It took almost 7 months for him to net his first goal of the season, but one month after grabbing the winner against Newcastle at Craven Cottage Cottage, Damien Duff has continued to be a driving force behind Fulham's fight for Premiership survival.
His performances in the early part of 2011 were solid, taking on the role of creator for his Fulham team mates, and he slotted in nicely with Dempsey, Dembele and Johnson into what look a well oiled Fulham attack. But in front of goal the Ireland international still lacked that killer instinct and ability to snap up the rare opportunities that came his way.
He was getting closer every week and his confidence to strike on goal was seemingly growing each week. After rattling the crossbar against Stoke, the wingers first strike of the season was surely coming sooner rather then later.
Danny Murphy's exquisite ball over the top of the Newcastle back four left Duff one on one with Harper on a chilly february afternoon in the nations capital. Duff fired the ball home and since that moment, the creative spark, quick feet and intelligent passing play that he's shown all year, has been joined by a real goal scoring threat.
His lightning run off the ball gave him half a yard against a off balance and flat footed Manchester City defence to allow him to tuck home his second of the year and steal a well deserved point from Eastlands Stadium a week ago, and on Saturday Duff doubled his season goal tally grabbing another 2 against Blackburn in a topsy turvy encounter that eventually saw the visitors leave with nothing and Fulham take another big step (and 3 points) toward safety.
The confidence in his finishing is clear to all in his play. He's having more efforts on goal and striking the ball with more conviction then some of his previous efforts from earlier on in the year and he's definitely become a key link in keeping Fulham's run of form going. Dembele and others may have gone off the boil recently and Bobby Zamora may take a while to get going having been out so long so Duff is now a player many are looking to to push the side on in the coming weeks, and so far he's rising the challenge. If Fulham stay up this year, as they should do, there's a little Irishman who may be in need of one or two pats on the back from his manager and chairman.
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