- Zamora (61), Johnson, A (72)
- Date:2009-02-22
- Kick-off:13:30
- Venue:Craven Cottage
- Attendance:22394
- Referee:Atkinson, M
Live Commentary
90mins
Full Time: FULHAM 2-0 WEST BROM: Fulham pick up a fully deserved three points thanks to second-half goals by Zamora and Johnson. The win moves the Cottagers into the top ten but keeps West Brom rooted to the foot of the table.
90mins
Or maybe not! Hangeland trips Bednar and he will take the spot kick.
90mins
The fourth official indicates four minutes of stoppage time. Long enough for a West Brom comeback? It seems unlikely.
87mins
Simpson tries to place shot past Schwarzer but the Fulham keeper makes a simple save.
85mins
Murphy's work is done. Dacourt comes on to make his home debut for Fulham.
84mins
First yellow card of the game and it's a late one. It goes to Robinson after he caught Davies.
82mins
Good chance for West Brom to pull a goal back but Menseguez heads Brunt's cross over the bar.
80mins
... while Kamara comes on for Johnson.
80mins
West Brom also make a change with Bednar coming on for Fortune.
80mins
A double substitution by Fulham sees Zamora replaced by Nevland...
80mins
Robinson tries to find a West Brom player in the Fulham box but his cross goes straight to Schwarzer.
78mins
Carson does well to hold a low cross from Konchesky.
76mins
Tony Mowbray decides to make another change as new signing Menseguez comes on for Morrison.
74mins
Johnson is again thwarted by Carson, who did well to beat out the Fulham striker's powerful shot.
72mins
FULHAM 2-0 WEST BROM: Fulham extend their lead as JOHNSON smashes home the rebound after Zamora was denied by Carson.
70mins
How many times are Fulham going to hit the bar this afternoon. It's Hangeland who is denied by the woodwork this time after getting a head to Davies' corner. That's three times now!
68mins
Good chance for West Brom as Simpson sets up Zuiverloon but the full-back's cross flashes along the six-yard box and away to safety.
66mins
Johnson races away and spreads the ball wide for Dempsey but the winger's cross is blocked by Zuiverloon.
64mins
Schwarzer does well to parry Koren's driven 20 yard shot.
62mins
Zamora almost doubles the lead but his shot on the turn goes over the bar.
61mins
FULHAM 1-0 WEST BROM: Fulham's pressure is rewarded at last as ZAMORA taps home at the back post from Paintsil's cross.
60mins
Simpson drills a shot goalwards but it doesn't trouble Schwarzer.
58mins
A scramble in the West Brom box is ended by Meite's clearance. Zamora had the first chance but tripped then Davies was crowded out by Morrison.
56mins
Zamora does well to keep in Konchesky's pass but Johnson's shot is blocked by Meite.
54mins
Best chance of the match for West Brom. Fortune brought down Brunt's cross but Schwarzer raced off his line to deny the Baggies striker.
53mins
Fortune loops his header over the bar after a decent cross by Morrison. Good start by West Brom.
51mins
Pantsil is forced to clear the ball after Koren and Morrison try to make room for a shot on the edge of the Fulham box.
49mins
Tony Mowbray has seen enough. Teixeira comes off for Brunt.
48mins
First chance falls to Fulham as Konchesky skips down the left wing and drills a cross along the six yard box. Zuiverloon hacks clear.
47mins
No changes by either said at the break - but Tony Mowbray would have a few words for his team. Can they up the tempo in this second half?
46mins
West Brom, in their unfamiliar yellow away kit, get the second half underway.
45mins
Half Time: FULHAM 0-0 WEST BROM: Martin Atkinson brings an entertaining first half to a close and Fulham boss Roy Hodgson will be wondering how his side aren't in the lead. Fulham have hit the bar twice and forced Carson to make three good saves.
45mins
The fourth official indicates one minute of added time.
44mins
Davies snatches at a long-range shot and the ball sails over the bar.
43mins
Zamora should have scored for Fulham. It was Davies who knocked it down for the striker but he sliced his shot well wide of the target.
