- Dempsey (2)
- Diouf (69), Roberts (85)
- Date:2009-03-11
- Kick-off:20:00
- Venue:Craven Cottage
- Attendance:22259
- Referee:Styles, R
Live Commentary
90mins
The whistle goes and Rovers have climbed out of the drop-zone while Fulham suffer their third straight home defeat.
90mins
Rovers are keeping the ball in the corner as they try to run the clock down.
90mins
Simon Davies comes off for Erik Nevland.
90mins
There are four minutes of added time as the free-kick is easily cleared by Blackburn.
89mins
Fulham are awarded a free-kick 35 yards out for a foul on Simon Davies.
87mins
Morten Gamst Pedersen is replaced by David Dunn.
85mins
Blackburn take the lead, Morten Gamst Pedersen's cross finds Jason Roberts who turns Toni Kallio and fires the ball past Mark Schwarzer.
84mins
Clint Dempsey almost puts the ball through to Paul Konchesky but Paul Robinson is there to gather the ball.
82mins
Aaron Mokoena comes on for Kerimoglu Tugay.
82mins
The corner is headed over the bar by Clint Dempsey.
81mins
Paul Konchesky's cross almost finds Clint Dempsey but is deflected behind for a corner.
80mins
Zoltan Gera goes off for Diomansy Kamara.
78mins
Toni Kallio replaces Aaron Hughes.
77mins
Andrew Johnson appears to have been tripped on the edge of the area but nothing is given.
77mins
Stephen Warnock has another effort which Mark Schwarzer is equal to.
76mins
Aaron Hughes is off the pitch with an injury to his side and Fulham are down to 10 men.
74mins
Andre Ooijer has a powerful effort which is just wide of the post.
73mins
Kerimoglu Tugay tries his luck but again Mark Schwarzer makes the save.
72mins
Stephen Warnock has another fine left-foot effort which is again saved well by Mark Schwarzer.
70mins
A controversial equaliser as El Hadji Diouf appears to be offside but coolly slots home from close range from Samba's header across the area.
68mins
Neither team can keep hold of the ball.
66mins
Cheers from the home fans as Stephen Warnock puts the ball out of play.
64mins
Benni McCarthy goes for goal but his effort is way over the bar.
63mins
Rovers are awarded a dangerous free-kick five yards outside the penalty area.
62mins
Clint Dempsey breaks up a Rovers attack and the crowd show their appreciation for his hard work.
61mins
A dangerous ball from Paul Konchesky fizzes across the penalty area and is put behind for another corner.
59mins
Clint Dempsey almost finds Andrew Johnson but Rovers manage to clear the danger.
58mins
Ryan Nelsen volleys wide from the corner.
57mins
Stephen Warnock forces a great save from Mark Schwarzer with a fine left-foot volley and Rovers now have a corner.
57mins
Benni McCarthy replaces Keith Andrews.
56mins
Fulham have a corner which Stephen Warnock heads behind, and the resultant corner also comes to nothing.
54mins
Andrew Johnson gets a shot in but it's charged down and Blackburn can clear.
52mins
Danny Murphy is booked for bringing down Morten Gamst Pedersen as Rovers break from the corner.
52mins
Andrew Johnson wins a third corner for Fulham in quick succession.
51mins
Paul Konchesky's corner is headed goalwards by Brede Hangeland but deflected behind by Jason Roberts.
49mins
Morten Gamst Pedersen nips in as Danny Murphy tries to cushion the ball back to his defenders but Mark Schwarzer is able to gather the ball.
47mins
Morten Gamst Pedersen launches another throw-in towards the penalty area but Fulham can clear.
46mins
Blackburn get the second half underway.
45mins
El Hadji Diouf is booked after the whistle for remonstrating with the referee.
45mins
Rob Styles blows for half-time.
45mins
There's one minute of added time.
44mins
Fulham eventually clear and break with Andrew Johnson but the striker is brought down and the home side have a free-kick.
