LONDON, CMC:
JAMAICA REGGAE Boyz striker Ricardo Fuller, made a successful debut for Portsmouth, setting up one goal and playing a role in another as the Hampshire club beat Fulham 4-3 in the English Football Premiership yesterday.
Fuller, who signed from Preston North End on a pay-as-you-play basis 10 days ago, was a key figure throughout the whole match for Portsmouth and it was he who assisted Nigerian striker Aiyegbeni Yakubu in two of his three sensational goals.
In the 21st minute, with Portsmouth already leading 1-0, Fuller went on a penetrating run and was brought down in the box by Luis Boa Morte.
Yakubu stepped up to the spot and scored the first of this hat-trick, a coolly taken penalty off the underside of the bar.
The 24-year old Fuller again linked up with Yakubu in the 28th minute for his team's third goal when his neat, headed pass from the left found the Nigerian international, who slotted home from 18 yards out.
Fuller could have been on the score sheet as early as the fourth minute when he got onto the end of a cross from Patrik Berger, but the Jamaican sent his shot wide.
Continuing to bother Fulham with his pace, Fuller was in the spotlight again three minutes later, skilfully wriggling away from two tackles to get a shot on goal, but it was saved by the Dutch international Edwin Van der Sar.
FINE SOLO EFFORT
Elsewhere, Jamaica international Jermaine Johnson scored a fine solo effort to grab a 1-1 draw for Oldham Athletic against Sheffield Wednesday in the English League One.
The 24-year-old midfielder brought Oldham back on level terms with a left-footed strike from the right side of the penalty area in the 75th minute, after Wednesday had earlier gone ahead in the 70th minute.
"After going behind, we showed a lot of fight and character to come back," Oldham manager Brian Talbot said. "Johnson caused them problems all afternoon and duly got the goal."
Johnson always looked dangerous going forward for Oldham and midway through the first half, he beat two defenders and set up Vincentian international Rodney Jack, who had his shot on goal saved.
Minutes later, Johnson was again in action, hammering a shot from the edge of the box, but the ball frustratingly took a deflection.
He almost scored in the 60th minute, but his shot found only the side netting after he had been pushed to the by-line by a defender.
NO SIGNIFICANT ROLE
Also yesterday, the Jamaican duo of Ian 'Pepe' Goodison and Theodore 'Tappa' Whitmore, both of whom recently returned to England, after being detained in Jamaica with irregularities over their work permits, played no significant role in their second match back for Tranmere Rovers.
Both players were substituted as Tranmere
surrendered a 1-0 lead to draw 1-1 with Stockport in the English League One.
Goodison was replaced just one minute into the second half and Whitmore followed him six
minutes later.
Both players returned to Tranmere a week late following Jamaica's World Cup qualifier against the United States in order to have their passports regularised by the British High Commission.
