Fulham hosted travelling Blackburn Rovers in the Championship on Sunday as Kit Symons and his charges sought to claim a first home victory of the new season.
The hosts got off to a flying start when Ross McCormack gave them the lead after four minutes, before Moussa Dembele grabbed a second for Fulham before the break.
Rovers were improved in the second half and earned a route back into the game through a Jordan Rhodes penalty, but they were ultimately thwarted when Grant Hanley controversially had a goal kept out by Jamie O'Hara, leaving the hosts to eek out a 2-1 win.
Relive all of the action with our minute-by-minute commentary below.
Good morning all and thanks for joining us as we bring you live coverage of Fulham's Championship clash with Blackburn Rovers at Craven Cottage.
Both sides go into this game having suffered from relatively poor starts to the new campaign, but Fulham will feel that they might just have the edge on current form.
Kit Symons and his men were winless in their opening four Championship fixtures, but managed to get three points on the board against Rotherham United just before the international break. That result will not count as any sort of impressive achievement, although it should give the hosts confidence ahead of the visit of Rovers today.
Despite somehow managing to hold onto his job at Blackburn, Gary Bowyer goes into this contest under real pressure. Rovers are yet to pick up a win their first five games, having lost two and drawn three.
Fulham have made some strong signings over the summer, especially in the shape of defenders Richard Stearman and Ryan Fredericks, and Symons will be hoping that they can gel together quickly in order to push themselves into the top half of the table.
Time for some team news now...
FULHAM STARTING XI: Lonegran; Richards, Stearman, Ream, Husband; Cairney, Tunnicliffe, O'Hara, Pringle; McCormack, Dembele
FULHAM SUBSTITUTES: Lewis, Burn, Mattila, Kacaniklic, Woodrow, Christensen, Fredericks
BLACKBURN STARTING XI: Steele; Henley, Duffy, Hanley, Spurr; Conway, Guthrie, Evans, Marshall; Delfouneso, Rhodes
BLACKBURN SUBSTITUTES: Raya, Kilgallon, Koita, Olsson, Lawrence, Williamson, Akpan
Fulham have made just one change from their last league fixture, with Stearman coming in to replace Dan Burn in the centre of defence. Ross McCormack and Moussa Dembele are to continue in attack, while Ben Pringle and Jamie O'Hara will try to provide some creativity from the middle of the park.
As for Blackburn, Jason Steele starts in goal for the visitors and Danny Guthrie comes in to replace the injured Jason Lowe in midfield. Hope Akpan could make a proper return from injury as he finds a place on the bench. Up top, the away side have put their faith in attacking pairing of Nathan Delfouneso and Jordan Rhodes.
Fulham will be fairly confident that they can do some damage going forward this afternoon. Today's hosts have scored in all of their six fixtures across all competitions this season. They have actually bagged six goals in their last two fixtures, where McCormack profited in both games.
When comparing these sides' head-to-head history, Blackburn have been triumphant in just under half of the 42 previous fixtures between the two outfits. Rovers have claimed 20 wins and Fulham just the 13.
Going into this game, Rovers are unbeaten in four against Fulham and have claimed three wins out of those four past fixtures.
Another interesting fact that might favour Blackburn is that Fulham have a pretty poor record in front of their home fans when facing up against the Lancashire club. Fulham have won just three home games against Blackburn in their last ten contests.
So who will triumph today? Blackburn have to start firing at some point, but Fulham will be excited by the prospect of coming up against this visiting defence - especially given McCormack's recent form. Fulham should just steal this game - we are going for a 2-1 victory for the hosts, who should overturn some pretty poor statistics with a victory against Blackburn today.
The Cottagers will have to be careful though, as the pace of Delfouneso will always be a threat on the counter for the away side. Added to that the precision of Rhodes, Fulham's back-line will need to be alert this afternoon.
A win today for Fulham could well set them on their way in the league this season. They have made some solid investments in the summer and a second Championship win could boost the confidence at Craven Cottage ahead of what looks to be a busy and testing month for the former Premier League side.
The players are now making their way out onto the pitch as we await the start of the game. It is not the busiest of crowds at the Cottage, but I'm sure we are in for an exciting contest nonetheless.
Not long now, Fulham are featuring in white while visiting Rovers are in a full red strip...
KICKOFF! Fulham get us underway then, kicking the left to right. The hosts move the ball around the back before it is fed into the path of Dembele. He cannot quite control it and the ball rolls through to be collected by Steele.
The home side look busy already with some quick passing around the centre of midfield. Some good closing down from Husband stifles the Blackburn defence, who eventually get luck and win a free kick off the defender.
