Fulham got the better of a seven-goal thriller at home to Middlesbrough this afternoon to help Watford book their place in the Premier League next season.
The Cottagers edged out the visitors 4-3 in a result that means that Aitor Karanka's men cannot catch the Hornets in the Championship's top two.
Grant Leadbitter went close inside the first five minutes with a powerful free kick that whistled past the post, and it was the visitors who started the brighter.
Albert Adomah was next to try his luck, but his effort sailed wide of the goal on nine minutes, before Ross McCormack fired in Fulham's first effort from range.
Boro keeper Dimitrios Konstantopoulos was forced into his first save of the afternoon on 21 minutes when he got down well to deny McCormack.
The visitors responded on the half-hour mark through George Friend, who flashed an effort just past the upright after a driving run took him towards goal.
McCormack went close with a free kick on 40 minutes, but neither side were able to carve out a clear-cut chance before Michael Turner headed home on the cusp of half time.
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Boro had Konstantopoulos to thank for keeping the score at 1-0 when he denied Hugo Roadallega from McCormack's cross shortly after the restart.
However, the Greek stopper could do little to thwart McCormack 10 minutes into the second period, when the former Leeds striker netted from the penalty spot to extend the Cottagers' advantage.
Adam Reach reduced the deficit shortly after the hour mark for Boro, but the joy was short-lived for the visitors, who were reduced to 10 men almost immediately.
Friend was dismissed for a professional foul before McCormack restored Fulham's two-goal advantage from the penalty spot.
Aitor Karanka's men were back in it on 73 minutes when former Liverpool centre-back Daniel Ayala headed home, and Boro began to press for an equaliser.
Patrick Bamford should have made it 3-3 inside the final 10 minutes, but the on-loan Chelsea striker's effort trickled agonisingly wide.
A neat exchange put Ayala through once more for Boro, but the Spaniard chipped his effort wide of the post late on as Karanka's side refused to give in.
Their pressure finally told with three minutes of normal time remaining when Kike's effort beat Marcus Bettinelli, despite the Fulham stopper getting a palm on the strike.
However, the 10 men were caught cold in stoppage time when they pushed Konstantopoulos forward for a corner to try to snatch an unlikely win, and a breakaway from Fulham saw McCormack roll the ball into the net to complete his hat-trick.
The result, coupled with Rotherham United's 1-1 draw with Norwich City, means that Watford will play in England's top tier next term.
Paul Gorst
