Fulham had a seasonal boost at freezing Pride Park tonight by Horacio Carbonari's 72nd minute own goal which also dealt Derby's survival hopes a blow .
The luckless Argentinian, making only his second start of the season after being
sidelined by a pelvic injury, stretched to cut out Sean Davis' right wing cross
under pressure from Fulham sub Louis Saha - but could only divert the ball past
goalkeeper Mart Poom.
The Rams could have equalised in almost identical fashion two minutes later
when Francois Grenet's cross was deflected around his own post by visitors'
captain Andy Melville.
But Fulham deserved a lead which returning front man Steve Marlet ought to have
given them earlier.
Marlet, the £11.5million man making his first start in two months after
a knee injury, wriggled behind the Rams defence in the 56th minute but hit a
close-range shot straight at Poom.
And on 69 minutes he had an even better chance when he failed to control Davis'
cross and fluffed his chance from six yards.
Derby, anxious to build on Saturday's first away win of the season, had struggled
throughout, the best chance of their own making falling to in-form striker Malcolm
Christie.
Christie, who had scored the winner at Ewood Park, bundled the ball over the
bar from 12 yards after Luciano Zavagno's 38th minute cross from the left had
eluded the Fulham defence.
Fulham had been the better team from the off, with Steed Malbranque bringing
a good save out of Poom in the second minute and Barry Hayles shooting tamely
at the keeper after being put through 10 minutes later.
Then Darryl Powell caused panic in the Fulham box with a high ball over his
head, but as goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar punched off his line under pressure
from Fabrizio Ravanelli, referee Barry Knight blew for offside.
Fulham boss Jean Tigana had responded to his side's home defeat to Manchester
United on Sunday by dropping Saha and Luis Boa Morte from his front line but
the former, with only one goal in four months, replaced Hayles in the 65th minute.
And he could tenuously claim to have had a say in the winning goal after putting
Carbonari under some degree of pressure in the box.
Fulham held out as Derby threw men forward, their only breathless moment coming
when Dutch stopper van der Sar elected to dribble clear under pressure from
home sub Deon Burton, and eventually had to bundle the ball out for a corner.
Christie saw late claims for a penalty turned down after he fell under a challenge
from Melville.
Saha should have made the points safe in the 89th minute when Davis again crossed
from the right.
The striker found himself in the clear but denied by another excellent save
from Poom.
Derby:
Poom, Riggott, Carbonari (Boertien 87), Higginbotham, Grenet, Ducrocq (Bolder
64), Zavagno, Powell, Carbone (Burton 84), Ravanelli, Christie.
Subs Not Used: Grant, Elliott.
Booked: Carbonari.
Fulham:
Van der Sar, Brevett, Melville, Goma, Knight, Malbranque, Collins, Davis, Finnan,
Marlet, Hayles (Saha 65).
Subs Not Used: Taylor, Ouaddou, Stolcers, Harley.
Booked: Hayles, Davis. Goals: Carbonari 72 og.
Att: 28,165 Ref: B Knight (Orpington).
Source PA Sport by Mark Staniforth