DOWN by the Thames on a bright and breezy day, Fulham played bright and breezy football to defeat an Aston Villa team who have looked increasingly jaded in the last throes of the season.

Could it just be that they have played far too much football, beginning with that ghastly parody of a tournament, the Intertoto Cup, which qualified them to take part in the Uefa Cup. But when push came to shove — and they had hopes in that competition — their manager Martin O’Neill decided the prime target to be fourth place in the Premier League. So he sacrificed Villa’s chance in the Uefa Cup, putting out a weakened side in Moscow against CSKA, but their fourth place never materialised.

Fulham, without the lively and exuberant Andy Johnson, gave the Senegal striker Diomansy Kamara, who injured a cruciate knee ligament in June, his first start of the season. He was strong and effective, adding skill to his force and pace, and the Villa defence were never likely to master him, even if he did score a somewhat fortuitous goal. In the hosts’ midfield Danny Murphy was as influential as ever, using the ball with thought and effect, while the other striker, the eager Erik Nevland, was an ideal foil to the larger Kamara.

The hosts were on the attack with brio from the very first. In the third minute, the adventurous left-back Paul Konchesky put over the first of several centres, but the header by Nevland was confidently collected by Brad Friedel. The goalkeeper was in his usual defiant form for a team that often put him in danger.

Two minutes later, Clint Dempsey, who had a lively first half, sent Kamara through but, before he could shoot, James Milner, with what might politely be described as a winger’s tackle, brought him down from behind and Murphy coolly and expertly put away the penalty.

Fulham continued to press and when Nevland raced onto a through-ball in the 11th minute, with the Villa defence in confusion, he shot just over the bar. Three minutes later Villa equalised. On the right flank, a neat back-heel by Gareth Barry enabled Milner to cross, John Carew to shape for the ball and Ashley Young to drive it home when it reached him in space.

Yet Fulham continued to dictate. When Konchesky curled in a corner, the visiting defence allowed the ball to go left to winger Zoltan Gera. His shot was clawed away by Friedel.

A 15-minute respite for Villa ended when a left-footed drive by Clint Dempsey was beaten down by Friedel.

At last, but only after 40 minutes, we saw a fine attack by Villa, when a long, splendidly sustained burst down the right by Gabriel Agbonlahor was crowned with a centre met by Ashley Young. It was all worthy of a goal but Young’s shot hit the post.

So to half-time, after which even O’Neill had to admit Villa, sadly and surprisingly, lost their way. “Fulham deserved to win,” he said.

In the first minute after the break Fulham regained the lead with a slightly fortuitous goal. Luke Young dived in for a tackle that set the ball loose, enabling Kamara to snap it up and score. On 60 minutes, he would score again when Murphy took a right-wing corner. Brede Hangeland flicked the ball on and Kamara, with a clever flick of his own, sent it home to give Fulham a deserved 3-1 lead.

Roy Hodgson lauded Kamara. “He took his chance [to play] with open arms. His performance was very good. He was a thorn in the side of the Villa defence and his discipline was good.”

So Fulham made light of the loss of their usual attacking dynamo Johnson. He could hardly have surpassed Kamara on such form.

Star man: Diomansy Kamara (Fulham)

Yellow card: Fulham: Murphy

Referee: M Halsey

Attendance: 25,660

FULHAM: Schwarzer 7, Pantsil 7, Hughes 6, Hangeland 7, Konchesky 7, Gera 6, Murphy 7, Etuhu 6 (Dacourt 88min), Dempsey 6 (Gray 84), Kamara 8, Nevland 7 (Zamora 82).

ASTON VILLA: Friedel 7, L Young 6 (Heskey 64min), Knight 6, Davies 6, Shorey 5 (Reo-Coker 64), Milner 6, Petrov 6, Barry 6, A Young 6, Carew 6, Agbonlahor 6.