Alex Iwobi's first-half strike earned Fulham a 1-0 victory over Hull at Craven Cottage, ending their winless run under Alvaro Arbeloa and lifting them off the foot of the Premier League table.
The winner arrived in the 33rd minute when Iwobi's driven finish squirmed through the body of goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis, a poor error that gave the hosts valuable breathing room. The result moved Fulham out of the bottom three, though a late red card for Ryan Sessegnon marred the afternoon.
Pressure eases on Arbeloa
Arbeloa had faced scrutiny after failing to win any of his first six league matches in charge, but this result provides some respite. Fulham had dropped eight points from winning positions this season, including five when they had led inside the final two minutes, and their wastefulness after going in front was alarming, if not ultimately costly.
Gonzalo Garcia spurned a golden opportunity when he headed against the crossbar with the six-yard box to himself. It was the kind of chance the former Real Madrid striker was brought in to bury, and Fulham may yet find their position remains perilous if they continue to give up chances like this.
Dominant display
Fulham dominated from the start and went close when Iwobi's shot was deflected on to the roof of the net in the third minute. Oscar Bobb and Timothy Castagne were particularly menacing down the left as the hosts played like a team desperate for a win.
The breakthrough came just after the half hour. Brooke Norton-Cuffy's poor clearance allowed Sander Berge to take possession and knock it back to the edge of the box for Iwobi, whose finish squirmed through Tzolakis. The goalkeeper could point to a slight deflection, but it was a poor error.
In the second half, Tzolakis partially redeemed himself with a good save with his feet to deny Josh King, after Semi Ajayi had played his team into a mess with an awful pass out of defence. King's touch on the hour to spin away from Ajayi was a delight, and the 19-year-old then drove forward and crossed for Garcia to head into the path of Iwobi, only for a magnificent save from Tzolakis to deny the Cottagers what would have surely been one of the goals of the season.
Hull struggle
Hull were a pale impression of the team that had begun the season with such attacking ambition, and the passiveness with which they approached a game against the side propping up the league will have been of concern for Sergej Jakirovic.
Iwobi came close again with a curling effort that dropped just wide of the near post. Hull were clinging on, but all the while the spectre of dropped points hung over Fulham as long as the second goal eluded them. Nervousness around the ground intensified after Garcia planted a free header against the crossbar from six yards.
Fulham held on despite Sessegnon, on as a late substitute, being dismissed with virtually the last action, though there was clearly no violent intent behind his challenge on Vaz.
