A GRIM first half, a buoyant second half in which Fulham’s 10 men not only held out against Derby but might even have clinched the game themselves. Their left-back, Paul Konchesky, had been sent off just on half-time for a ludicrous retaliation.

Hard to fathom Fulham, either on or off the field. Their recent transfer policy under the managership of Lawrie Sanchez has been somewhat bewildering, their play on the pitch inconsistent to say the least. They could well have won the west London derby at Chelsea against all the odds. Yet when one saw them recently at home to a Portsmouth team which beat them at a canter, their defence was erratic, their attack largely negligible.

That afternoon, you could not help wondering why they had parted company with centre-back Zat Knight, now at Aston Villa, and the powerful midfielder, Papa Bouba Diop.

True, they have been assailed by injury and severely missed the guile and the aerial ability of Brian McBride. Yet it was a little puzzling to find, among the substitutes, Simon Davies, one of the few Fulham players to look active and effective against Portsmouth, while David Healy, such a remarkable goal-scorer for Northern Ireland, was on the bench too.

Certainly it was a game Fulham desperately needed to win to cling to eventual safety, Derby away from home this season having largely been whipping boys. But yesterday, it was they who were the first seriously to threaten goals between the 11th and the 14th minute. First, Matt Oakley set up Kenny Miller, whose shot was saved at the near post by Antti Niemi. Three minutes later, Derby gained another corner, this time on the left flank, when Eddie Lewis broke through on the left and again Niemi pushed the ball round his right-hand post.

The game such as it was in its utter mediocrity had just gone into first-half stoppage time when the moment occurred which seemed inevitably to transform it. Craig Fagan, the Derby forward who has only just returned from a long suspension himself, grabbed hold of Konchesky, who foolishly and violently retaliated with a blow of the elbow which inevitably had him sent off. Fagan himself was booked. So Fulham played the whole of the second 45 minutes with only 10 men. The second half mercifully came briskly and almost immediately to vigorous life, Derby frequently bringing into spectacular action the excellent Niemi while the hosts replied with efforts of their own.

Fulham had decided to reinforce their defeated defence by bringing on Carlos Bocanegra in place of their ineffective South Korean right-flanker, Seol Ki-Hyeon. On 54 minutes, we saw the first of Derby’s threatening strikes on goal when, from over 20 yards, Oakley hit a 20-yard shot which brought Niemi full length to save. Three minutes later, when Eddie Lewis curled in a corner from the left, it was met by a firm header by Derby’s highly promising teenage attacker Giles Barnes, who had come on as a substitute just before half-time.

To their credit, Fulham were quick to retaliate despite their depleted numbers. A long-range shot by defender Chris Baird was beaten down by Rams keeper Stephen Bywater. Derby promptly went back to the other end for a long shot of their own, well hit by Barnes, which Niemi turned for a corner.

In the ensuing minutes, Clint Dempsey twice in quick succession was denied by Bywater. First, in a minimum of space, he spun cleverly for a low shot which Bywater turned round the right-hand post. And when the corner came over, there was Dempsey again with a header which the keeper turned over.

On the three-quarter hour mark, Miller should have put Derby ahead, but the best he could do was shoot past the far post.

Fulham made two sizeable efforts in the concluding minutes. On 78 minutes, Diomansy Kamara pivoted for a left-foot shot which Bywater dived to save and on 90 minutes, Healy, belatedly on, had a shot turned for a corner by the keeper. Miller had one final chance to snatch the points but failed again, Niemi turning his shot wide when Steve Howard flicked on.

Star man: Antti Niemi (Fulham)

Player ratings: Fulham: Niemi 8, Baird 6, Stefanovic 5, Hughes 6, Konchesky 4, Seol 5 (Bocanegra, ht 5), Davis 5 (Davies 69min), Murphy 5, Bouazza 5, Kamara 5 (Healy 87min), Dempsey 7

Derby: Bywater 7, Mears 6, Moore 6, Davis 6 (Barnes 43min 7), McEveley 5 (Griffin 71min), Oakley 7, Pearson 7, Leacock 5 (Howard 78min), Lewis 6, Fagan 6, Miller 6