A smartly-taken second-half strike by Josh Bowler handed newly-promoted Blackpool a precious 1-0 win against Fulham.

Neil Critchley’s Seasiders bagged their first Sky Bet Championship success of the campaign, with Fulham sliding to their first defeat.

The Londoners – on the back of a run of four straight victories – piled on the pressure in the final 20 minutes but could not find the breakthrough against a rock-solid Blackpool back line.

The first game between these two in more than six years saw Fulham carve out the first chance in the fourth minute.

Josh Onomah found the onrushing Ivan Cavaleiro but his effort from 18 yards was disappointingly skied.

There was a terrific noise inside Bloomfield Road, and the home fans were on their feet when Keshi Anderson flashed a 25-yard thunderbolt inches past the upright.

The high tempo continued and, 60 seconds later, Tyreece John-Jules charged through on goal, only to be thwarted by the legs of Fulham keeper Paulo Gazzaniga.

The game was ebbing and flowing, with the visitors next to threaten when Cavaleiro turned neatly on the edge of the box before seeing a shot gathered comfortably by Chris Maxwell.

As the half-hour mark passed, both sides were guilty of making too many misplaced passes, however it was Fulham who were next to go close.

Jean Michael Seri drilled in a low shot from distance which was only narrowly off target.

With the interval in sight, Marco Silva’s men appeared to be turning the screw but the closest they came to grabbing that elusive breakthrough came in added time when Antonee Robinson’s deep cross almost dropped in at the far post.

There was an up-tempo feel to the start of the second period and after Cavaleiro had gone close at one end, the Seasiders struck their first home Championship goal of the season at the other in the 49th minute. It was Bowler who grabbed it.

After meeting Kevin Stewart’s pass, he charged menacingly down the right flank before side-footing confidently past Gazzaniga from an acute angle.

Onomah dragged a fizzing strike narrowly wide, while Blackpool fluffed a decent chance to go two clear when Stewart curled a free-kick high off target.

Fulham were pressing hard for a leveller in the closing stages as Domingos Quina was unlucky with a chipped effort, then Maxwell was forced into a superb save to keep out Dennis Odoi’s glancing header from Robinson’s cross.

It was all becoming a little frantic but further misses from subs Rodrigo Muniz and Harrison Reed meant Fulham went home empty-handed.