Denis Odoi went on a characteristic raid down the right, and his whipped cross was deftly directed by the forward’s right foot on the half volley, leaving Hamer with no chance.

Swansea embarked upon the second half in a far more vibrant fashion. In a warning shot across the Cottagers’ bows, Ethan Laird saw his shot deflected on to the crossbar. Were Fulham inviting unnecessary trouble once again?

Unsurprisingly, it proved difficult for the hosts to maintain their early ferocity.

Silva took a calculated risk when he decided that the scoring hero’s work was done for the night, sending on new signing Domingos Muniz for another opportunity to impress, quickly followed by Ivan Cavaleiro replacing Wilson.

In terms of breaking up the flow of the game, it did the trick. Hamer then pulled off a fine, instinctive stop to deny Odoi with Fulham galloping with confidence.

Silva’s interpretation of the second half mood proved accurate. His team largely solid and the points secured with room to spare. Indeed, as long as Fulham are focused and in this kind of form, games such as one at Coventry City on Saturday, and the west London derby against QPR on 16 October, should hold little fear.

Cottagers: Gazzaniga, Odoi, Ream, Tosin, Bryan (Mawson 55), Reed, Seri, Kebano, Decordova-Reid, Wilson (Cavaleiro 70), Mitrovic (Muniz 68)

Attendance: 16,031