Half-time: Stoke City 1 Fulham 0
Fulham trailed at the break to a Charlie Adam goal after an uninspiring first half at the Britannia Stadium.
An unmarked Adam pounced to convert Peter Crouch’s knock-down on 26 minutes to give Stoke the lead.
Ryan Shawcross then came close to adding a second, only to see his thumping header cannon back off the crossbar.
Giorgos Karagounis fired wide for Fulham early on while Stoke’s Robert Huth headed wide from a corner when well placed.
But the Potters’ famed aerial threat eventually paid dividends as Crouch rose above Phillipe Senderos to set up Adam from close range.
Fulham: Schwarzer; Riether, Hughes, Senderos, Riise; Dejagah, Baird, Karagounis, Sidwell, Petric; Berbatov. Subs: Kelly, Kasami, Duff, Diarra, Rodallega, Banya, Etheridge.
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