The scoreline of two nil doesn't actually do justice to the overwhelming superiority of Fulham over the Baggies. Two goals, several woodworks, half a dozen other chances, and add to that a missed penalty by West Brom in the dying minutes – it all sums up the dodgy afternoon for Albion.

From the onset at Craven Cottage, both teams installed a high tempo with a lot of running and passing all over the park but five minutes inside the match and it was apparent that  West Brom were relinquishing possession a lot easier than the hosts. Fuhlam on the other hand,  buoyed by their fine home record,  appeared as more composed and assured of their game.

Quarter hour into the match and Fulham pressure upon their visitors had gradually increased all around with West Brom defenders Abdoulaye Meite and Leon Barnett constantly getting too close for comfort to  Fulham strikers, trying desperately to lock up any free area around the Albion penalty area. 

And as the minutes went by, Fulham were dominating utterly – West Brom seemed to have lost any form of initiative or offensive aspirations as they were reduced to fighting for dear life – and that was just 25 minutes into the match.

And yet in spite of Fulham's complete domination, their love affair with the woodwork had prevented them from opening the scoreline. Ten minutes before half time and  Bobby Zamora layed the ball back to Danny Murphy nearly 25 yards out and there wasn't a single West Brom player within five yards of him as he thundered a ball onwards to the top of the crossbar. This being the third time that the woodwork  saved Albion on the afternoon.

The second half of the match under way, still Fulham comfortably on top as far as ball possession and chances created.  Another assault down the left flank, and Paul Konchesky's cross towards  near post was cleared by Leon Barnett, on the stretch.

Relentless pressure on the visitors as the hosts invade more and more territory in their half. Another Fulham attack resulted in one of those pinball moments in the West Brom box, a solid chance for Bobby Zamora to break the deadlock gone to waste.

Inevitably though, in the 64th minute Fulham went 1-0 up with a  Bobby Zamora effort which, literally   cheated offside as he nipped and tapped in the ball from less than two yards.

With the walls of the castle finally breached, Baggie battering continued at Craven Cottage. More poor defending, combined with lively performance by Fulham strikers and midfielder all afternoon meant  more gloom for the visitors. Main culprit Bobby Zamora beautifully controlled a high ball with his chest,  then hammered a left-foot volley at Scott Carson's head, with the rebound falling for Andrew Johnson who drilled the ball in an empty net for 2-0.

The Baggies' supporter's miserable afternoon was given a ray of hope in the end of the match with a penalty awarded for Roman Bednar who was brought crashing down in the box from a ridiculous   Brede Hangeland tackle. Bednar got up, placed the ball on the spot and fired left of  Mark Schwarzer, who anticipated the corner and easily blocked it. And that was that, full time and three points for Fulham, with Albion lucky to escape with only two goal deficit.

 

Fulham: Schwarzer, Pantsil, Hughes, Hangeland, Konchesky, Davies, Murphy, Etuhu, Dempsey, Johnson, Zamora.
Subs: Zuberbuhler, Nevland, Kamara, Dacourt, Gray, Kallio, Baird.
West Brom: Carson, Zuiverloon, Meite, Barnett, Robinson, Morrison, Koren, Borja Valero, Filipe Teixeira, Fortune, Simpson.
Subs: Kiely, Cech, Bednar, Brunt, Moore, Menseguez, Martis.