Cole opens the scoring for Rovers

ROVERS put the disappointment of the home defeat to Leeds on Saturday well and truly behind them with a pulsating 4-3 victory over Fulham at Loftus Road this evening.

It looked like Rovers were down and out after the defeat at Ewood at the weekend, but the way they showed the fighting spirit against Fulham this evening must give hope for all.

Andy Cole gave Rovers the lead on 21 minutes with a fine goal after an equally fine pass from Tugay, before two goals before half-time from Collins John gave the Londoners a half-time lead.

But much to everyone's surprise, Rovers upped their workrate in the second half and caught Fulham cold with two goals in three minutes. Jonathon Douglas scored his first goal for Rovers, and Lorenzo Amoruso followed that up with a sensational 30yard free kick.

Luis Boa Morte got Fulham back on level terms with a well taken goal on the break, but it was left to Jonathan Stead to once again be the man of the moment, when he latched onto Andy Cole's clever pass to slam the ball into the back of the net to earn Rovers all three points.

Graeme Souness made three changes to the side that started against Leeds United on Saturday, Vratislav Gresko came in at left-back for the injured Michael Gray, whilst Martin Andresen and Jonathon Douglas returned to midfield at the expense of Brett Emerton and Steven Reid.

The first half wasn't a great spectacle, on a sticky pitch both sides struggle to gain any meaningful possession, with the ball played in the air more times than on the ground.

When the ball was passed around on the deck, it was the home side who were the better side.

Rovers did, however, take the lead against the run of play on 23 minutes. When, from just inside the opposition half, Tugay played the perfect ball over the Fulham back line, and Andy Cole for once beat the offside trap to control the ball with his chest before thrashing the ball into the back of the net on the half-volley.

But Rovers' lead lasted less than three minutes, and like so many times this season, they were undone by their inability to defend set-pieces.

Lucas Neill gave a free-kick away on the left side of the area, Sean Davis played the ball high into the area, Martin Djetou volleyed against the bar, and from the resulting scramble, Collins John forced the ball over the line.

John did appear to have fouled Gresko in the build-up, but the goal stood.

Craig Short almost restored Rovers' lead from a Tugay corner, but the defender's downward header bounced wide of the goal.

Brad Friedel had to make a couple of important saves from Zat Knight and Collins John, but right on the stroke of half-time, from yet another free-kick, Malbranque fired in the ball, and John got ahead of Gresko to touch the ball home past the stranded Friedel.

Whatever Graeme Souness said to the players at half-time had an immediate effect. Within a minute of the restart Gresko forced a fine save from van der Sar, diving to his left to turn around the Slovakian's effort.

From the resulting corner, it went out for a throw-in on the right, Lucas Neill throws it into the mixer, Garry Flitcroft flicks it on and Jonathon Douglas arrived at the perfect time to volleyed his first ever goal for Rovers. Unbelievably the 18th Rovers player to find the back of the net this season.

Delight for Duggie as he scores the equaliser

Moments later Rovers nearly regained the lead, Cole was denied by van der Sar in the six yard box, but no yellow shirted player could force the ball home.

But Rovers didn't have to wait long however before they got their noses in front. Alain Goma handled 30yds out. From the resulting free-kick Lorenzo Amoruso blasted the ball around the wall and into the back of the net despite the best efforts of van der Sar in the Fulham goal.

Tugay celebrates with Amoruso after he scores

But on the hour mark, a mistake by Lucas Neill on the edge of the Fulham box lead to the home side breaking upfield, Steed Malbranque fed Luis Boa Morte on the halfway line, and the Portuguese international ran the full length of the Rovers half before slipping the ball past Friedel.

With fifteen minutes to go Rovers were back in the lead, with the goal that would see Rovers travel back with all three points. The ball was played forward to Andy Cole on the edge of the box, in an instant he controlled and passed the ball to Jonathan Stead, and the young striker who celebrated his 21st birthday midweek, was rushing towards the Rovers fans celebrating firing the ball low past van der Sar and into the net.

Stead celebrates the winner in front of the Rovers fans

Moments later the young lad from Huddersfield was trying his luck from the edge of the box again, but this time van der Sar was equal to his efforts.

Unlike earlier in the game, Fulham didn't have an answer to Rovers' efforts, the golden shirted players controlled the rest of the game, and despite a couple of nervy moments in the final few minutes, it was quite an easy final fifteen minutes, but it was still a relief to hear the final whistle.

Flitcroft celebrates in front of the fans

The last time Fulham conceded four goals at home was last April, yes, it was against Rovers.

See tomorrow's Rovers World for all the post match reaction.

FULHAM: van der Sar, Volz, Djetou, Goma, Bocanegra, Davis (sub Petta 79 mins), Legwinski, Knight, Malbranque (sub McBride 83 mins), John (sub Hayles 87 mins), Boa Morte. Subs: Crossley, Pearce.

ROVERS: Friedel, Neill, Amoruso, Short, Gresko, Andresen, Tugay, Flitcroft, Douglas, Stead (sub Gallagher 90 mins), Cole (sub Emerton 89 mins). Subs: Enckelman, Reid, Johansson.