Sean Davis grabbed a last-gasp winner to stun Blackburn at Ewood Park and move
10-man Fulham to within three points of the First Division title.
The 21-year-old pounced from six yards with seconds remaining to hand Jean
Tigana's men an unlikely win in the top-of-the-table clash.
Earlier Louis Saha's 28th of the season looked to have salvaged a point for
the Cottagers in first-half stoppage time after Matt Jansen had given Rovers a
sixth-minute lead.
That would have represented a good night for the runaway leaders, who had been
reduced to 10 men following the first-half dismissal of Rufus Brevett.
But Davis completed a memorable night for the Londoners to inflict Rovers'
first home defeat since November and move Fulham 16 points clear at the summit.
Fulham are now just one win away from securing promotion to the Premiership.
Jansen had given the hosts the perfect start with his 20th goal of the season
as Rovers chased a seventh win in nine league games.
The 23-year-old, who posed a real threat all night, tucked away a free header
after six minutes following good work from Damien Duff on the right flank.
Jansen twice troubled keeper Maik Taylor again in the first half, first with a
low, 20-yard shot after 12 minutes and then with a back header the Northern
Ireland international did well to hold.
And then the chances of Rovers avenging their 2-1 defeat at Craven Cottage in
October increased when Brevett was sent off just before the interval for a
petulant kick at Garry Flitcroft.
But any hopes Rovers had of forcing home their numerical advantage took an
immediate blow when they gifted the Londoners an equaliser.
Following a mix up between Brad Friedel, Craig Short and Henning Berg, Saha
rolled an 18-yard shot into the open net.
The second half continued at the same fierce pace as the first, but despite
their extra man Blackburn were unable to forge any clear openings in the first
20 minutes of the half.
Indeed, the visitors could have taken the lead in the 63rd minute when
substitute Stig Inge Bjornebye did well to deny the encroaching Bjarne Goldbaek
after Saha's long shot had been parried.
Two minutes later Rovers should have capitalised on some lax defending, but,
after David Dunn's tee-up, Jansen lamely provided Taylor with a simple catch
from six yards.
Rovers had other clear opportunities to regain the lead, first through
Flitcroft, who blasted over from 15 yards, and Jansen's left-footed shot just
evaded the far post.
But then with a draw on the cards, Lee Clark's shot deflected off a Rovers
defender into the path of Davis, who sent the away fans wild with the winner
past Friedel.
Teams:
Blackburn: Friedel, Curtis, Berg, Short (Berkovic 64),
Gillespie (Hignett 73), Dunn, Flitcroft, Mahon,
Duff (Bjornebye 12), Bent, Jansen.
Subs Not Used: Hughes, Filan.
Booked: Bjornebye.
Goals: Jansen 6.
Fulham: Taylor, Finnan, Brevett, Melville, Symons, Goldbaek,
Clark, Davis, John Collins, Hayles (Neilson 42), Saha.
Subs Not Used: Sahnoun, Riedle, Stolcers, Hahnemann.
Sent Off: Brevett (41).
Booked: Brevett.
Goals: Saha 45, Davis 90.
Att: 21,578
Ref: C Wilkes (Gloucester).
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