• Premier League

Magath gets first win as Fulham manager

ESPN staff
March 15, 2014
Ashkan Dejagah celebrates the goal that gave Felix Magath his first win as Fulham manager © Getty Images
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Bottom-side Fulham gave their chances of survival a huge boost with an invaluable 1-0 win over Newcastle United at Craven Cottage.

All the focus in west London was on the manager situations of both sides, with Felix Magath starting the game still looking for his first win as Fulham manager and opposite number John Carver taking charge of Newcastle for the first time with Alan Pardew serving the first of his seven-game ban.

And it was the German who was left toasting three points with Ashkan Dejagah's sweet strike enough to separate the sides.

Pepe Mel also celebrated his first victory in English football as West Bromwich Albion beat Swansea City 2-1 at the Liberty Stadium.

Swansea needed little more than 90 seconds to take the lead through Roland Lamah. The Belgian striker, on-loan from Spanish side Osasuna, latched onto a long ball and cut inside Stephen Reid before beating Ben Foster from a tight angle.

West Brom equalised shortly after the break through Stephane Sessegnon, who picked the ball up on the edge of the area before a sweetly-struck effort found the bottom corner.

And Youssuf Mulumbu was the hero five minutes from time to hand Mel his first win as West Brom manager at the eighth time of asking.

Seamus Coleman's winning strike was a scuff - but they all count © Getty Images
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Seamus Coleman broke Cardiff City hearts at Goodison Park as his 93rd minute strike saw Everton snatch a 2-1 victory.

There was an air of fortune about Coleman's winner - a miscued volley which wrong-footed Cardiff goalkeeper David Marshall. It means the Welsh side have picked up just seven points in 10 league games under the stewardship of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Gerard Deulofeu had opened the scoring midway through the second half when he charged into the area from the left-hand flank before firing in at the near post, but the lead lasted just nine minutes before Juan Cala equalised.

The points see Everton move back into sixth and above Manchester United who play Liverpool at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Southampton survived a late Norwich flurry to cling on to a 4-2 victory at St Mary's - the first time the Saints have won two league games in a row since early October.

Morgan Schneiderlin opened the scoring after just five minutes for the only goal of the first half.

With Roy Hodgson watching in the stands, Rickie Lambert replaced England team-mate Adam Lallana shortly after the break - and he needed just a few minutes to get on the scoresheet after a neat turn and finish.

Lambert then teed up another of Southampton's England contingency, Jay Rodriguez, to tap into an empty net.

Johan Elmander and Robert Snodgrass scored two goals in as many minutes late on to set up a tense finish, but Sam Gallagher eased the Saints' concerns in injury time.

Stoke City won just their third game since Christmas with a 3-1 over in-form West Ham at the Britannia.

The visitors took the lead after just four minutes when Andy Carroll beat Asmir Begovic to Mark Noble's deep free-kick, but Peter Odemwingie sent the sides in level at the break when he got the last touch on Peter Crouch's acrobatic effort just past the half hour mark.

Stoke took the lead through Marko Arnautovic, who scored after some neat link-up play with Stephen Ireland.

Ireland was again the provider as Stoke wrapped up the points through Odemwingie, who made no mistake when put through on goal by the Irishman.

The result sees Stoke leap-frog their opponents into the top half of the table.

Elsewhere, Sunderland and Crystal Palace did little to aid their relegation battles with a 0-0 draw at the Stadium of Light.

Peters Crouch and Odemwingie combined to set Stoke on their way to victory over West Ham © Getty Images
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