Fulham weathered a first-half storm to reach their first FA Cup semi-final for 27 years as Steve Marlet's 47th-minute header killed off First Division West Brom.

Marlet's goal also kept the Cottagers on target for their first major trophy in their 114-year history.

The nearest they came was in 1975 when they went all the way to the final under the captaincy of Alan Mullery and were beaten 2-0 by West Ham.

Now they are one step away from the Millennium Stadium after overcoming a potential banana skin at The Hawthorns.

Gary Megson's side had knocked out Sunderland and Leicester on the way to the last eight and they again did the Nationwide League proud with a display full of passion and commitment.

They enjoyed more of the possession for much of the 90 minutes, particularly in the opening half, but goalscoring has been their problem all season and they missed the pace of the injured Jason Roberts.

The Baggies lacked a cutting edge and in the final analysis it was Fulham who created the better openings and, with a little more composure, could have killed the game off earlier.

In the second half they were far more incisive as Albion, for all their huffing and puffing, never seriously threatened to earn a replay.

Albion soon settled into their stride and it needed a goal-line clearance from John Collins to prevent Danny Dichio from giving them an eighth-minute lead.

Neil Clement's right-wing corner picked out the former Sunderland striker and he got in a powerful downward header which beat Edwin van der Sar - but Collins was on hand to head clear.

Marlet did have the ball in the net for the visitors after 17 minutes after a free-kick from Steed Malbranque was deflected into his path but he had strayed offside.

The biggest threat continued to be posed by Megson's side and the goal-shy Scott Dobie wasted a good chance after 23 minutes.

Dichio played the ball into the path of his strike partner and he found himself with a clear sight of goal after cutting in from the left.

But the ending was a disappointment to the 20,000-plus Albion fans as Dobie completely miskicked his left-footed shot which went harmlessly through to van der Sar.

Clement was just off-target with a powerful drive but scoring goals has been Albion's problem and Fulham rode the storm and came back strongly before the interval.

Marlet scuffed a shot across the face of goal after Louis Saha had played the ball into his path and then Russell Hoult was called into meaningful action for the first time a minute before the interval.

Luis Boa Morte flighted a left-wing chip to Saha whose downward volley contained plenty of power but Hoult able to block with his legs.

Fulham played with more purpose at the start of the second period and needed only two minutes to break the deadlock as the Albion defence went AWOL.

Malbranque sent over a free-kick from just outside the penalty area and no-one picked up Marlet who sent a powerful header past the exposed Hoult for his seventh goal of the campaign.

Albion were rocked by this setback and two minutes later would have gone further behind but for a dreadful miss by Saha.

Malbranque sent over a low cross after exchanging passes with Steve Finnan and Saha found himself completely unmarked eight yards out at the far post.

But he elected to hit the ball first time and his shot flew high over the bar much to Hoult's relief.

Megson's response was to bring on veteran striker Bob Taylor in place of midfielder Adam Chambers.

The 35-year-old was soon in the thick of the action and he almost caught van der Sar napping with a first-time effort from 30 yards which had him scrambling across his line to parry the ball away.

The home side started to build up a second head of steam and Dichio was only just too high with a volley from a narrow angle.

But now Fulham were looking the more dangerous and Hoult saved a low shot on the turn from Saha and another similar effort by Marlet.

Taylor was denied a late appeal for a penalty after tangling with Rufus Brevett but the visitors held on to seal their passage into the last four.

Teams:

West Brom: Hoult, Sigurdsson, Moore, Gilchrist, Balis, Adam Chambers (Taylor 54), McInnes, Johnson, Clement, Dobie (Fox 82), Dichio.

Subs Not Used: Adamson, Butler, Jordao.

Fulham: Van der Sar, Finnan, Melville, Goma, Brevett, Boa Morte (Ouaddou 72), Collins, Legwinski, Malbranque (Hayles 85), Marlet, Saha (Goldbaek 85).

Subs Not Used: Taylor, Harley.

Goals: Marlet 47.

Att: 24,811

Ref: N Barry (Scunthorpe).