GOALS FROM David Healy and Alexey Smertin saw Fulham come from behind to consign Wanderers to their second defeat of the campaign.

Wanderers, making three changes to the side that lost on the opening day to Newcastle, opened the scoring through Heidar Helguson against his former club.

But the hosts recovered their composure to take the three points on offer after netting twice in four minutes not long after the Icelander poked home.

On a night of tipping, torrential rain the art of defending was never ever going to be textbook.

And so it proved in the first-half as both sides conceded goals that were ably assisted by the inclement conditions.

Captain Kevin Nolan could have put Wanderers in front as early as the seventh minute when he connected with an overhead kick. The effort, though, was lacking in power and Tony Warner was able to gather.

Helguson got off to a dream start on his full debut against his former club when he pounced upon a horrific mistake from Fulham 'keeper Warner. The former Millwall glovesman was first to Nicky Hunt's long throw which went unchallenged as it bounced into his hands. Then, as he was about to dispatch the ball, it slipped out of his grasp and into the path of the Iceland international who netted with the most simple of opportunities. The Liverpool-born custodian looked in disbelief at what just happened.

He redeemed himself of sorts moments later when Nicolas Anelka was allowed to weave his way into the box and unleash a left-footed effort. The 'keeper managed to tip the ball away for a corner.

The visitors' joy was shortlived though as the hosts found themselves restoring parity just 11 minutes later. Helguson's attempted headed clearance from a long throw-in which was met by a towering header from the gigantic Zak Knight landed in the path of Healy, who gratefully fired the ball into the roof of Jussi Jaaskelainen's nets.

Fulham took the lead just four minutes later when Alexey Smertin's long ranged drive took a strong deflection off Gerald Cid to wrong-foot Jaaskelainen.

Wanderers tried their utmost to get back into the game as the half ground to a close, but only had a series of corner kicks to show for their efforts.

Brian McBride, who seems to enjoy scoring against the Wanderers, should have extended his side's lead just a minute after the restart. Zak Knight's huge free-kick from his own half went unchallenged by the visiting defence who allowed the American to stretch and poke the ball into the grateful arms of Jaaskelainen.

Warner's redemption from his early howler was complete when he made a miraculous save to prevent Anelka from restoring parity. Cid picked up the loose ball and squared it to his compatriot who attempted to curl the ball in at the far post. It appeared that he was about to succeed until the 'keeper flung himself at full stretch to tip the ball away for a corner with his fingers.

Wanderers were looking the more likely of the sides to get on the score sheet, and Diouf almost levelled after latching onto Helguson's knock down. The Senegalese took the ball wide before shooting across goal, missing the target narrowly.

Sammy Lee made his first change of the evening on 72 minutes when he handed Daniel Braaten his debut. The Norwegian international came on for Helguson.

Gavin McCann should have opened his Wanderers account when he was granted a free-header from Diouf's free-kick. The midfielder, however, was unable to guide his header on target. He was later replaced by Mikel Alonso.

For all their efforts in the second-half, Wanderers were unable to salvage the point they deserved and succumbed to their second defeat of the campaign.