As goals come, the two scored by Andy Johnson which gave Fulham their first Premier League win in six games could hardly have been more timely.

Following the 2-0 victory over struggling Wigan at Craven Cottage, Johnson will return to former club Everton on Saturday having at last demonstrated just why Fulham manager Roy Hodgson spent a record £10.5million on him last summer.

Before last night's performance, no goals from five League starts had the Fulham faithful beginning to wonder if that was money well spent.

That the England international was always sure he could deliver became evident after he steered in Paul Konchesky's 11th-minute cross for the first of his two strikes.

For the 27-year-old lifted up his shirt to reveal a t-shirt emblazoned with the legend "100 League".

It was a landmark of League goals that will send him back to Goodison Park brimming with confidence. "It was important for Andy," said Hodgson. "All goalscorers need that first goal at their new club to get them kick-started. Being a big-money signing, at least a big-money signing by Fulham standards, made it even more important.

"With his low centre of gravity, his pace and his technique, Andy has got that special composure.

"He certainly took his two goals extremely well.

"They were two typical Andy Johnson goals, getting in front of a centre-back for Konchesky's excellent cross and then making a diagonal run for the straight ball from Jimmy Bullard."

That second goal came on the hour, Bullard threading a neat free-kick through Wigan's static defence for the predatory Johnson to shot low past goalkeeper Chris Kirkland from a narrow angle.

Hodgson admitted that the value of the points Johnson secured was immense. Three successive defeats had seen Fulham plunge to one place above the relegation zone, and subsequent draws against Sunderland and at Portsmouth had done little to alleviate fears that the side were heading for a repeat of last season's battle against the drop.

Now, however, they are up to 14th in the table with a game in hand on everybody bar Manchester United and boosted by the knowledge that a first away win of the campaign on Saturday, or even another draw, will see them leapfrog hosts Everton.

Hodgson, who had steadfastly maintained that his team had not picked up the rewards their play so far this season deserved, said: "Winning 11 points from nine games reflects a little bit better than the eight from eight.

"What we've got to avoid is another period like we had of those three straight defeats.

"A few teams around us are suffering that way now, Wigan and West Ham have both had four straight defeats.

"That's what you have to avoid and sometimes even a point is actually a good result because it breaks that really bad sequence that you don't want at any cost, of losing game after game after game.

"If you can get two back-to-back wins then you can really fly up this table.

"Now I hope that we are going to be playing with the same type of consistency, the same type of effort, the same type of determination, and the same team organisation as we've did against Wigan."

The one concern for Hodgson is the form of Bullard, which has dipped since his surprise call-up to Fabio Capello's England squad last month.

"I didn't think it was one of Jimmy's better games," said Hodgson.

Over the past few weeks, Bullard had taken it upon himself to encourage and support Johnson, who is his close friend and neighbour.

Now, perhaps, it is Johnson's turn to return the favour.