Darren Bent scored a late winner for Fulham as they beat Stoke City 1-0 in this afternoon's Premier League match at Craven Cottage.
Fulham were fortunate not to have a player sent off after just 10 minutes of the match. Pajtim Kasami slapped Erik Pieters on the back of the head after a tussle between the two, but he escaped a booking from the referee.
Marko Arnautovic had the first chance for the visitors but he dragged his effort wide after the ball had broken kindly to him on the edge of the box.
Stoke felt that they should have had a penalty midway through the first half when Jonathan Walters went down inside the box under the challenge of Fernando Amorebieta, but the referee gave a free kick instead.
Robert Huth then saw his effort from a corner cleared off the line as the first 45 minutes ended goalless.
Dimitar Berbatov believed that he should have had a penalty at the start of the second half after he was pulled down inside the box, but the referee was not convinced by his claims.
Huth came close again to giving Stoke the lead but headed over when unmarked from a corner, before Stephen Ireland volleyed wide from inside the box.
As the game entered the final 10 minutes, Huth saw another header cleared off the line but after being under pressure for most of the half, it was the hosts who took the lead.
Bent picked up the ball inside the box from Kasami's deflected strike, and after taking a touch inside past Asmir Begovic, he kept his composure to slot home and secure all three points for Fulham.
Alex Meyers
