Fulham are up to 8th in the Skybet Championship after claiming a 2-1 victory over North London rivals Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road.

The Cottagers took a 2-0 lead against the run of play before holding off a late charge by their hosts to inch within a point of the playoff places.

QPR dominates opening stages before Fulham settles in

Despite being outplayed for much of the game, it was the visitors who started brighter in the fifth minute as Sheyi Ojo's shot flashed wide after a clever run down the right hand-side.

QPR would then spring to life, but misses by Joel Lynch and Pawel Wszolek kept the game scoreless. Ryan Fredericks, Fulham's big summer signing, blazed his attempt well over, a poor finish from such a clinical finisher.

Question's asked

The Cottagers were continuing to ask questions of their hosts and Tomas Kalas' 26th-minute header was sent on goal, but dribbled harmlessly wide. Luke Freeman's brilliant cut-back for Luke Bidwell was blocked by Fredericks while Ojo had a go on the other end, straight at Hoops keeper Alex Smithies.

Fortuitous bounce goes Fulham's way to open scoring

Despite the heavy pressure against him, Fulham took the lead when Fredericks tried his luck from the edge of the area and his shot took a heavy deflection off Jack Robinson to beat the helpless Smithies for a 1-0 lead.

Robinson could have been sent off earlier in the game for a push from behind on Ojo and despite this slice of fortune, the home side found themselves behind heading into the halftime break.

Cottagers go two ahead after QPR misses penalty

Three minutes into the second half, Ojo just barely missed, latching onto a Fredericks free kick as Fulham continue their good work on the counter-attack.

Two chances ensued at the other end with Cottagers goalkeeper David Button tipping away a Massimo Luongo shot while barely saving the ensuing shot off of the free-kick that followed.

Disaster struck for the visitors soon after as Ojo fell on his left shoulder after a tackle by Lynch and further tests at a local hospital show a broken collarbone.

The injury didn't seem to affect Fulham as Johansen did brilliantly on the break and squared for Ryan Sessegnon, but the youngster's goal-bound shot was blocked by Robinson, saving his team from going two down.

After Lynch lunged in on Neeskens Kebano, Rui Fonte skied his penalty well over, a dreadful miss, but he would soon make up for it, squaring for Johansen who takes a touch and fired a left-footed shot low into the net past a rooted Smithies.

QPR apply late pressure

With all of their early pressure resulting in nothing on the scoreboard, the hosts finally cracked the Fulham defence as Matt Smith nodded a free-kick down to Conor Washington who side-footed in off of a Fredericks deflection.

The Hoops searched for an equaliser and Button had to save from the angle on Freeman, Matt Smith had two chances, the second of which just flashed wide.

Smithies came up to try and trouble from one final corner, but couldn't direct an effort at goal as Fulham held on for a win.