Fulham have dealt Derby County a blow in their push for promotion from the Championship as they beat the Rams 2-0 at Craven Cottage thanks to strikes from Nikolay Bodurov and Cauley Woodrow.
© Getty Images
The hosts created the first opening of the game as Lasse Vigen Christensen did well to tee up Ross McCormack, who decided to launch an ambitious strike at goal from 25 yards, and his effort flew just wide.
Derby hit back with a good opportunity of their own as they won a corner and Omar Mascarell put a dangerous cross into the box, allowing Darren Bent to head at goal, but he could only guide his effort wide of the post.
Ryan Tunnicliffe should have handed the home side the lead as McCormack did well to beat his man down the left and play the midfielder through on goal, but he lost his composure at the vital moment and his effort hit the side-netting.
Minutes later, Fulham did put themselves ahead as Bodurov fired the ball into the net with a sweet finish on the volley from a tight angle, after the visitors failed to clear their lines from a cross into the area.
Matters got even better for the home side right on the stroke of half time as Woodrow doubled their lead, heading past Lee Grant from close range after marching onto a cross from McCormack.
In the second half, Derby came close to getting a goal back when Mascarell lifted another dangerous ball into the box from a corner, only to see Ryan Shotton head over the bar from close range.
Craig Forsyth kept the Rams in the game in the 66th minute as he made an excellent stop on the line to prevent McCormack from adding a third for the home side, after the forward had latched onto Scott Parker's cutback in the six-yard box.
Moussa Dembele came close to adding a third for the home side in the last minute with a strike which crashed off the woodwork, although his side had already doe enough to secure the three points as Derby slipped up in their pursuit for promotion.
Simon Sinclair
