Tom Cairney, Jazz Richards and Liam Donnelly were on target as Fulham earned a 3-1 pre-season friendly win at Crawley Town.

After Roarie Deacon had cracked a shot off the underside of the bar for the hosts, Cairney put Fulham in front in the 15th minute, firing home after Matt Smith’s header had been saved.

Sky Bet League Two outfit Crawley were back on level terms within two minutes, though, Izale McLeod scoring from the spot after he’d been fouled by Richards in the area.

Richards made amends, though, smashing a shot into the roof of the net just before the break after being sent scampering clear by Ross McCormack’s superb pass.

A plethora of substitutions in the second half saw the contest peter out somewhat, but Cauley Woodrow blazed a good chance over and Adam Taggart went close late, before Liam Donnelly wrapped up the win with a scuffed shot after Crawley had failed to clear a corner.

In Fulham’s first official pre-season friendly of the summer, Kit Symons named a strong starting XI which included summer signings Richards, Cairney and Jamie O’Hara. Former Fulham youngster Alex Brister was on the bench for Crawley Town.

McCormack had the ball in the net in the fifth minute but his effort was disallowed for a foul by Smith in the build-up. At the other end, Deacon saw a thunderous shot crash off the underside of the bar, with McLeod heading the rebound wide.

The Whites went in front in the 15th minute. Smith met McCormack’s cross and saw his header saved by the legs of Callum Preston. But Cairney was there to meet the rebound and smash it gleefully home from 12 yards.

Fulham’s joy didn’t last long. Richards clumsily sent McLeod tumbling to the floor in the penalty area two minutes later and referee Tim Robinson immediately pointed to the spot. McLeod picked himself up and slotted past Marcus Bettinelli.

Luke Rooney went into the book for the hosts in the 38th minute for a late tackle on Cariney from behind and O’Hara looked set to put Fulham in front soon after but the midfielder was brilliantly denied by Preston from point-blank range after Smith had nodded the ball into his path. It mattered little, though, as Richards fired Fulham back into the lead moments later, racing onto McCormack’s superb slide-rule pass and sending hit shot into the roof of the net.

Fulham made seven changes for the second half and Larnell Cole saw an early penalty shout waved away, before Woodrow blazed Ben Pringle’s chipped delivery miles over the bar. McCormack then saw a header palmed away. At the other end, Andy Lonergan denied Deacon with a brave block.

There were more changes by Fulham on the hour mark as McCormack, Sean Kavanagh, Shaun Hutchinson and Nikolay Bodurov were replaced by Taggart, Kay Voser, Donnelly and Cameron Burgess respectively.

Cole jinked his way into a shooting position in the 70th minute, but bent his effort wide of the far post, before Woodrow saw an effort blocked from close to the line after meeting Ryan Tunnicliffe’s cut-back.

Taggart then collected Pringle’s pass but sent his left-footed effort a couple of yards wide of the far stick and an unmarked Woodrow headed Pringle’s corner the wrong side of the post.

Donnelly ensured Fulham would secure victory as the clock ticked into the 90th minute, slotting in from eight yards after a Pringle corner had only been half-cleared.