FULHAM ended a run of three defeats with a fine win over Leeds, who lost for the first time in 12 matches, a series of eight wins and three draws.

Fulham manager Scott Parker said the three points were all that mattered as his side has faltered in recent weeks, allowing Leeds and West Brom to open a massive gap in the race for the automatic promotion spots.

“I don’t want to hear that we played well,” said Parker. “I want to hear people say our players did everything they could to win a football match and I think we’ve done that.”

The win came on the back of a brilliant display from Championship top-scorer Aleksandar Mitrovic, who scored his 17th goal of this campaign from the penalty spot in the seventh minute. 

The decision to award Fulham a penalty looked soft. Bobby Decordova-Reid felt Leeds defender Ben White’s hands on his back and went down like Tom Daley. Referee Tim Robinson pointed to the penalty spot.

Leeds keeper Kiko Casilla made a valiant attempt to save Mitrovic’s strike but could only push the ball onto the inside of the post before it nestled in the net.

Patrick Bamford had the simple task of tapping in Leeds’s equaliser after Marek Rodak parried substitute Eddie Nkitiah’s effort into his path in the 54th minute.

The Fulham winner came on 69 minutes when Josh Onomah fired in from near the penalty spot after Mitrovic had a shot blocked following a corner.

The surprise was that the expected Leeds storm did not happen. Indeed Leeds’s failure to build on their equaliser left head coach Marcelo Bielsa cutting a frustrated figure. 

“The only thing I am ashamed about from my team is that after we scored, we conceded possession in our half and we allowed them to come back into the game,” he said.

When Leeds did threaten in time added on, Mitrovic was on hand to head a clearance off the line.

Despite the result, there remains a considerable gap of nine points between Leeds in second place and Fulham in third at the halfway stage of the season.