Jon Stead and Michael Tonge ended personal goal droughts to lift Sheffield United seven points clear of the Barclays Premiership relegation zone.

The much-needed victory brought the curtain down on a four-match winless streak for the Blades, and was only their second in eight games for manager Neil Warnock's side.

Stead ended a 10-game barren run with his first goal for United in the 23rd minute following his recent move from Sunderland, while Tonge followed up five minutes later for his first for nine months.

The three points were fully merited against a Fulham side suffering their first defeat for 11 matches - a run stretching back to early December.

Perhaps something can be said for the Blades' humiliating FA Cup defeat to League One Swansea earlier this month as they appeared refreshed from their weekend lay-off.

Warnock may have fumed at the time at the exit, but if this was the pay-off then it was worth the embarrassment and anger as his side comfortably produced their best 45 minutes of the season in the opening half.

Fulham, who defeated Stoke 3-0 in a fourth-round tie on Saturday and can perhaps offer up the excuse of tiredness, were never at the races during that period.

The Blades dominated, and by the half-hour mark had deservedly carved out their first two-goal cushion of the season.

Cottagers goalkeeper Antti Niemi endured a torrid return after a 29-day lay-off following a neck injury, initially as he was back in the wars inside the first minute.

In closing down Rob Hulse, who flicked a half-chance wide, the Finn was caught in the mouth by the striker on the follow-through.

Niemi required lengthy treatment as blood poured from the wound before saving his side soon after as Stephen Quinn looked to mark his first call-up into the Republic of Ireland squad earlier in the day with a goal.

After intercepting a loose ball and feeding Stead, the striker replied in kind with a threaded through ball for the winger.

Quinn, playing despite the death of his sister's boyfriend - who was shot dead in north Dublin last week - produced a deft flick which an advancing Niemi touched fractionally wide.

Niemi denied the 21-year-old again in the 22nd minute from a left-foot volley at the far post in meeting a Nick Montgomery cross.

But Fulham and Niemi's relief was shortlived as United duly opened the scoring 60 seconds later, sparked by Montgomery robbing Vincenzo Montella of the ball midway inside the visitors' half.

That led to Montgomery and Stead combining superbly around the Fulham penalty area, allowing the latter to lash a left-foot shot into the roof of the net from seven yards.

Five minutes later United doubled their advantage, with Tonge on the scoresheet for the first time since the end of April.

A lofted cross from Colin Kazim-Richards was initially headed away by Ian Pearce, but only as far as Tonge - whose knock to the far post was picked up by the livewire Quinn.

The young Irishman quickly turned the ball back into the six-yard box, and after slight deflections off Liam Rosenior and Pearce, Tonge was on hand to tuck home from six yards.

This was clearly not Montella's kind of game as United remained in the faces of the Fulham players, and he was replaced just after half an hour by Heidar Helguson.

United, though, continued to dominate and went close again before the break when Hulse nodded a hanging cross from Kazim-Richards a yard wide.

The second half was in complete contrast to the first, as it was effectively job done for United, with Fulham unable to offer any threat.

Not once was goalkeeper Paddy Kenny tested throughout the 90 minutes, which is credit to his defence, but also testament to the ineffectiveness of Fulham's attack.

United had a couple of chances via Stead and Hulse, the latter in particular hitting the crossbar in injury-time with an acrobatic effort.

But this was one of those games when it really was all over bar the shouting by the interval.

Teams:

Sheff Utd Kenny, Geary, Jagielka, Lucketti, Armstrong,Kazim-Richards, Tonge, Montgomery, Stephen Quinn, Hulse, Stead.

Subs Not Used: Bromby, Webber, Alan Quinn, Fathi, Nade.

Booked: Lucketti.

Goals: Stead 23, Tonge 28.

Fulham Niemi, Rosenior, Knight, Pearce, Queudrue, Davies,Volz (Dempsey 82), Brown, Radzinski (Routledge 74),Montella (Helguson 33), McBride.

Subs Not Used: Lastuvka, Omozusi.

Booked: Pearce.

Att: 27,540

Ref: L Mason (Lancashire).