Source: SKY_Sports
Hodgson hails classy Kamara
Fulham boss Roy Hodgson paid a glowing tribute to striker Diomansy Kamara after his brace secured a 3-1 victory over Aston Villa.
Kamara scored a second-half double to claim all three points for the Cottagers and was also involved in the opener as he was bundled off the ball by James Milner for Danny Murphy to slam home the resulting penalty.
Villa offered little all afternoon, but did get back on terms before the break through Ashley Young, only for Kamara to take centre-stage following the interval.
And Hodgson heaped praise on the Senegal international, who has had to battle his way back to full fitness after a serious knee injury and be patient with Fulham's preferred strike duo of Andy Johnson and Bobby Zamora .
With Johnson sidelined through injury and Zamora only fit enough for a spot on the bench, the former Modena, Portsmouth and West Brom player took his opportunity in style.
Hodgson told Sky Sports: "I've got to say that I've been very pleased with AJ and Bobby, they've done a good job for us. But today 'Joe' Kamara and Erik Nevland were every bit as good, they both did exceptionally well.
"Joe scored two goals and won us the penalty, so he's almost on a hat-trick in that respect. He's not had many chances since he came back from injury, but every time we've needed him he's responded present.
"I thought he was a constant thorn in the Villa's defence's side and he played with a discipline, that when you add it to all his other qualities, he really is a first-class striker."
Victory lifted Fulham into seventh spot and into pole position for a place in next season's Europa League, a far cry from last term when their battle against relegation went all the way to the final day of the season.
Hodgson added: "At the start of the season if someone told us we would get 50 points we would have given them a funny look.
"It was very important to come back and give a good performance against a top team like Villa after last week's performance against Chelsea when I felt we let ourselves down a little bit.
"We thought we could do better than that and I'm really pleased we've shown that today.
"Forty (points) would have been the benchmark, but I would have also settled for one more than the last relegated team. But now we've gone 10 points beyond that, which is quite incredible."
