RECENT defeats at Liverpool and Newcastle had left Wanderers desperate for points in their quest to qualify for the UEFA Cup, so it was vital they made the most of home advantage against Fulham – as they had a few weeks earlier in the FA Cup.

Things looked to be going their way when Chris Coleman’s side were reduced to 10-men after 12 minutes when Claus Jensen was sent off for handling Bruno N’Gotty’s header off the line.

Jay Jay Okocha converted the penalty, Kevin Nolan beat Edwin van der Sar for the second on 33 minutes and, although Luis Boa Morte pulled one back two minutes into the second half, Stelios secured the points seven minutes later.

Fulham, furious that referee Dermot Gallagher had ignored N’Gotty’s foul on Brian McBride in the build-up to former Reebok favourite Jensen’s dismissal, never let up in their efforts to get back into the game. But Wanderers held firm to stay sixth. And, with only six games to play, they were starting to believe they could qualify for Europe for the first time. “Nothing less than a place in Europe will do now,” said boss Sam Allardyce.

Wanderers: Jaaskelainen; Hunt, N’Gotty, Ben Haim, Candela (Gardner 84); Hierro (Fadiga 84), Nolan, Okocha, Speed, Stelios; Davies. Not used: Poole, Pedersen, Jaidi.

Fulham: Van der Sar; Volz, Goma, Knight, Rosenior; Malbranque (Radzinski 80), Clark, Jensen, Boa Morte; McBride, Cole (John 82). Not used: Bocanegra, Pembridge, Crossley.

Referee: Dermot Gallagher (Oxfordshire).

Attendance: 25,493.