LONDON, Feb 16 - Fulham reached the FA Cup quarterfinals for the first time since 1975 when they won 2-1 at first division strugglers Walsall Saturday.

Barry Hayles’s 61st-minute winner ensured Jean Tigana’s Premier League side were not embarrassed in a tight fifth round encounter at the Bescot Stadium.

Fulham, who went on to reach the final 27 years ago, took the lead two minutes after Walsall’s Jorge Leitao had headed wastefully into the arms of Fulham goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar from point blank range.

John Collins played in a free-kick from the right, Walsall pair Tom Bennett and Matt Carbon tried to clear and the ball skewed into the net for an unlucky own goal two minutes before halftime.

Walsall, who had knocked out Premier League Charlton Athletic in the fourth round, started the second half with purpose, levelling after 49 minutes with an equally bizarre goal.

The first division side won a corner which a flapping Van der Sar succeeded only in pushing on to the head of Darren Byfield and the ball rebounded into the net past Collins standing on the post.

Walsall briefly held sway after that until, on the hour and with Byfield off the pitch having stitches, Hayles hooked a superb volley from a fine Steve Finnan cross into the bottom corner to restore Fulham’s advantage.

Van der Sar pulled off an excellent save to deny Byfield another equaliser in the closing minutes but the visitors held out.

FA Cup fifth round results :

Arsenal 5 Gillingham (I) 2

Middlesbrough 1 Blackburn Rovers 0

Walsall (I) 1 Fulham 2

West Bromwich (I) 1 Cheltenham (III) 0

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