Tim Cahill started the match on the bench before replacing Leon Osman with 15 minutes left as Saha came back to haunt his former club with a well taken goal only minutes from time.

Royston Drenthe had given the Merseyside club a third minute lead before Bryan Ruiz restored parity with his first goal in Fulham colours on 67 minutes.

Fulham hit the bar late on and were made to pay as Saha and Rodwell secured a much-needed three points for David Moyes. The home side now sit just one point above the relegation zone as pressure starts to intensify on Martin Jol.

In the Championship, Life under Derek McInnes got off to a disappointing start as Socceroo midfielder Neil Kilkenny and Bristol City suffered a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Birmingham City who have now won five straight games in all competitions. Kilkenny played the entire match at Ashton Gate.

Former AIS product and Jets midfielder James Holland was an unused substitute in AZ Alkmaar’s 1-0 win over RODA JC at the AFAS Stadion. AZ are now unbeaten in five matches and occupy top spot.

Young Aussie Ryan McGowan was an unused substitute in Heart’s 2-0 loss against defending champions, Rangers at Tynecastle. Goals from Steven Naismith and Nikica Jelavic put an end to Hearts two game winning streak.

Nathan Coe could not prevent SonderjyskE from suffering a 4-1 drubbing at home to third placed Horsens. The result leaves SonderjyskE in ninth position, thirteen points behind league leaders Kobenhavn.

Elsewhere in Denmark, Brent McGrath entered the fray with ten minutes remaining in Brondby’s 2-1 loss at Silkeborg. Despite taking a 41st minute lead through Gehrt, goals from Flinta and Pedersen-Tomrer condemned Brondby to their third defeat in four games.

Across in Turkey, James Troisi played 63 minutes for Kayserispor in their 6-2 annihilation of Sivasspor. Kayserispor have now won two games back-to-back and sit eighth in the Turkish Super Lig table while Sivasspor are without a win in their last three outings.

In the K-League, Socceroo defender Sasa Ognenovski and his Seongnam side suffered a 3-1 defeat away to fourth placed Seoul. The loss puts to an end Seongnam’s four game winning run.

Former Mariners and Heart defender Dean Heffernan was 76th minute substitute in Liaoning’s 2-1 loss away to Shandong Luneng. The defeat put an end to Liaoning’s four game unbeaten run but the Ma Lin’s men remain third in the Chinese Super League.

In the J-League, Eddie Bosnar and Alex Brosque both completed full 90 minutes as Shimizu S-Pulse defeated Ventforet Kofu 3-0 in frontof 19,832 fans at the Outsourcing Stadium.

Over in J2-League, Socceroo Mark Milligan was forced to watch from the stands as JEF United played out a scoreless draw away to Tochigi. Mark Milligan saw red mid week after receiving two yellow in the 1-0 defeat against Mito Hollyhock.

In the Greek Super League, Nathan Burns was an unused substitute as AEK Athens were defeated 3-1 on their trip to the Stadio Thodoros Vardinoyannis. A brace from OFI striker Evangelos Mantzios sent AEK home empty handed and plenty of work to do with the Athens based club without a win in three games.

Across in the Czech Liga, Young Socceroo Kerem Bulut was withdrawn just after the hour mark in Mlada Boleslav’s 2-0 against sixth placed Bohemians 1905 who trail Boleslav by a single point.