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London - Fulham were left facing the prospect of a long Premier League relegation battle after a disappointing 2-1 home defeat to Swansea on Saturday.
Substitue Jonjo Shelvey's winner 10 minutes from time at Craven Cottage cemented Fulham's place in the bottom three and they are now looking over their shoulders at Crystal Palace, just three points below them after winning at Hull and level with bottom club Sunderland.
In a dull first half, with chances very much at a premium, Swansea had the lion's share of possession but little more to show for it, beyond a Natahn Dyer header in the 31st minute from Roland Lamah's cross which sailed over the bar.
Fulham's only real reply was Dimitar Berbatov's header from Bryan Ruiz's cross which flew wide two minutes later.
The second half started in much trhe same vein, with Lamah screwing a left fot shot wide three minutes in after being set up by Ben Davies.
Swansea's pressure finally paid off 10 minutes into the half, but it took an Aaron Hughes own goal to break the deadlock.
Hughes' miserable afternoon took a further turn for the worse six minutes later when he went into the book for a bad foul on Wilfried Bony.
But out of the blue Fulham conjured up a 63rd minute equaliser when Ruiz's corner was floated in and Scott Parker deilled a right footed shot into the top left hand corner from the right of the area.
Bony had a rapid chance to restore the Swans' lead but his low left foot shot was saved by Maarten Stekelenburg as he got down smartly to his left.
Shelvey, on for Dyer, finally found a winning touch with just over 10 minutes go, latching on to Lamah's pass and firing a powerful shot from outside the area into the top right hand corner and even Darren Bent's injury time header failed to save the day for Fulham.
