Chris Watson at Derby Telegraph
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Fulham (2) 2-0 (0) Derby County
Derby County's seven-game unbeaten league run was ended by a 2-0 defeat to Fulham at Craven Cottage.
First-half strikes from Nikolay Bodurov and Cauley Woodrow sent the Rams to a rare defeat in West London on Saturday.
However, defeat for Middlesbrough at Sheffield Wednesday means Steve McClaren's men remain top of the Championship table.
Darren Bent fired across the face of goal in the seventh minute against his old club but the Rams created few chances in the opening period.
Fulham were causing Derby problems and Ryan Tunnicliffe sent a diving header over the bar in the 16th minute.
Bent glanced Omar Mascarell's inswinging corner from the left wide of the near post moments later.
After 22 minutes, Scott Parker's volley was diverted goalwards by the head of Woodrow but the ball flew straight into the arms of a relieved Lee Grant.
Two minutes later, Ross McCormack got the better of Richard Keogh and fed Tunnicliffe in the box on the left but he sliced a shot wide of the near post.
Fulham went ahead after 31 minutes, following a corner that was initially cleared.
Bryan Ruiz sold Mascarell a dummy on the left and when his shot was blocked by Cyrus Christie, the ball broke to central defender Bodurov, who finished neatly into the far corner with the outside of his right foot.
The hosts doubled their lead in the 45th minute.
Parker dispossessed Will Hughes and surged into the Derby half before slipping a pass to McCormack on the left.
McCormack chipped a cross-shot beyond Grant and Woodrow arrived to gleefully head home from a yard out.
Derby made a double change at the break - bringing on Jake Buxton and Johnny Russell for Christie and Jesse Lingard, with Ryan Shotton moving to right-back.
Shotton headed wide from a Mascarell corner soon after the restart as the Rams looked for a way back into the game.
But they suffered a further blow when striker Bent limped off holding his hamstring shortly after the hour, leaving Russell to lead the line.
Fulham might have had a third in the 66th minute but Craig Forsyth made a vital tackle to deny McCormack as he tried to convert Parker's cut-back from the left.
Tom Ince saw a deflected effort saved by Marcus Bettinelli and another shot diverted just wide off a Fulham defender.
In the 78th minute, Fulham had a chance to seal the points when a long ball over the top sent McCormack clear but his powerfully struck shot was well parried by Grant.
But the hosts held on to their lead with relative ease - and almost scored a third in the 90th minute.
Sustitute Moussa Dembele nutmegged Keogh before blasting an angled shot against the outside of the post.
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