Fulham 3 Blackburn 2

In a thrilling affair at Craven Cottage, Fulham took all three points courtesy of a late, late penalty.

Mark Hughes stuck with his tried and trusted eleven that had served him well against Manchester City last time out, Etuhu continued to deputise for the injured Sidwell whilst Zamora, once again, had to be content with a place on the bench.

An early Blackburn chance saw Schwarzer save from Roberts after Nzonzi had created the chance. Fulham created a couple of half chances but Duff saw his first effort go over the bar and the second saved nut Roberts should have put the visitors ahead but headed a clear chance over.

Fulham were struggling to get going and Blackburn were forcing the issue with Diouf forcing a good save from Schwarzer after Fulham had once again conceded possession cheaply.

Demspey then saw his shot, through a sea of legs, after an Etuhu pass, saved by Robinson as Fulham started to get their act together. Robinson then saved well from Etuhu and Fulham started to get on top.

The pressure then cracked Blackburn when Damien Duff scored against his old team, latching onto a pass from Etuhu, before cutting inside to beat Robinson, with a low shot, in the Rovers goal.

The goal saw Fulham emerge as the better side but Blackburn, courtesy of a massive deflection, off Brede Hangeland, were to get back on level terms. Fulham couldn`t clear a corner and when the ball fell to Hanley his shot went in off of Hangeland in first half stoppage time.

Half Time - Fulham 1 Blackburn 1

Fulham almost got back into the lead very early on in the second half when Samba sliced a Duff cross against his own bar.

Duff made it a personal brace when his shot beat Robinson at his near post just before the hour mark, incidentally, it being fourteen years, (December 1997 Blackburn v West Ham) when Duff last scored a brace in the Premier League. The goal coming after Dembele had found Duff and he`d cut inside to beat Robinson from twenty yards.

Duff, becoming the leading figure in this match, thought he had a penalty when he tumbled over in the area but Mark Clattenburg waved play-on.

Blackburn were to level again though when Hoilett demonstrated his finishing prowess to smash one past Schwarzer with sixty-five minutes on the clock. Fulham had, again, failed to clear their lines allowing Hoilett to fire home.

With twenty minutes left Hughes shook things up bringing on Zamora for Murphy and eight minutes later Kakuta came on for Dembele.

As time looked to be running out Hanley fouled Aaron Hughes and Fulham had a chance to wrap up all three points. Zamora stepped up and notched his first Premier League goal since coming back from injury smashing his spot-kick straight down the middle in the eighty-ninth minute.

The three points were Fulham`s



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