Hodgson: We've left it late

Fulham manager Roy Hodgson fears the club may have left their fight to avoid relegation too late.

The previously beleaguered Cottagers have won three of their last four games to take their battle for survival until the last day of the season.

Last weekend they moved out of the bottom three for the first time since Boxing Day with a 2-0 victory over fellow strugglers Birmingham City.

But speaking ahead of Sunday's vital clash with Portsmouth, Hodgson has lamented his side's inability to pick up points before the last few games of the campaign.

"I wish there were six or seven more games left to play then I would be feeling really confident that we could pull ourselves out of it," he said.

"I fear we've left it very late, but the great thing is we go into the last game with a chance of success.

"I've got to say, three or four weeks ago, our chances of survival looked so slim. But we didn't lose faith and we've always thought we could do what we've done.

"It would be a great achievement by the team and I'm just a part of it.

"That might be a great night or it might be a very bad one. I'll have to brace myself for both possibilities."