Fulham dig out vital win against MK Dons
Fulham put a four-point gap between themselves and Milton Keynes with a 2-1 victory at Craven Cottage.
Goals by Ross McCormack and Moussa Dembele helped the home side to win their first game since February, a win over local rivals Charlton.
The hosts took the first early chance after just 35 seconds, when Tom Cairney was found in space but put his effort wide of keeper Cody Cropper.
Dembele then took advantage of a lethargic Milton Keynes defence on three minutes, but fired his effort from seven yards out over the bar.
The visitors started to get a foothold in the game, although Dean Bowditch flashed his shot high and wide on 16 minutes.
McCormack unleashed a superb drive from 25 yards on 26 minutes, yet his shot agonisingly hit the right-hand post.
Dembele missed his second chance of the afternoon from close range on 36 minutes, when he was unable to connect with a cross across the face of goal by Ryan Tunnicliffe.
Cropper made two fine saves in the space of two minutes - firstly, he turned a 38th-minute shot from Cairney over the bar, before blocking a close-range effort from Dembele.
After arguably being fortunate to be level by the break, the visitors started off the second half with more urgency.
However, Fulham went ahead on 54 minutes after Dembele was first to a long ball down the left, allowing him to turn the ball back from the byline for McCormack to slot home his 22nd goal of the season.
Cropper was called into action again on the hour mark, twice in quick succession, when he palmed away a McCormack volley, only to tip a follow-up by Dembele over the bar.
The hosts were made to pay for their lack of goals on 62 minutes, when Milton Keynes equalised against the run of play - the Fulham defence let Josh Murphy in unmarked for him to lob over the otherwise underemployed Marcus Bettinelli.
Fulham took the lead again with 14 minutes of regulation time remaining, when McCormack turned provider for Dembele, crossing in from the byline to allow his strike partner to slot home from close range.
With five minutes of additional time added, Fulham held on gain three valuable points - and to leave their opponents in deep relegation trouble.
Source: PA