Fulham are put under pressure for the first time in defence as Rhodes almost pinches the ball at the vital moment inside the box. O'Hara moves across impressively, though, leaving the home side to clear the danger.
GOAL! GOAL! FULHAM 1-0 BLACKBURN ROVERS (Ross McCormack)
And there we have it, Fulham take the lead within four minutes! It's brilliant work from Dembele down the right to power forward and drag the two Blackburn centre-backs wide inside the area. The frontman spots his strike partner free inside the box, and ignores the shot to cut back into McCormack's path. The in-form forward makes no mistakes to prod efficiently beyond Steele.
More pace down the other flank earns Fulham a free kick, but the final delivery is poor and Blackburn clear at the first attempt. Cairney almost comes good inside the box as the ball rises just a little too high to evade his jump off the back of Duffy.
SAVE! Fulham move on the sweeping counter to find Cairney in space on the right. He curls a wonderful ball to the back post, where McCormack brings it down before firing first time on the volley from a tight angle. Steele reacts well for Blackburn to get a fist or two on the strike to push away the danger. Wonderful footwork from the Fulham striker...
CLOSE! This has been all Fulham as it stands, and they come forward again with McCormack, who wins a corner with some neat skill down in the left corner. O'Hara presses well to win the ball back a little later to feed McCormack on the right. He crosses for Dembele who gets across his man inside the box, but he cannot find the final touch to guide the flashing ball into the net.
The Cottagers are moving the ball around with real pace at the moment. McCormack drops deep on this occasion to chip a lovely ball over the defence into the path of Dembele, who is eventually thwarted by some industrious tackling from Hanley.
SAVE! Blackburn get the chance to equalise with their first real attempt when Marshall slips a clever through-ball beyond Stearman and into the path of a rushing Delfouneso. The striker opens up his body inside the area to try and guide the ball beyond Lonegran, but the keeper does brilliantly to get down low and keep out his effort.
Things are setup in Fulham's favour at the moment and they spring the ultimate counter attack down the left hand side of the pitch. Husband bursts forward but cannot find the cut-back... McCormack then makes a brilliant run beyond the defence, only to send his strike across the face of goal from an awkward angle on the left.
The home side's forward movement has proved the difference thus far, allowing the midfield to pick passes beyond the Blackburn defence. The visitors are struggling to find a foothold at the moment.
CLOSE! Shades of attacking brilliance from Rovers now as they move the ball out to the right, where Conway drives the ball across the face of goal. Delfouneso gets the better of his marker, but cannot quite get there as the cross flashes across the box and away from danger.
Blackburn are just starting to wrestle back some positional authority, although their movement with the ball has been a little slow in the attacking third. Fulham do not mind it too much as they shuffle across to put the shackles on any forays forward. Lots of good pressing here from the hosts...
Marshall finds himself with some space just in front of the Fulham box, and he decides to have a go despite the distance. His shot is easily smothered by Lonegran in the centre of goal.
GOAL! FULHAM 2-0 BLACKBURN ROVERS (Moussa Dembele)
Fulham take full control of the contest as McCormack storms down the left channel. He sticks up a ball to the back post where Tunnicliffe is left free to send a header straight at a well-placed Steele. The keeper makes a good save, but the ball eventually drops into the path of Dembele who fires into the roof of the net despite some pressure from the Blackburn defence. It is a long way back for Bowyer and company now.
McCormack is bossing this encounter, Blackburn just aren't doing enough to get close to him. The frontman is pulling the Rovers defence all over the pitch, allowing Dembele to take up some really threatening positions when the home side are in possession. This could soon be a formidable forward pairing.
Blackburn get the chance to thump a long free kick into the box, where Lonegran shows great command of his area to rise highest and claim the loose ball. Pringle then offers an option down the left on a Fulham counter, before eventually being closed down by Henley.
The visitors aren't doing themselves any favours and they are almost made to pay. They give O'Hara far too much time on the ball in the middle of the pitch, leaving him to send a teasing cross into the area. Thankfully Dembele is found wanting, and Rovers hoof to clear their lines.
CLOSE! Stearman does brilliantly to get back into position and pull of a massive sliding challenge to block the shot of Delfouneso who looked certain to score. Lonegran then has plenty to do as his save forces a corner. Henley leaps to meet the cross, but his header flashes just an inch or two over the crossbar. Blackburn were almost back in it, there.
This calls for some good game management from Fulham, who are sitting on a healthy lead just before the break. The home side continue to press positively in the middle of the park, and Pringle sees out the defensive work to concede a corner from Henley's attack on the right.
