Rovers picked up their biggest three points of the season as they came from behind to beat Fulham 2-1 at Craven Cottage.

The home side were quick out of the traps, taking the lead after just two minutes when Clint Dempsey took advantage of some hesitant defending.

Sam Allardyce's side were rocking in the opening period, but slowly took control, Stephen Warnock being terribly unlucky to see his curled effort come off the inside of the post and away to safety.

But in the second half a change of formation brought about a change of luck. El-Hadji Diouf poked home from close-range to score his first goal for the club since his move from Sunderland in January to bring the two sides level.

Warnock, who could have had a hat-trick saw two goalbound shots brilliantly saved by Mark Schwarzer, but the Fulham 'keeper had no answer to Jason Roberts' strike five minutes time which saw Rovers claim a huge three points which moves them up to 15th in the table.

Before the game Sam Allardyce made three changes to the side that had faced Everton in their goalless draw seven days earlier.

There was a surprise return to the starting line-up for goalkeeper Paul Robinson. The England international having recovered from the shoulder injury that forced him to miss the previous game.

After serving his one-match ban Morten Gamst Pedersen returned to the starting eleven in place of the injured Roque Santa Cruz, whilst other injury victim Vince Grella was replaced by Tugay.

Fulham made just one change from the side that had faced both Manchester United in the FA Cup and Hull City in the league, Bobby Zamora dropping out with Zoltan Gera coming in.

The game back in January had been called off due to the icy pitch conditions, but in this rearranged encounter it was Rovers who were caught cold from the off.

Less than two minutes were on the clock when Sam Allardyce's side found themselves a goal down. A free-kick down field saw Clint Dempsey get the better of Rovers captain Ryan Nelsen with his first touch, then he slipped the ball under the advancing Paul Robinson and into the back of the net.

The home side were rampant, it took a marvelous tackle from Stephen Warnock to deny Andrew Johnson from adding a second goal on nine minutes, as the former Everton man controlled Dempsey's clever flick the Rovers midfielder flew in to take the ball from his toes.

Keith Andrews saw a 25 yard strike go a couple of yards wide of Mark Schwarzer's far post, but it was Paul Robinson who was the busier of the two 'keepers, beating away a 12th minute effort from Simon Davies.

But on 17 minutes Rovers came agonisingly close to levelling. Jason Roberts took the ball down the right before slipping it inside to Stephen Warnock, he rounded Aaron Hughes on the edge of the area before curling the ball past the dive of Schwarzer but the ball crashed off the inside off the post and away to safety.

That, however, was a rare Rovers attack in the opening twenty minutes as defensively they struggled to cope with the speed of Fulham's passing. One swift move saw Zoltan Gera muscle his way into the six yard box, his first effort was saved by Robinson, somehow the Hungarian headed over the rebound.

But despite this Rovers enjoyed the better of possession for the remainder of the first half, forcing a number of corner kicks which Fulham dealt with comfortably. A late chance fell to Jason Roberts after a corner had initially been cleared, but he headed straight at Schwarzer.

A frustrated El-Hadji Diouf was yellow carded for venting his feelings as the players left the pitch at the break, no doubt more feeling will have been expressed in the changing rooms at half time.

Fulham started the second period in the same fashion that Rovers ended the first in forcing a series of corners, but despite the odd skirmish and scare, Rovers repelled the home side and eventually started to get their play together.

One man in particularly who was the driving force behind Rovers improved showing was Stephen Warnock, who put in a sensational display.

Three minutes before the hour mark the former Liverpool man looked like he'd put Rovers back on level terms when he let fly from the edge of the area, but he hadn't counted on the flying Aussie Mark Schwarzer who somehow at full-stretch tipped the ball over the crossbar.

That prompted a spell of pressure from which the home side never really recovered. From the resulting corner kick Jason Roberts nearly forced the ball home only for Hangeland to clear with the tip of his toe. Then from the corner from the other side Ryan Nelsen drove goalwards but his volley flashed inches wide.

Fulham's defence couldn't stand the pressure any longer and on 69 minutes they finally buckled, Morten Gamst Pedersen threw a long ball into the box, Chris Samba got a decisive flick for El-Hadji Diouf to steal in and force the ball home from close range.

Rovers could smell victory and went in search of the winner. Again Stephen Warnock thought he had got the goal his all-round play certainly deserved, but amazingly Schwarzer somehow saw the ball through a crowded area to again tip it over the bar.

Even full back Andre Ooijer got in on the act, but his fiercely struck effort from the edge of the area flew a yard wide.

But five minutes from time Rovers grabbed what could be the most important goal of their season. Morten Gamst Pedersen turned his marker on the left before crossing for Jason Roberts, he turned Kallio in the area before blasting home from close-range, sensational stuff.

The fourth official showed an additional four minutes of time, which lead to a nervy ending, and when Ryan Nelsen mis-controlled a ball allowing Erik Nevland to steal in, everyone connected with Rovers had their hearts in their mouths, but Paul Robinson dived to his left to make the save.

FULHAM: Schwarzer, Pantsil, Hangeland, Hughes (sub Kallio 77 mins), Konchesky, Gera (sub Kamara 80 mins), Murphy (c), Etuhu, Davies (sub Nevland 90 mins), Dempsey, Johnson.

Subs not used: Zuberbuhler (GK), Dacourt, Gray, Stoor.

ROVERS: Robinson, Ooijer, Samba, Nelsen (c), Givet, Tugay (sub Mokoena 82 mins), Andrews (sub McCarthy 56 mins), Warnock, Diouf, Roberts, Pedersen (sub Dunn 86 mins).

Subs not used: Bunn (GK), Khizanishvili, Villanueva, Simpson.

Booked: Murphy (Fulham), Diouf (Rovers)

Attendance: 22,259