Fulham progressed into the fourth round of the FA Cup thanks to a single goal from Bobby Zamora as brave Swindon couldn’t match their Premiership opponents. However, manager Roy Hodgson reserved his highest praise for Chris Smalling whose last appearance ended with an own goal against Chelsea.

 

Hodgson said "Chris Smalling did well for us again, the game suited him.” Swindon boss Danny Wilson also praised Smalling adding that “he was fantastic today so they have a good player on their books here at Fulham. It was a big decision to bring him here from non-league football and I think Roy has got it spot on."

Meanwhile, Hodgson does have concerns over the fitness of defender John Pantsil. The Ghana international sustained a posterior cruciate ligament injury and is already out of the African Cup of Nations and will miss at least two months. An operation would effectively rule him out for the rest of the season and leave the 28 year-old struggling to regain fitness in time to take his place in Ghana’s World Cup squad.