41mins
At last West Brom test Schwarzer. It was Fortune who drove a shot goalwards but the Fulham keeper palmed the effort away.
39mins
Almost an own goal by West Brom and that man Barnett is involved again. The centre-back headed Murphy's pass back to Carson but he directed the ball away from the England keeper and straight to goal. Carson managed to scramble back though.
37mins
West Brom are just having a spell of possession. Can they take an undeserved first-half lead?
35mins
Ten minutes to go in this first half and Fulham will be wondering what they have to do to score. Carson has been forced to make two good saves and the cross-bar has also come to West Brom's rescue on two occasions.
32mins
Fulham have hit the bar again! A lovely passing move ended with a curling effort from Murphy that beat Carson but not the woodwork.
29mins
Barnett is there again to deny Fulham. It was Konchesky who cut in from the left but his low cross was hacked clear by the overworked West Brom defender.
27mins
Barnett is penalised for climbing all over Zamora. Free kick to Fulham.
25mins
Fortune smashes the ball home in the six yard box after a good run and cross from Teixeira - but he was offside.
23mins
Another brilliant strike from a Fulham player. Dempsey let fly this time from 30 yards but his angled drive came back off the bar.
21mins
Johnson and Zamora link well to set up Dempsey but the USA international balloons his effort over the bar.
19mins
What a strike by Etuhu! The giant Fulham midfielder unleashed a 25yard volley that Carson beat away to safety.
18mins
Another corner for the home side after good work by Davies and Johnson.
17mins
Barnett again does well to snuff out a Fulham attack. It's Zamora who is denied by the Baggies defender this time.
15mins
Pantsil goes for safety and hits the ball out for a corner to West Brom.
13mins
Davies blazes an angled drive across the face of goal. Fulham are well on top at the moment.
11mins
Good penalty shout for Fulham. Davies threaded a pass into the area for Johnson to chase but Barnett just managed to get a touch on the ball and knock it out for a corner.The referee had a word with the Fulham striker after he tumbled over in the box
10mins
Davies again hits Robinson when well placed to deliver a cross into the West Brom box.
8mins
A smart turn and through ball from Simpson sets Fortune on his way, but the pass is over hit and Schwarzer collects.
6mins
Fulham have started brightly with Murphy pulling the strings in midfield. West Brom have yet to settle.
4mins
Great free kick by Murphy! The former Liverpool man curled his effort over the wall but Carson just managed to touch it onto the post.
4mins
Johnson is brought down by Zuiverloon on the edge of the box. Dangerous free kick for Fulham.
3mins
Good work by Murphy and Zamora sets Davies on his way but his cross is cut out by Robinson.
2mins
Fortune goes on a mazy dribble but over runs the ball. Goal kick to Fulham.
1mins
Fulham get the game underway at Craven Cottage. Both sides need three points for very different reasons and they will play the game in front of watching England boss, Fabio Capello.
0mins
The teams are being led out by referee Martin Atkinson for this afternoon's game.
0mins
West Brom: Carson, Zuiverloon, Meite, Barnett, Robinson, Morrison, Koren, Borja Valero, Filipe Teixeira, Fortune, Simpson.
0mins
A victory for West Brom would boost the Baggies hopes of avoiding relegation. Tony Mowbray welcomes back Jay Simpson up front. New signing Juan Carlos Menseguez takes his place on the bench.
0mins
Fulham: Schwarzer, Pantsil, Hughes, Hangeland, Konchesky, Davies, Murphy, Etuhu, Dempsey, Johnson, Zamora.
0mins
Fulham boss Roy Hodgson returns Andy Johnson and Paul Konchesky to his starting line-up. A win will see the Cottagers move into the top ten of the Premier League.
Match Preview
Home specialists Fulham entertain West Bromwich Albion at Craven Cottage this Sunday with the aim of keeping the Baggies rooted to the foot of the Premier League.
The London club have lost only once at home this season, to West Ham in September, and have won seven times, including their last match at home against Portsmouth in January.
