Blackburn 2 Fulham 0:Chris Samba's 24th minute opener set Blackburn on their way to their first league win since November over Fulham at Ewood Park. Samba was in the right place to deflect home an attempted clearance by former Rover Damien Duff after Benni McCarthy's corner caused havoc in the visitors' box.
Captain Ryan Nelsen headed a 54th minute second while Fulham had few moments to savour — the best coming from Clint Dempsey with a 36th minute overhead kick which struck the bar.
And despite some crisp counter-attacking and the acrobatics of Clint Dempsey, who saw a 36th-minute overhead kick beat Paul Robinson but crash back off the bar, Fulham threatened little.
It proved a winning gamble for boss Sam Allardyce who dropped talisman David Dunn to the bench after the rigours of Thursday’s Carling Cup defeat to Aston Villa.
Counter-attacking brightly, the visitors created some early chances, one coming in the 17th minute when the dangerous Dempsey headed Stephen Kelly’s cross into Paul Robinson’s arms.
McCarthy brought the home fans to life in the 24th minute when he chested down a punt forward from Samba before firing a right-foot shot which Schwarzer did well to punch over the bar.
But Rovers went ahead from the resulting set-piece with McCarthy flinging the ball in and Damien Duff’s boot off the line striking Samba and ricocheting back into the net.
Rovers went further ahead in the 54th minute when Nelsen got on the end of McCarthy’s free-kick to finally all but end Rovers’ long search for a league win.
Fulham pressed in ragged fashion, with Robinson holding a shot from Zoltan Gera then Samba booting clear from the six-yard box after Johnson drew out Robinson.
Searching for a goal of his own after two crisp assists, McCarthy fired a long-range free-kick just over, then turned provider again to set up Kalinic who stumbled on the edge of the box.