“I had a little mope for about two minutes, but you’ve just got to get on with it.” Exodus Geohaghon was describing his reaction to diverting a shot by Danny Murphy into his own net, but the philosophy might be valuably adopted by the Kettering Town dressing-room as a whole as they come to terms with an FA Cup fourth-round defeat that came as a body blow.

The Blue Square Premier side were three minutes from extending their head-turning run before being cut down by late goals from Andrew Johnson and Bobby Zamora that spared the Barclays Premier League team a further ordeal. A packed Rockingham Road had been rocking at the prospect of a replay at Craven Cottage that would surely have attracted the live coverage that the television companies foolishly denied themselves on Saturday.

“The crowd and the atmosphere were terrific and we put on a show,” Geohaghon said. The 23-year-old giant central defender would have been a magnet for the cameras. In fact, as a graduate in film and video production from the University of Wolverhampton, who had previously turned down an approach from Kettering because he wanted to finish his degree, Geohaghon was much drawn to the cameras that were there. “I know a bit about them and how to use them,” he said. “I had the urge to pick one up and start faffing about with it, but I thought I’d better concentrate on my football.”

There is enough of a student left in Geohaghon to talk enthusiastically at the prospect of being picked to represent Great Britain in the World Student Games in Belgrade in June, but his heart is set on playing in the Football League. It is not just his fast-improving defending but his throw-ins that have had scouts flocking, but Fulham had done their homework on his long-range missiles.

However, when Kettering pushed up and started stealing possession, led by the outstanding Andre Boucard, they rattled Fulham, who had an early lead from a sweet volley by Simon Davies.

Craig Westcarr, who played with verve in attack, won a free kick from which he scored with the aid of a deflection for the first equaliser. In the second half Kettering had the better chances, most notably a header flashed over the bar by John Dempster. They responded positively to Geohaghon’s moment of ill fortune, Westcarr winning a penalty when tugged back by Brede Hangeland that he converted with great confidence.

Fulham were indebted to a cameo by Zamora, who teed up Johnson and then thumped home a morale-boosting first goal since September. “They were able to bring on quality players in Murphy and Zamora and it showed,” Geohaghon said.

Kettering do not have time to feel sorry for themselves. They have half their league season to play — 23 matches in 13 weeks — and an FA Trophy tie, when it will be their turn to be up against hungry underdogs in AFC Telford United on Saturday.

Kettering Town (4-4-2): L Harper 6 — D Bennett 7, E Geohaghon 7, J Dempster 7, T Jaszczun 6 (sub: A Potter, 71min) — N Eaden 6, B Solkhon 6, A Boucard 8, R Graham 6 (sub: J-P Marna, 89) — C Westcarr 7, G Seddon 6 (sub: C Beardsley, 73). Substitutes not used: D Wrack, D Galbraith. Booked: Graham, Dempster, Westcarr.

Fulham (4-4-2): M Schwarzer 6 — F Stoor 5, A Hughes 6, B Hangeland 7, P Konchesky 6 — Z Gera 6 (sub: R Zamora, 69 8), L Andreasen 6, D Etuhu 5 (sub: D Murphy, 69 7), S Davies 7 — A Johnson 6, C Dempsey 6. Substitutes not used: P Zuberbühler, J Paintsil, E Nevland, T Kallio, C Baird. Booked: Hangeland.

Referee: M Riley Attendance: 5,406

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