SAVE! What a huge save that could be from Lonegran. Blackburn turn a ball into the box, where Marshall heads down into the bottom corner. It looks like a certain goal, until the Fulham keeper gets down low to scoop the ball away from the line. A massive, massive save at the end of the first half. Fulham went to sleep at the back and Lonegran is seething with rage.
We are going to have three minutes of additional time in the first period. Husband is now receiving some treatment for a cut just above his eye.
Fulham are just seeking to keep possession as they run down the clock. Rovers throw a cross into the box, which Lonegran tips away from the back-post.
HALF TIME: FULHAM 2-0 BLACKBURN ROVERS
The referee brings an end to an enthralling first half of football at Craven Cottage. The home side have evidently been the better of two teams, but Blackburn have threatened and could have got themselves back into this in the closing stages.
Should Fulham win this, they will surely look back on the performance of Lonegran who has had to make four great saves to prevent Rovers from getting on the scoresheet. Fulham have been great going forwards, although they have been outdone on occasion at the back.
McCormack has been the star outfield man for the Cottagers, having had a hand in both of the goals. Blackburn have been poor in midfield and their positioning at the back has left them short at times. However, they took control of the last ten minutes and should have really found at least a goal.
Should they be able to carry that dominance back out in the second half, they could still make a game of this. Fulham, on the other hand, will be seeking to galvanise themselves after Lonegran's important saves. If they can do that and grab a third goal, the game would surely be over.
Here's a photo of the action after McCormack bagged a lead for the hosts:
As you might have guessed, Fulham have dominated the possessional stats with a 57% share of the ball. Both sides have had nine shots on goal, with Fulham putting five of theirs on target compared to Blackburn's four.
What can Blackburn do in the second period, then? Well they will be trying to continue their purple patch from the end of the first half, but they will also need to tighten up at the back. They have been far too slow moving the ball in midfield and Fulham have pressed them with relative ease.
McCormack and Dembele will be waiting to pounce in the second half. The pair were menacing in the first 45 and they could find themselves with more chances to score if Blackburn open up and go on the hunt for a route back into the game.
Here is another snap from the action, just as Dembele poked home Fulham's second:
The players are now back out on the pitch, and we are close to getting back underway. Rovers have replaced Delfouneso with Bangaly-Fode Koita.
KICKOFF! Rovers get robbed straight away and Pringle sends a looping cross into the box. Dembele gets his head onto it, but it falls kindly to the feet of Steele.
CHANCE! Blackburn produce a teasing ball towards the front post where Rhodes gets a foot to it. It looks as if the ball is going to nestle into the corner, only for Husband to somehow wrestle the ball off the line and onto the post.
How many will Blackburn miss before this contest moves beyond them? Dembele finds himself in a bit of space from range, but his long-range effort is a poor one and he looks a tad disgusted with himself as Steele smothers without concern.
CLOSE! Another chance for Rovers, this time as Guthrie chucks a hopeful cross into the middle. Lonegran flaps at it a little, before finally getting something more solid on it to allow the ball to drop to a defender. Blackburn have come close a few times already.
CLOSE! And another... Koita is the man this time as he powers beyond the full-back to turn a flashing drive towards Rhodes. The frontman leaps beyond his marker, but cannot get his head to it and the danger passes. Fulham are purely ahead on their finishing now.
CHANCE! This is getting stupid, and you just know what will happen now... Blackburn get another chance when the ball loops up to Koita in the middle of the box. He tries to twist onto a volley, but produces a comical air kick before Fulham clear.
CHANCE! Keep them coming, says Lonegran. Another cross comes in and Fulham are all at sea in the centre of defence. Koita gets a soft head on the ball at close range, only for the Fulham keeper to stand tall and collect on the line. Somebody needs to have a word with the home defenders, they are all over the place at the minute.
O'Hara seeks to take control in the middle and slow down the play, before Tunnicliffe buys a cheap free kick off Hanley to take the sting out of the game.
Blackburn remain well on top as it stands, but they are yet to find a breakthrough. They keep coming through Evans this time, only for his cross to be headed away by Stearman.
Rovers win a promising corner which is sent long into Koita, who wins another set-piece. The ball into Duffy is a good one but he cannot keep his header down. How have Bowyer's men not scored yet?
SAVE! Crazy... A woeful kick from Lonegran presents Blackburn with the chance to shoot, but the keeper comes up with the goods to produce a stunning save and push away any potential spoils from his mistake.
SUBSTITUTE: Fulham make the change as Pringle is replaced by Fredericks.
Fulham need to settle themselves, they are being played off the park by Blackburn at the moment. 2-0 leads can often do funny things to teams with the advantage. Blackburn should be well and truly back in this encounter, but they still remain two goals behind.
