Life with Brian gives Cole a vital lift

Andy Cole believes that Fulham's victory over Norwich can provide the spark to ignite their stuttering season.

The Fulham captain scored the only goal of the game at Carrow Road - his seventh of the season - to end a run of four successive defeats that helped ease the west London club's relegation fears.

"Hopefully this can be our springboard," said Cole.

"I keep saying that after we have a decent result, I just hope it really can be our springboard now.

"We've got some tough matches coming up but it was a big game on Saturday because Norwich were just behind us and they'd have gone past us if they had won." Brian McBride, who impressed in midweek against Chelsea in their battling Carling Cup defeat, was the architect of Fulham's goal.

And Cole, having spent much of the season playing as a loan striker, is clearly benefiting from the American's presence alongside him in attack.

"It's always nice to get a bit of support and I think a lot of teams had got used to us playing one up front," said Cole. "We weren't creating as many chances as we should have been, but with big Brian up front I'm really enjoying it.

"I think I'm at an age now where I can play with anybody and I'm not going to make any complaints.

"It's just nice to have someone up front - Brian's good in the air and he works very hard for the team."