Bolton 0-3 Fulham: Dempsey stars with impressive double to keep Coyle's men deep in relegation scrap

A double from Clint Dempsey and a first goal for Mahamadou Diarra saw Fulham walk away with a 3-0 win and pile more pressure on relegation-threatened Bolton on Saturday afternoon.

The American was influential throughout and along with Damien Duff caused a host of problems for a Wanderers side that prior to this game had won three in a row in the Premier League.

Bolton was poor throughout and failed to ever really test itsw opponents who had only won twice on the road before this season.

It was a disappointing opening period for the home side as it failed to trouble the Londoners, who took their two real chances in the half to give themselves a commanding halftime lead.

After both sides exchanged tame efforts in the opening stages it was the visitors who thought they had opened the scoring when top-scorer Dempsey stroked home from inside the area, only to be flagged up for offside.

But on the half hour mark Dempsey got his goal as he delicately placed a free kick in the top right-hand corner of the Trotters’ net from 25 yards, which was only the ninth league goal the Londoners have scored away from home this season.

And just a minute before the halftime interval, Fulham doubled its advantage as Dempsey scored again, this time with a free header in the area after some superb work on the right wing from Duff.

Bolton boss Owen Coyle responded to his side’s timid first-half showing by bringing on attacking pair Kevin Davies and Chris Eagles but it always looked like it was going to be an uphill task for the home side, as Fulham has not lost this season after taking the lead.

And the home side did come out with greater purpose during the second period and had claims for a penalty turned down after John Arne Riise was deemed to have won the ball in a challenge with David Ngog.

But despite an improvement in their attacking, Bolton was vulnerable at the back, and it was nearly punished when Duff, who was making his 350th career league start, was denied twice in five minutes from Trotters keeper Adam Bogdan after several rapid counterattacks from the visitors.

And 10 minutes before the end Fulham did get a third as Riise drove down the left wing and crossed for Diarra notch his first goal from the club - bundling home from close range.

The rest of the game was a formality as the Cottagers kept the ball well to record a second win in succession.

A Fulham win sees the club reach the 40-point mark, and it will be looking to further enhance their bid to finish in the top 10 when it hosts local rival Chelsea on Monday.

Bolton faces a tough trip to Champions League chasing Newcastle on the same day, looking for three valuable points to reignite its bid for Premier League survival.