Fulham beaten despite McCormack strike

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Blackburn Rovers 2 Fulham 1

Fulham were unable to salvage a draw despite a battling display and edging possession in an open game.

Both sides created decent chances throughout, but the Whites trailed 2-0 to Ben Marshall’s strike and a Jordan Rhodes header.

Ross McCormack made it 2-1 from close range before the hosts withstood some late pressure to hold on.

Fulham threatened first with home keeper Jason Steele making a fine save from an Ashley Richards shot after good work by McCormack.

But Rovers went ahead when Marshall took advantage of some uncertain defending and scored with a neat low strike.

Rhodes could have made it 2-0 soon after but volleyed straight at keeper Marcus Bettinelli.

The visitors were enjoying plenty of possession and had two decent opportunities to level, Cauley Woodrow making a mess of a good shooting chance and McCormack smashing a shot over the bar.

Both sides were creating openings and Craig Conway was unlucky not to double the lead with a shot that hit the outside of the post.

And Blackburn did go 2-0 ahead after the break when a cross from Markus Olsson found Rhodes, who notched his 10th goal of the season with a powerful header.

Woodrow almost replied instantly, rattling the bar with a shot from inside the box after good work by Lasse Vigen Christensen.

But the Whites were not to be denied for long, with more good work by Christensen teeing up a simple finish for an unmarked McCormack – his fifth goal in five games.

McCormack had the ball in the net as Fulham pressed for an equaliser, but he was denied by an offside flag as Rovers held on.

Fulham(4-1-2-3): Bettinelli; Richards, Hutchinson, Bodurov, Stafylidis; Parker (Fofana 83); Tunnicliffe, Christensen; Woodrow (Dembele 75), Rodallega (Kacaniklic 62), McCormack.
Subs not used: Kiraly, Burn, Grimmer, Roberts.

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