Fulham confirm Championship play-off place – but West Brom slip could open door for top two

Fulham secured their Championship play-off spot with a 2-0 victory over Cardiff City last night – but are hoping that an automatic promotion spot is still a possibility.

A first-half penalty from Aleksandar Mitrovic and a thumping finish from Josh Onomah after the restart made it four successive victories for Scott Parker’s side.

Now the west Londoners will be praying that West Bromwich Albion slip up at Blackburn tomorrow to add extra significance to Tuesday’s trip to The Hawthorns.

Fulham’s record after taking the lead in matches this season now reads 20 wins and three draws.

And Mitrovic, captaining the Whites after returning from a three-game suspension, bagged his 24th goal of the campaign to move ahead of Brentford’s Ollie Watkins in the top-scorer chart.

Dion Sanderson was pulled down by Dion Sanderson and the Serbian netted for the 46th time in 95 league outings in the 35th minute.

Alex Smithies made an excellent save to deny Bobby Decordova-Reid, getting enough of a touch on his strike to tip it on to his crossbar to deny Fulham heading in at the break with a two-goal cushion.

The same player, who has netted once in his last 18 matches, also headed wide from close-range from Anthony Knockaert’s cross before the interval.

Fulham felt they were denied another spot-kick early in the second period – the ball striking Curtis Nelson’s arm and Mitrovic appeared to be clipped as he tried to follow up.

Cyrus Christie also had a free header which he failed to even get on target.

The second goal did come in the 66th minute. Substitute Stefan Johansen produced a deft pass for Josh Onomah to lash low into the bottom left corner of the net.