FULHAM 3
READING 1

AMERICAN striker Clint Dempsey broke a six-match duck to score the 72nd minute goal which clinched the second Premier League win of the season for Fulham against Reading at Craven Cottage. The Royals had hit back after Simon Davies's opener on 17 minutes to level matters when Kevin Doyle headed in a corner at the far post on 54 minutes.

But although that strike looked like leading to Reading's first away win of the campaign, Dempsey had other ideas and forced the ball home on 72 minutes after sub Shefki Kuqi's header had been blocked. David Healy knocked in a Davies cross in the last minute of normal time for 3-1.

Dempsey played his part in his side's opener when his fine shot was tipped around a post by the diving Marcus Hahnemann but Diomansy Kamara and Hameur Bouazza engineered a short flagkick ploy. Although the cross was headed out by Reading striker Dave Kitson it only went as far as the edge of the area where Davies drilled it accurately into the corner.

Antti Niemi had to make a splendid save, diving behind his defensive wall to keep out James Harper's thumped free-kick and the Finland keeper excelled again when stopping Stephen Hunt's close-range drive. But from a corner on the right by Nicky Shorey it was Kevin Doyle who completed the formality of heading in at the far post.

However Dempsey's goal would take the wind from Reading's sails and Healy's last-minute strike was a formality.