Fulham hosted Swansea City in their Premier League match this afternoon.
Both teams were looking to put their recent poor form behind them as they returned to action following the international break.
After a goalless first half, the visitors took the lead thanks to an own goal from Aaron Hughes, before Scott Parker drew Fulham level.
Swansea went on to claim all three points thanks to a late goal from Jonjo Shelvey, which enabled them to move into the top half of the table.
Here, Sports Mole takes a closer look at the events that unfolded at Craven Cottage.
Match Statistics:
Fulham:
Shots 9
On Target 3
Possession 37%
Corners 8
Fouls 11
Swansea:
Shots 21
On Target 5
Possession 63%
Corners 8
Fouls 9
Was the result fair?
It is fair to say that the better team won today. Swansea were dominant in possession throughout the game and created more attacking opportunities than their opponents. The first two goals were rather fortuitous for both sides, with Hughes scoring an own goal and Parker finding the back of the net from an attempted cross, but Shelvey's effort was worthy of winning any match.
Fulham's performance
Fulham's display was typical of a team in the relegation zone that had lost their previous four games in all competitions. They struggled to create a number of openings and even when they did get in behind the Swansea defence, they wasted their chances, with Darren Bent the biggest culprit. They gave the ball away far too cheaply and were punished by their lack of concentration at the back. Martin Jol and Rene Meulensteen have a tough job on their hands in order to save them from relegation.
Swansea's performance
While Michael Laudrup's side were not at their flowing best, they were far too good for Fulham today. They kept possession well and worked a number of openings, attempting 21 shots on goal during the match. It was clear that they missed Michu's clinical finishing in attack as they failed to test the keeper as much as they would have liked, but the quality in their team shone through and they were able to do just enough to claim a morale-boosting victory.
Sports Mole's man of the match
Ashley Williams: Swansea's captain did not put a foot wrong all afternoon. The defender was his usual reliable self as Fulham struggled to breach the visitor's backline. The only goal that his team conceded was from a misplaced cross by Parker, that no-one on the pitch could have foreseen. When his side took the lead 10 minutes from the end, he made sure that they would see out the game and helped to deny Fulham any clear-cut chances, as they held on to the three points.
Biggest gaffe
The game could have been so different for Fulham had Bent scored in the first half. The striker had a great chance to score when the ball broke kindly to him inside the box, but he could only hammer his effort against the post. It was the sort of opening that a seasoned professional like him should have been putting away and it is a miss that he will no doubt have even more regrets about due to today's final result.
Referee's performance
Andre Marriner will have been relieved not to end up in the headlines for all the wrong reasons this week. In his last outing he handed Chelsea a last-minute penalty that enabled them to come from behind and claim a 2-2 draw with West Bromwich Albion. The spot kick was highly controversial, but luckily for him today, he wasn't required to make any huge calls. The yellow cards that he handed out were all justified in what was a relatively quiet afternoon for the official.
What next?
Fulham: Fulham travel to Upton Park where they will face West Ham United next Saturday.
Swansea: The Swans host Valencia in the Europa League on Thursday night, before visiting Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday.
Alex Meyers
