Fulham coasted into third round of the Carling Cup with a facile 6-0 win over a hapless Port Vale side at Craven Cottage on Wednesday night.
Zoltan Gera and Bobby Zamora both bagged braces for the Cottagers, with the other goals coming courtesy of debutant Moussa Dembele and substitute Clint Dempsey.
Manager Mark Hughes could not have hoped for an easier midweek run-out for his troops. They were ahead after ten minutes, Gera nodding home Matthew Briggs' cross. It was ridiculously simple and a sign of things to come.
The Cottagers doubled their advantage just past the midway point of the first half. New signing Moussa Dembele was the scorer, the STG5million man cutting inside before firing the ball low past Port Vale goalkeeper Tomlinson.
Ten minutes later it was 3-0, Zamora opening his account for the new season in fine style with a fearsome finish from a tight angle after a neat one-two with Damien Duff.
Zamora then turned provider right on the stroke of half-time, the England international playing the ball into Gera, who took a touch before turning and firing the ball into the top corner.
The second half proved just as straightforward for Fulham, though their fifth goal didn't arrive until the 66th minute, Zamora bagging his second of the evening with a low free-kick which nicked the post on its way in.
Dempsey added a sixth moments later, the American beating the beleaguered Tomlinson with a dipping 25-yarder.