Fulham beat Huddersfield Town 2-0 at the John Smith's Stadium thanks to a fortuitous goal from Alex Kacaniklic, a late strike from Seko Fofana and a brace of missed penalties from Terriers striker Nahki Wells.
Kacaniklic's early corner evaded everyone and snuck inside the near post to put Fulham ahead after just two minutes.
However, the opener inspired Huddersfield, who dominated much of the first half, but failed to carve out any clear-cut chances.
Sean Scannell was guilty of heading straight at Marcus Bettinelli from Tommy Smith's pass, and David Edgar was equally profligate with Jacob Butterfield's cross shortly before the break.
Still, the home side could have gone in level had Wells directed his flick from Ishmael Miller's cross inside the post instead of against it.
Butterfield's dipping half-volley was clawed away by Bettinelli at the start of the second half, before Fulham were reduced to 10 men following Shaun Hutchinson's dismissal for handball on the line.
Fulham were incensed by the decision as the ball appeared to strike Hutchinson in the chest, and no doubt Kit Symons and his players felt that justice was done when Bettinelli kept out Wells's spot kick.
Despite their numerical disadvantage, Fulham should have doubled their lead just minutes later when Cauley Woodrow rounded Alex Smithies, only to see his effort come back off the post.
Huddersfield were then handed a second penalty when Scannell was felled in the box by Jazz Richards, but remarkably Wells hammered it against the post.
With Fulham desperately hanging on, Fofana broke free and wrapped up the win with a neat finish deep into second-half injury time.
Joe Sharratt