They are likely to have their match-winning striker Andrew Johnson, who has scored all five of his league goals at Craven Cottage, fit after a slight muscle strain.
Johnson was joined on the injury table by Paul Konchesky, as Cottagers manager Roy Hodgson explained earlier this week.
"They're both suffering from muscle injuries which are minor strains which they've been playing through," noted Hodgson, speaking before the defeat to Man Utd on Wednesday.
"It's a question between myself and the medical staff about the risks involved, can they play the game, get through the game and still be fit for the weekend and the games that come after that?"
Midfielder Dickson Etuhu is a more serious doubt, opening the door for loan signing Olivier Dacourt to continue in a role that Hodgson would like to have him in for the next few seasons.
"I think we will face competition for him - certainly if he does well while he is here," Hodgson told the Daily Star Sunday, adding that the Frenchman is available for free in the summer.
West Brom have far deeper injury problems, although Ryan Donk, Jay Simpson and Luke Moore could be fit enough to offer manager Tony Mowbray some alternatives.
Paul Robinson could complicate matters by missing the game to attend the birth of his third child, giving Marek Cech or Donk a chance to be involved.
Better news comes from midfielder James Morrison, who is confident that he can return to match fitness after overcoming a groin injury that had forced him out of the Scotland squad.
Mowbray has urged his team to take a page from Fulham's book and pick up some wins, including away from home where they have only won once.
"Let's hope we can do what teams like Wigan and Fulham have and go on a run where you win three or four games on the bounce.
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Match Report
Bobby Zamora ended his league goal drought at 1,762 minutes to set Fulham on their way to a deserved victory over West Brom at Craven Cottage.
The former Tottenham and West Ham forward had not found the net in five months but broke the deadlock on the hour to lift the hosts up to eighth and leave the visitors deep in relegation trouble.
West Brom went into the game having lost eight of their last nine away league fixtures, while Fulham had the second best home record in the division after Manchester United, having won an impressive seven of their 11 games in west London.
So it was no surprise that it was the hosts who started the stronger, with skipper Danny Murphy going close to opening the scoring after just four minutes.
There was an air of anticipation as the former Liverpool midfielder lined up a free-kick 25 yards out. He swerved it over the wall perfectly but was denied by a fine finger-tip save by Scott Carson, who pushed the ball onto the post before Abdoulaye Meite hacked it clear.
But there would have been nothing Carson could have done if Clint Dempsey's wonderful 30-yard drive had been a couple of inches to the left as it arced over the keeper before hitting the post and somehow bouncing clear.
Fulham just couldn't turn their chances into goals and were denied by the woodwork for a third time just after the half-hour mark as Murphy casually swung an effort from 25 yards onto the top of the crossbar with Carson floundering.
And Leon Barnett almost headed past his own goalkeeper before Zamora wasted a fine chance as Tony Mowbray's visitors gamely hung on until half-time.
With Fulham in mid-table and West Brom bottom the visitors' desire for the points should have been the greater - but when the second half began they were still being comprehensively outplayed.
And eventually it was to be Zamora who made them pay on the hour mark as he scored his first league goal since September 13.
It was a true poacher's strike as the £5million summer signing from West Ham ghosted in at the back-post to guide home Andy Johnson's flicked header from John Paintsil's cross.
And Roy Hodgson's side took their cue to put the game to bed - which they soon did through Johnson as the £15million strike-force proved their worth.
There seemed little on when Zamora collected a long ball but he strode past Barnett and unleashed a shot that Carson could only parry, allowing Johnson to stroke home the rebound.
And West Brom couldn't even manage a late consolation as Mark Schwarzer saved Roman Bednar's stoppage-time penalty as the visitors left Craven Cottage with exactly what they deserved - nothing.
Fulham Team
West Bromwich Albion Team
Fulham | West Bromwich Albion |
Corners
| 12 | 4 |
Fouls
| 11 | 10 |
Goal attempts
| 19 | 9 |
Shots off target
| 7 | 3 |
Offsides
| 4 | 1 |
90mins
Great save by Schwarzer. He dived to his right to deny the West Brom striker.