West Bromwich Albion 1-0 Fulham: Callum Robinson winner consigns leaders to rare away defeat
- Published
- comments
Fulham lost their first Championship away game since defeat at Coventry on 2 October
West Bromwich Albion inflicted runaway Championship leaders Fulham's first league away defeat since October in a well-earned win at the Hawthorns.
Callum Robinson's neat second-half finish was enough to consign the Championship leaders to only a second defeat in their last 14 league matches.
Fulham failed to register a single shot in the first half in a below-par performance from the usually free-scoring side.
Their lead at the top was cut to 11 points after Bournemouth's draw with Reading, while West Brom sit 12th, six points outside the play-off places.
The home side dominated from the off, with Fulham goalkeeper Marek Rodak making a string of saves to deny Karlan Grant and Robinson as the Baggies created several chances.
Conor Townsend's deflected cross cannoned back off the post as the sides went in at half-time deadlocked.
Rodak saved an early headed chance from Grant before Fulham finally began to threaten, with Antonee Robinson beginning to attack down the left-hand side.
Fabio Carvalho ghosted past a West Brom defender before taking aim and narrowly missing the target.
Despite Fulham's improvement it was the home side who took the lead when Grant latched on to a loose pass from Antonee Robinson, playing in Callum Robinson who finished neatly beyond Rodak.
Harry Wilson's left-footed strike was inches away from an equaliser before Aleksandar Mitrovic, who was kept on the periphery by the Baggies' backline, put a chance wide as the hosts secured a deserved win.
West Brom boss Steve Bruce:
"We've taken seven points out of nine and now the pressure is on all of us at Bristol City on Saturday. Can we repeat that performance? Who knows?
"There are probably too many teams chasing but we have to win at Bristol on Saturday before the international break.
"There have been a few harsh truths spoken. It was not acceptable and I think they realised that too with the performance against Swansea.
"You can get beaten but it's the manner of it that counts and since then it's been better. Maybe that was the low point. I hope it is anyway."
Fulham boss Marco Silva:
"It was not good enough. In the first half we were not here - it was just our shirts on the pitch.
"I don't want to be unfair on West Brom because they were the best team and they deserved to win.
"We didn't express ourselves, and they did what we expected. Marek (Rodak) kept us in the game.
"In the second half it was a little bit different. We had a big chance with Mitro (Aleksandar Mitrovic) where we should have equalised."