Fulham 2-0 West Bromwich Albion

Fulham midfielder Simon Davies has backed Bobby Zamora to prove he can become a regular goalscorer in the Premier League.

The former West Ham striker had scored just one League goal for the club - against Bolton 20 games ago - prior to his effort in yesterday's 2-0 win against West Brom.

But Davies has been hugely impressed with Zamora's unselfish team play and hopes he will be rewarded with an improved goals tally.

The Welshman said: "Strikers get judged on goals, obviously, but Bobby's brought something that we didn't have last year when Brian McBride was injured.

"What makes such a big difference for a footballing team like we try to be, is having a big man up there who can get hold of the ball. It brings the midfielders into play and we can get up and perform like we did against West Brom.

"With his physical presence, Bobby gives us another dimension. He gets defenders around him which allows space for others to play. Andy Johnson has benefited from that this season.

"But for Bobby to get that goal is just great and they'll fly in for him now. He was happy and bubbly in the dressing room afterwards.

"Strikers grow on confidence and hopefully he has turned the corner."

If Zamora's season does kick on from here, he will owe a debt of gratitude to manager Roy Hodgson. Three weeks ago, with Fulham fans jeering his feeble contribution, Hodgson hauled Zamora off from the game against Portsmouth.

And the player's agony was compounded when substitute Erik Nevland showed how it should be done with a brace of goals to secure a 3-1 victory.

Yet apart from resting him on the bench at Swansea in the FA Cup, Hodgson has kept faith with his goal-shy star.

And he was rewarded on the hour yesterday when Zamora was on hand to net from close range after Johnson had flicked on a John Pantsil cross from the right.

Eleven minutes later, Zamora's raking shot crashed off the face of goalkeeper Scott Carson and Johnson was on hand to pick his spot for Fulham's second goal.

The win, which lifts the club to eighth in the table, was fully deserved.

Four times they found the woodwork, and on the only real occasion when a desperately poor West Brom side looked threatening, Mark Schwarzer saved brilliantly from Roman Bednar's 92nd-minute penalty.

Hodgson said: "That's as well as we've played for some while.

"After two difficult games at Swansea and Manchester United, this one was going to be important for the team.

"They were desperate to get back to their best and that's what they did."