44mins
El Hadji Diouf wins a free-kick from Brede Hangeland's sliding challenge and Rovers get everyone forward.
42mins
Rovers win another corner which ends with a tame header from Jason Roberts straight at Mark Schwarzer.
41mins
Zoltan Gera's pass gets beyond the Rovers defence but Andrew Johnson is flagged offside.
39mins
Jason Roberts's first-time effort is well off target.
37mins
The crowd are becoming a little restless as Blackburn enjoy a spell of possession.
35mins
Morten Gamst Pedersen's long throw-ins have become a feature of the game and have caused Fulham a few problems.
33mins
Zoltan Gera concedes another corner from the throw-in but it's comfortably taken by Mark Schwarzer.
32mins
Morten Gamst Pedersen's corner causes all sorts of problems in the Fulham defence but they eventually clear for a throw-in.
31mins
Aaron Hughes concedes another Blackburn corner.
30mins
Morten Gamst Pedersen gets underneath his shot from the edge of the penalty area and it flies over the bar.
29mins
Andrew Johnson fires in a cross from Danny Murphy's quick free-kick but it evades everyone.
28mins
Aaron Hughes's ball forward is too long and goes through to Paul Robinson.
26mins
The crowd are urging Fulham on.
24mins
There's no power in El Hadji Diouf's free-kick and the ball loops into Mark Schwarzer's arms.
24mins
Clint Dempsey is penalised for handball and Rovers have a free-kick but replays show the ball hit his chest.
23mins
Blackburn have kept possession well in the last couple of minutes and Fulham are working hard to try and get the ball back.
21mins
Jason Roberts is caught offside again.
19mins
Zoltan Gera forces a save from Paul Robinson and then heads wide.
17mins
A quick break from Blackburn and Jason Roberts finds Stephen Warnock who hits the inside of the post with Mark Schwarzer beaten.
16mins
Ryan Nelsen puts the ball straight out of play under pressure from Andrew Johnson.
14mins
Clint Dempsey is at the heart of everything for Fulham in the early stages of the game.
12mins
Clint Dempsey finds Simon Davies and his shot is well saved by Paul Robinson.
11mins
Blackburn have their first corner and El Hadji Diouf is booed as he comes over to take the kick, which Mark Schwarzer safely gathers.
10mins
Morten Gamst Pedersen appears to handle the ball as Blackburn come forward but Keith Andrews's effort goes wide.
9mins
A lovely move from Fulham as Clint Dempsey backheels the ball towards Andrew Johnson whose shot is blocked.
8mins
Blackburn are trying to get forward as they look to get back into the game but lose the ball and Fulham can break.
6mins
Morten Gamst Pedersen has a free header from 12 yards out but it's straight at Mark Schwarzer.
4mins
El Hadji Diouf is caught offside as Blackburn seek an immediate reply.
2mins
FULHAM 1-0 BLACKBURN. Clint DEMPSEY slots the ball past Paul Robinson after being found by Danny Murphy's header and Fulham have made the perfect start.
2mins
Rovers need to win and have started positively but Jason Roberts is flagged offside.
1mins
The game gets underway.
0mins
A minute's silence before the kick-off is immaculately observed.
0mins
Sam Allardyce makes three changes from the side that drew 0-0 with Everton, Roque Santa Cruz is replaced by Morten Gamst Pedersen, Vince Grella makes way for Kerimoglu Tugay and Paul Robinson replaces Jason Brown.
0mins
There's one change for Fulham to the side that lost 4-0 to Manchester United in the FA Cup with Bobby Zamora making way for Zoltan Gera.
Match Preview
Fulham host relegation-threatened Blackburn Rovers at Craven Cottage hoping to recover from an FA Cup mauling at the hands of Manchester United.
The Cottagers were thrashed 4-0 on home soil on Saturday, having also tasted defeat on their last league outing when Hull City left Craven Cottage with a crucial 1-0 win.
However, Fulham boss Roy Hodgson is hardly likely to press the panic button just yet, with his side still comfortably in mid-table and having only lost twice at home in the league this season.
