Return Of The Mark

as seen on au.fourfourtwo.com

MARK Schwarzer made up for his midweek blunder at Old Trafford by saving an injury-time penalty in Fulham's 2-0 victory over West Bromwich.

The 36-year-old Australian custodian had a night to forget on Wednesday against Manchester United but was back in good form on Sunday keeping a clean sheet for the Cottagers as they move up to eighth on the league table with the comfortable win.

Schwarzer wasn't kept terribly busy by a poor West Brom, who were well beaten by a Fulham side who could have easily won by more.

In the first-half, most of the action was at the Albion goal yet somehow Fulham went into the break without having made the breakthrough despite having clearly more opportunities to score.

Not long after the break though, Schwarzer was called upon to quickly smother Marc-Antoine Fortune's effort after the French forward opted to take a touch inside the box after bringing down a cross just six yards out.

But Fulham continued to dominate into the second-half and eventually the goals came through Bobby Zamora and Andy Johnson which ensured Fulham got the points they deserved.

Schwarzer did have to make a good save from a decent Robert Koren long-range effort but the Australian wasn't really ever tested by West Brom.

That was until late in the contest when there was to be some drama, after Brede Hangeland was dubiously adjudged to have tripped Roman Bednar in the box in injury-time resulting in a West Brom penalty.

Bednar stepped up to take the kick himself but Schwarzer anticipated the Czech striker's kick brilliantly, lunging to his right to deny the West Brom man a consolation goal and maintaining his unblemished record in goals for the day.

After the game Fulham boss Roy Hodgson added: "The referee, I thought, was a bit generous trying to even it up a little bit at the end with the penalty but we even got away with that one and Schwarzer got the clean sheet he deserved."

The result sees Fulham leapfrog West Ham United and Manchester City on the league table and continue their surprising push for a European spot for next season.