CHANCE! Fulham show something for the first time as they break away with a counter. Cairney whips a ball across the Rovers line, which is meant for McCormack around the back. Instead Dembele tries to bring it under control and the hosts lose possession. That could have been dangerous.
PENALTY TO BLACKBURN! Have Blackburn lost their window of opportunity? No! Fulham move the ball around their midfield comfortably in a bid to take some pace out of the Rovers attack.The visitors get the ball down the left however, and Rhodes wins a penalty inside the area! Stunning scenes. That looked like a nothing tackle...
GOAL! FULHAM 2-1 BLACKBURN ROVERS (Jordan Rhodes, penalty)
You cannot say they have not deserved this. Rhodes steps up to convert cooly and give Blackburn a chance at 2-1. The decision came from a rather innocuous ball into the box, which was dealt with poorly by Fulham's centre-backs.
YELLOW CARD! Koita goes into the book for a clumsy challenge on Stearman, who does not look too happy with the tackle.
Fredericks shows some fantastic pace down the right for Fulham, but he is perhaps too quick given that his ball into the box finds an empty area. Dembele and McCormack were way behind the run of play there.
CHANCE! Fulham should now be 3-1 in front... Husband cuts the ball across the face of the box to Cairney on the counter, who takes one touch before firing towards goal. Thankfully for Rovers, Duffy stands in the way to make a superb block and deny what would have been an important goal for the hosts.
YELLOW CARDS! Handbags all around now as O'Hara and Marsh clash after the ball had left the Blackburn man's boot. The Fulham midfielder's follow-through earns him a booking. Duffy has also picked up a yellow somewhere in the melee.
Time is just starting to eek out of this fixture with Dembele and Duffy now clashing heads. This will not help Blackburn really, as they search for an equaliser in the closing stages of the contest.
CLOSE! Marshall puts the squeeze on Husband down in the far corner and Blackburn win a dangerous throw. It gets delivered by Spurr into the path of Conway who is free to shoot unmarked. Instead of finding the net, the midfielder fires poorly over the crossbar from close range. That was a huge chance for the visitors.
Down at the other end, Dembele races away on the break before cutting inside the box. He opts to shoot instead of squaring across the box, leaving Steele to make a comfortable save down low.
SAVE! McCormack gets the chance to try something special from the free kick just outside of the area. He has enough wide and height on the ball, though the lack of power allows Steele to make an easy save up at his top-right corner.
SUBSTITUTE: Blackburn make a change as Akpan comes on to replace Evans.
CLOSE! Rovers have the chance to lift a ball into the box, but Marshall goes for the long-range strike to earn the visitors a corner. A melee in the box sees the ball almost across the line, but O'Hara comes up trumps to get a foot on it and divert the ball away from the net. Fantastic work from the midfielder... That looked a certain goal for Blackburn.
Wow! Replays are now showing that the ball had definitely crossed the line in that scramble, with Hanley being denied what should have been an equaliser for the visitors. Lucky, lucky Fulham.
Fulham's attacking force is fading at the moment, leaving McCormack seeking to revive something in the final third. He has very few options and instead tries the screamer, which flies away into the stands.
SUBSTITUTES: Burn now comes into the fray to replace Husband, as Symons seeks to add some height to his defence for the closing minutes. Conway is also replaced by Tom Lawrence for Blackburn.
OFF THE POST! That should be it, Blackburn should be level. Fulham fail to clear a Spurr throw, leaving Koita to bustle through the defence and lash a fantastic strike onto a post. Had that been an inch to the left Rovers would be walking away with a well-earned draw.
Five minutes of added time...
CHANCE! How many? Rovers come close again when a ball is driven across the face of goal, where Koita is unable to get an outstretched boot to it. The visitors have been so unlucky. They perhaps have deserved to take all three points today.
Fredericks takes the ball into the corner to waste time, earning a free kick in the dying moments. This would be a lucky win for the hosts if they are able to close things out.
FULL TIME: FULHAM 2-1 BLACKBURN ROVERS
What a spectacle we have been treated to in Sunday's early offering! Fulham grab their first home win of the season, but it should have been a completely different story. How have Blackburn not taken something from this?
Fulham were the better side in the first period, before being completely outplayed in the second. Rovers should have had an equaliser only to be denied by some poor officiating in the latter stages. Saying that, they should have drawn level with a hatful of other chances earlier in the half.
That makes it two from two in the league for today's hosts, and Fulham will now want to kick on. Bowyer's charges will be feeling very hard done by, but that second half showing suggests that they might also be able to turn their own fortunes around. That's going to be all from me this afternoon, thank you for joining us!
