the championship

HUDDERSFIELD TOWN 1 Lowe (pen, 4) FULHAM 4 Malone (16), Cairney (pen, 20) , Johansen (36, 45)

STEFAN JOHANSEN scored twice as Fulham laid out their promotion credentials with a stunning victory over play-off rivals Huddersfield.

The Norwegian international’s first-half double gave Fulham a fourth successive win and denied Huddersfield a victory which would have clinched a play-off spot.

Huddersfield had taken the lead through Chris Lowe’s early penalty, but goals from Scott Malone, Tom Cairney and Johansen left the home side reeling at 4-1 down at half-time.

Fulham inflicted Town’s heaviest league defeat at Craven Cottage – a 5-0 drubbing in October – and made it nine goals in two matches against the West Yorkshire side.

It started well for Town when, in the fourth minute, Floyd Ayite pushed Lowe in the back and referee Andy Davies pointed to the spot. Lowe picked up the ball himself and confidently struck it, left-footed, into the bottom right corner.

Fulham hit back immediately as Ayide set up Malone for the equaliser in the 16th minute. Malone still had plenty to do and side-stepped a defender and fired across goal and into the far corner.

Four minutes later Fulham were ahead when Jonathan Hogg brought down Ayite and Cairney sent Danny Ward the wrong way from the penalty spot.

Fulham were well on top and the Cottagers made it 3-1 in the 36th minute, as Johansen drilled home after Sessegnon’s effort was blocked.

Johansen made it 4-1 in the 45th minute when he caught Hogg in possession, and drove into the box before firing past Ward to end the game as a contest in the first half and secure an amazing win over their promotion rivals.