Collins John scored his first goals for Fulham as the Cottagers ended a sequence of 11 away games without victory by securing a 2-0 Barclaycard Premiership win at Leicester.

Substitute John, who had replaced Barry Hayles on the hour, struck in the 66th minute to set up the Londoners' first league win on the road since the 3-1 triumph at Old Trafford on October 25.

And the Liberian made sure of victory with an 89th-minute strike after Leicester had been caught on the break.

Leicester manager Micky Adams was forced into making one change to the side which had succumbed 3-2 at Leeds on Monday evening for today's Barclaycard Premiership clash with Fulham.

Les Ferdinand was omitted after falling victim to a knee injury, with Paul Dickov, now recovered from a knee injury of his own, the replacement.

Meanwhile, Fulham boss Chris Coleman selected the same side which had drawn 0-0 with Birmingham at Loftus Road last time out.

It was Fulham who were first to threaten following a right-wing free-kick taken by Sean Davis.

Central defender Zat Knight headed the ball goalwards at the back post, but Foxes keeper Ian Walker was able to complete an elementary save.

Steed Malbranque was the next to chance his luck with a fierce 20-yard drive grazing Walker's sidenetting as the ball fizzed marginally high and wide.

At the other end, Fulham keeper Edwin van der Sar was enjoying a quiet opening to the afternoon as the stuttering Foxes struggled to assert themselves.

The hosts' best chance of the first 15 minutes was blasted into the wall by Ben Thatcher after Barry Hayles had conceded a free-kick for a foul on Riccardo Scimeca.

Referee Peter Walton was waving away Leicester's penalty appeals moments later though after a collision with Luis Boa Morte left Foxes skipper Muzzy Izzet in a heap just outside Fulham's six-yard box.

Sylvain Legwinski went close to breaking the deadlock in the 23rd minute but his close-range effort was courageously blocked by Freund. The German's late challenge on Moritz Volz then earned the Foxes midfielder a yellow card.

And with the half hour approaching it was Leicester who had wrested the initiative although they failed to make the most of a sequence of corners and free-kicks.

And Leicester were almost made to pay for their profligacy but Malbranque could only blaze over the crossbar from 18 yards before team-mate Boa Morte was cautioned for a late and lunging challenge on Walker.

Then, with five minutes until the interval, Marcus Bent retrieved a seemingly lost cause on the right wing and picked out Scowcroft in the penalty area, only for the ball to be spooned well over the crossbar.

Paul Dickov became the next player to be booked following a late touchline challenge on Boa Morte.

A scrappy first half was followed by an entertaining beginning to the second with Matt Heath called into action intercepting Legwinski's run and then clearing a dangerous cross from Boa Morte.

And it not long before the hosts swept forward either as Bent teed up Dickov on the edge of the Cottagers' box only for the Scotsman's shot to be deflected wide for a fruitless corner.

Moments later and Dickov went closer still as he earned himself the space to turn in the box and then unloaded a venomous right-footed drive which rebounded from the inside angle of crossbar and post.

Controversy broke out in the 61st minute when van der Sar dropped the ball for a goalkick only for Izzet to nip in and take half the ball and half the keeper before the kick had been completed.

With the Dutchman caught unawares Izzet made the most of his opportunity to slide the ball into an empty net, only for the goal to be disallowed and a free-kick awarded to the Cottagers.

There was more frustration for the hosts moments later after Dickov had raced clear and unleashed a a low drive which was spectacularly saved by van der Sar who dived to his left.

But much against the run of play, Leicester were to find themselves chasing the game as Fulham took a 66th-minute lead courtesy of substitute Collins John who had replaced Barry Hayles.

Malbranque was credited with the assist after having chipped the ball forward more in hope than anticipation but John sprinted clear to beat Walker to the bouncing ball and lift it into a gaping net.

A last-ditch intervention by Nikos Dabizas prevented Fulham going further ahead after Volz had worked his way into the box and produced a powerful close-range shot.

Pouring forward late in the game, the hosts applied plenty of pressure but were caught on the break in the 89th minute when Boa Morte raced down the left channel and slid the ball through Ben Thatcher's legs for John to cooly dispatch the ball under an exposed Walker.

Leicester: Walker, Scimeca, Heath, Dabizas (Canero 80), Thatcher, Scowcroft, Izzet, Freund (Nalis 74), Guppy, Bent, Dickov.
Subs Not Used: Stewart, Benjamin, McKinlay.
Booked: Freund, Dickov.