Brian McBride scored the lone goal on Sunday in Fulham's 1-0 win over visiting Everton, giving the struggling club their first victory in the Premier League in more than a month.
Fulham's attempt to climb out of the relegation zone was also helped by fellow struggling club Bolton's 1-0 loss to 10-man Wigan.
Bolton have 25 points in 18th place, with Fulham one place and two points behind.
Only five points separate 14th-place Reading from Fulham in 19th.
Also on Sunday, Manchester City rallied to beat Tottenham 2-1 with goals from Nedum Onuoh and Stephen Ireland.
McBride scored his second goal of the season in the 67th minute in windy, rainy conditions at Craven Cottage. Simon Davies sent a cross into the box after a run down the left, and Joseph Yobo's failed clearance fell to McBride, who headed it in.
McBride played three games in August before hurting his knee and only returned to the team last month.
Eddie Johnson, one of five US players in the Fulham line-up, came close to doubling the lead in the 88th when he sent a powerful shot just over the bar.
Everton beat Fulham 3-0 at Goodison Park in December, but the Toffees still haven't won at Craven Cottage since 1966.
It was Fulham's first win since a 2-1 victory over Aston Villa on Feb. 3 -- and only their fourth this season.
"We can look forward to the last eight games with optimism," Fulham manager Roy Hodgson said. "We started extremely brightly but Everton know how to defend and grind out results."
"The goal was vital. For us the difference between one and three points in the match was everything," he said.
Everton's loss dented their hopes of keeping up with city rivals Liverpool in the race for fourth place and the final Champions League spot. Everton have 56 points in fifth place, while Liverpool have 59 in fourth.
Onuoha headed in City's winning goal in the 72nd minute, 13 minutes after Ireland had leveled the score by tapping the ball in from 5m.
Robbie Keane had put Tottenham ahead in the 32nd minute, sending a ball from a sharp angle off the inside post and in.
The match was watched by City owner Thaksin Shinawatra, who recently returned from facing corruption charges in his native Thailand.
It was the club's first win since beating Manchester United 2-0 on Feb. 10.
City manager Sven-Goran Eriksson said he would be meeting Thaksin yesterday.
"It is important he tells us what he wants to do with the club in one year and three years," Eriksson said. "I dream of being part of that. We have a very good team."
Wigan were a man down after only five minutes when midfielder Jason Koumas was red carded for a late tackle on Bolton's Gary Cahill. But the Latics took the lead in the 34th when Emile Heskey, who volleyed into the net after a long throw from Mario Melchiot, scored his first goal since August.
"I've looked at the challenge and I don't think it is a red card," Wigan manager Steve Bruce said. "He's tried to win the ball, it's one-footed and I think that because of the climate we are in, it is leaving the referees in a difficult position."
Bolton had made nine changes from the second-string side that lost to Sporting Lisbon in the UEFA Cup on Thursday, with goalkeeper Ali al Habsi and defender Gary Cahill the only survivors. Manager Gary Megson was disappointed his "harsh words said at half-time" did not work.
"We've rested players midweek for this game and clearly it hasn't worked because we didn't turn up or start well," Megson said. "We looked lethargic and leggy and weren't good enough and we are right in the cart."
Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke, 29, has died, the NBA team said in a statement on Tuesday, while the family of Jason Collins, the first openly gay man to play in a major US pro sports league, announced the former Grizzlies and Brooklyn Nets player had died after a battle with brain cancer. “We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of Brandon Clarke,” the Grizzlies said in a statement posted on social media. “Brandon was an outstanding teammate and an even better person whose impact on the organization and the greater Memphis community will not be forgotten.” The statement did not provide
Mathys Tel was hero and villain as Tottenham drew 1-1 at home to Leeds United on Monday — a result that leaves their English Premier League future hanging in the balance. The Frenchman broke the deadlock early in the second half to ease the tension at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but then gave away a penalty with a reckless attempted clearance. In the dying minutes, Spurs were grateful to Antonin Kinsky, who produced an astonishing save to deny the visitors a win. Tottenham are now two points clear of 18th-placed West Ham United with just two games left this season. The
Houston Astros right-hander Teng Kai-wei, the only active Taiwanese pitcher in MLB, on Sunday suffered his third loss of the season, throwing a season-high 63 pitches in his second start of the year. Teng allowed three earned runs over three innings on five hits in the Astros’ 5-0 road loss to the Cincinnati Reds. He struck out one, walked one, and hit one batter among the 15 hitters he faced, raising his earned run average to 3.12. It was the Astros’ second attempt to use the 27-year-old Taiwanese as a starter, after he had established himself as a reliable bullpen
‘DONE IT ALL’: LeBron James is now out of contract with the Lakers and would head into the off season as a free agent with uncertainty swirling around his future LeBron James on Monday said he would take time to consider his future after the Los Angeles Lakers were swept out of the NBA playoffs by the Oklahoma City Thunder in what could turn out to be the final game of his career. James, 41, delivered a typically defiant performance with 24 points and 12 rebounds, but it was not enough to prevent the Lakers from falling 115-110 as the Thunder completed a 4-0 sweep in the Western Conference semi-finals series. The four-time NBA champion is now out of contract with the Lakers and would head into the off season
RSS