Fulham kept up their faint automatic promotion hopes with a scrappy albeit professional victory over fellow promotion chasers Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.
Harry Arter’s long range strike in first-half injury time ensured the Cottagers sealed their third consecutive win, all without talisman Aleksander Mitrovic.
In an opening period low on quality, Arter reacted quickest to a loose ball to strike a sweet drive into the top corner of Forest keeper Brice Samba’s net.
The second period saw Fulham happy to sit on their lead, keeping Forest at arms length and reducing them to rare sights of Marek Rodak’s goal.
Forest’s best chance saw Alfa Semedo force Rodak to get down low to save his deflected effort but it was as good as it got for the home side.
The Cottagers closed out the remainder of the game with minimum fuss to move within four points of second placed West Bromwich Albion.