Fulham claimed all three points in Saturday lunchtime’s Championship promotion showdown with Blackburn.
Neeskens Kebano and Harry Wilson scored in the first-half to secure a 2-0 win, leaving to Cottagers 11 points clear of second-placed Huddersfield - although Bournemouth face Preston this afternoon.
Blackburn had beaten QPR in midweek to end a five-game winless streak. That victory initially appeared to have given Tony Mowbray's side a lift and they quickly threatened when Ryan Giles shot over after a long run from inside his own half.
The scare appeared to spark the Cottagers into life and striker Aleksandar Mitrovic was convinced he should have won a penalty when he went to ground under a challenge from Darragh Lenihan, although replays suggested the striker appeared to loose his footing.
The hosts took the lead in the 25th minute when they took full advantage of an error by Blackburn keeper Thomas Kaminski.
The visitors created their own problems when defender Jan Paul van Hecke needlessly kept the ball in play, gifting possession to Harrison Reed.
And when the ball was worked to Williams, the full-back's low shot was spilled by Kaminski - gifting Kebano the chance to follow up from close range.
Blackburn felt hard done by when Tyrhys Dolan was booked for diving following a challenge by Tosin Adarabioyo inside the Fulham area in the 34th minute.
And a minute later Fulham piled on the misery when Wilson lifted a first-time finish over the advancing Kaminski after Adarabioyo’s ball inside Pickering carved open the Blackburn backline.
That strike prompted chants of “we want seven” inside Craven Cottage. And Fulham almost moved one step closer to that target when Fabio Carvalho's 47th-minute shot was deflected onto the post.
Substitute Gallagher thought he had had brought Rovers back into the game in the 65th minute when he followed up from Bradley Johnson's header, but the effort was ruled out for offside.
Blackburn continued to look vulnerable at the back and were fortunate to escape when Mitrovic directed a far-post header into the side netting.
