Fulham boss Mark Hughes was delighted with Chris Baird's double in victory over Stoke City.
Baird had never scored for the London outfit before and his last goal had come for Southampton against Cardiff in a Championship fixture in March 2007.
When told it had been almost four years since Baird's previous goal, the manager said: "Is it? Well that surprises me, because arguably, he is one of the best strikers of the ball that we have at the club, so he has that capacity to produce what he did.
"With the first one, as soon as it sat up - I have seen him do that in training and it is a fantastic strike, arguably goal of the season I would suggest.
"The second one from the free-kick, as soon as it left his foot it was goal-bound.
"I'm pleased for him. He has had to be patient and wait his time, but fully deserved his selection and justified it."