He commented: "We have 11 games to play and I'm hopeful that in those eleven games we'll get enough points to stay up.
"The cup run was good, we enjoyed it and the atmosphere was marvellous on Saturday.
"It's a shame we can't send our fans home happy, but the league will occupy our attention and we have to pick ourselves up after the defeat."
Hodgson has few injury or suspension worries, with only defender Chris Baird a doubt due to a leg injury.
Rovers arrive in the capital still struggling in the bottom three, despite an upturn in form since the appointment of Sam Allardyce.
The former Bolton boss has admitted: "The relegation battle is one of the most difficult things you can face as a Premier League manager.
"The planning for next season is in its infancy, but I prefer to put it on hold as much as I can. Certain aspects have to be talked about, but it is only on a minimal basis because it is about making sure we stay in the Premier League.
"That will put us behind in our planning but I think that is the most important thing, concentrating on game to game and getting out of the bottom three."
Goalkeeper Paul Robinson is still sidelined by a shoulder problem, with Jason Brown set to deputise again, while midfield duo Brett Emerton and Steven Reid have had their seasons ended early by knee injuries.
Winger Morten Gamst Pedersen is available after being suspended for the goalless draw with Everton following his sending-off against Hull City.
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Match Report
El Hadji Diouf and Jason Roberts both scored in the last 20 minutes as Blackburn snatched all three points by coming from behind to beat Fulham 2-1 at Craven Cottage.
Sam Allardyce's visitors were trailing to Clint Dempsey's early strike for 68 minutes but came storming back to lift themselves out of the bottom three with what could be a hugely valuable win.
The result was harsh on the hosts, who were dominant in the first-half, but an improved display by Blackburn in the second period ensured they are two points above the drop zone and just four behind Fulham, who are rocking after three home defeats in a week.
The result appeared hugely unlikely for long stretches, but Fulham simply ran out of steam and were punished as Diouf and Roberts made the most of terrible defending as the game reached its conclusion.
Fulham manager Roy Hodgson who had a largely disappointing 17-month spell in charge of Blackburn from June 1997 went into the game calling for a reaction from his side to Saturday's 4-0 FA Cup defeat to Manchester United.
He certainly got it as they were ahead within 100 seconds.
It was criminally poor defending from Blackburn as Dempsey flicked Danny Murphy's header over Christopher Samba before rounding the Congolese's central-defensive partner, Ryan Nelson, with far too much ease and sliding the ball beyond an exposed Paul Robinson for his sixth goal of the season.
The hosts were bossing proceedings as only a fine saving tackle from Stephen Warnock denied Andrew Johnson, with Robinson stopping well from Simon Davies as Dempsey dictated the play from his position just off Johnson.
Blackburn were inches away from equalising out of the blue on 17 minutes as Warnock nearly made a decisive impact at the other end of the pitch, curling a left-footed effort onto the post with Mark Schwarzer well beaten.
Even if the opening 20 minutes had been entertaining, the game soon descended into a gritty midfield battle, only enlivened by Diouf deciding to have a running battle with referee Rob Styles, one which saw him booked after the half-time whistle was blown.
The Senegalese soon showed the other side of his character though as, with Fulham under intense pressure, he poked home from six yards after the hosts' defence left him unmarked.
Schwarzer twice denied Warnock but Blackburn grabbed the winner as Roberts turned Toni Kallio a full-back playing at centre-half due to an injury to Aaron Hughes with ease inside the box and lashed the ball into the roof of the net to ensure there will be at least 11 teams involved in the relegation battle for the remaining ten games of the season.
Fulham Team
Blackburn Rovers Team
Fulham | Blackburn Rovers |
Corners
| 9 | 9 |
Fouls
| 14 | 8 |
Goal attempts
| 10 | 16 |
Shots off target
| 2 | 6 |
Offsides
| 0 | 7 |



90mins
Erik Nevland almost equalises but is denied by a fine save from Paul Robinson.