BRI AND MIGHTY!

The Fulham manager will deserve them.

But as a man of vast experience he will also reflect that — so often — the difference between success and failure, relegation or survival hangs on the thinnest of threads, the slightest shift in fortune.

Not to suggest Fulham were lucky yesterday. Far from it.

They deserved this win with second-half goals from strike star Brian McBride and substitute Erik Nevland, which puts survival back in their hands.

Safety

But they did get the breaks when it mattered. That was not the case just a few weeks ago.

At that stage — although not playing that badly — they could not score a goal or get a win to save their lives. They were five points adrift of safety and seemed doomed.

Perhaps the incredible turn-around is leaving owner Mohamed Al Fayed wondering if there are any conspiracy theories.

Maybe MI6 or Prince Philip could throw some light on the matter...

As for Birmingham, at one stage last week they appeared to have saved themselves as they led Liverpool 2-0. In the end, though, they were pegged back by the Kop and held to a draw.

Now, after this result, manager Alex McLeish must brace himself for the dreaded drop — and the backlash which would follow.

Basically it now boils down to this: Fulham must win at FA Cup finalists Portsmouth next week to make sure of their safety — or at least do the same or better as Reading.

The Royals play at already-relegated Derby.

Birmingham must hope the Rams get a draw or better in that game and at the same time beat Blackburn themselves. If that happens, Brum will survive.

The brutal fact for Birmingham, though, is that it is out of their hands now.

There is even a scenario where Fulham could lose next week and Birmingham win but the Cottagers would still stay up and the Blues would be condemned.

Hodgson was keen though to warn against anyone taking anything for granted having seen his side climb out of the bottom three for the first time since he took over from Lawrie Sanchez at the turn of the year.

Hodgson said: "Understably, there was a euphoric atmosphere at the end but we don't want to see that euphoria turn into sadness.

Bite

"There may be people who look at the final fixtures and start making predictions suggesting that it won't be as hard as it should be for us because Portsmouth are in the FA Cup final the following week.

"But I don't buy into that at all. There might be some leagues around the world where you see certain things happen in final games of the season but not the Premier League.

"Whoever Portsmouth put in their side, it will be a difficult game for us. But the good thing is that we have put ourselves in a situation where now have it our hands.

"On that front there is a sense of relief and satisfaction that, in difficult circumstances, the players stood up and were counted."

The Cottagers were helped in no little way by the frenzied atmosphere whipped up.

It is always noisy at quaint, cramped Craven Cottage but yesterday it was deafening.

The vibe prompted a turbo-charged start by Fulham.

The stoic 3-2 comeback win at Manchester City the previous week had buoyed both confidence and belief. The backing of fans merely served to intensify the team's commitment to the cause.

McLeish had set up his Brum side in a pretty positive formation but they were put straight on the back foot.

And in the ninth minute Blues keeper Maik Taylor pulled off a stunning fingertip stop to turn around a crisp Simon Davies shot from a cleverly-worked Jimmy Bullard free-kick.

After that though Fulham ran into an all-too-familiar problem this season especially at home. Plenty of pressure, even some more tantalising free-kick deliveries but not enough bite in the final third.

At the other end, in the 22nd minute, Sebastian Larsson managed to scramble the ball home from close range for the Blues but the whistle had gone for a high tackle in getting there.

Birmingham didn't threaten again until 40th minute when they strung together the best move of the game.

Whipped

Aaron Hughes, however, did brilliantly to nick the ball off Mikael Forssell's toe just as the Finn was about to convert a James McFadden cross.

In hindsight, it was as good as a goalline clearance.

Then, just before the break, Rhadi Jaidi made a similarly vital block to deny Clint Dempsey. Yet in the 55nd minute Jaidi mistimed a tackle on McBride wide on the left.

Bullard whipped over a super cross and McBride — who had managed to lose substitute Frank Queudrue far too easily — launched himself at the ball and produced a stunning diving header which nestled in the far corner of the net.

It was the American's third goal in eight games.

Fulham were left clinging on but then got a massive break three minutes from time when a Jaidi header was turned away off the line and behind by Paul Konchesky.

Birmingham were not even awarded another corner.

And frustration led to them losing their concentration — especially Queudrue, who had come on for the injured Liam Ridgewell at half-time.

The Frenchman tried to deal with a long ball by deftly heading back to his keeper but succeeded only in sending Nevland clear. The Swede swept his shot past Taylor.

Queudrue joined Birmingham last summer after just one season at Fulham. His record was 32 games and one goal. Given his two errors in this game it could easily read 33 — and add two assists.

But them's the breaks at the bottom when the tide turns.

McLeish accepted: "It's not in our hands but it goes to the wire.

"I believe in these players to give all they've got. We didn't get the breaks in this game and sometimes it makes you want to tear your hair out.

"Now it's just a case of giving it all we've got and win at St Andrew's next week."