Pavel Pogrebnyak took his tally to five in his first three games as Fulham recorded their 1,000th ever Football League victory with an all-action attacking display against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Martin Jol was forced to make a couple of changes from the side that had beaten Queens Park Rangers eight days earlier. Injury to Stephen Kelly and a virus for Bryan Ruiz prompting recalls for Damien Duff and Philippe Senderos.

Buoyed by preceding back-to-back victories Fulham pressed from the off, and Ronald Zubar could consider himself lucky to still be on the pitch after just six minutes following a waist high challenge on Clint Dempsey as the Texan chased a Damien Duff through-ball. The referee showed just a yellow card and the subsequent free-kick was fired straight into the wall.

Dempsey almost got his own back a minute later though when he chased a long forward pass down the left channel. He checked his run as he entered the box, before swivelling a shot on target, but Hennessey got down well to save it.

The visiting ‘keeper was called into action again on 11 minutes. A right-sided corner was played short and worked to the centre edge of the penalty area where John Arne Riise was waiting to fire a fizzing low drive which the Welsh ‘keeper pushed past the post.

The Norwegian popped up again two minutes later, receiving the ball from Pogrebnyak on the left, but this time his shot hit the head of Stearman and deflected over.

Damien Duff was the next to go agonisingly close, receiving the ball on the right of the D and firing another low drive that whistled just past Hennesey’s left hand post.

A minute later Riise again tried his luck, breaking free on the left once more and lifting an effort toward goal that rebounded off of the right hand upright.

At this stage Martin Jol’s side could conceivably have been two or more goals to the good, but Wolves soon delivered a reminder that they were still in the game. A set piece from deep on the left was met by Stearman in the Fulham box and his header was only just off target.

On 23 minutes Fulham came their closest yet. Some fantastically quick feet from Mousa Dembele pulled two Wolves players out of position before the Belgian played Riise in down the left. His low centre was met by Andrew Johnson in the six yard box, but Hennessey somehow kept the ball out with his feet.

For all of Fulham’s chances, Wolves remained a threat on the break, and Riise had to block an O’Hara effort on the right before the same player saw a later shot sail over on the other side of the pitch.

However, Fulham finally got the goal their positive play deserved on 35 minutes as Pogrebnyak continued his excellent start to life in England, losing his marker in the box to power a header in from Duff’s pinpoint corner from the right.

And Fulham’s new goal hero doubled his tally before the break. Pouncing on a loose ball in the Wolves half, he fed it right to Johnson who advanced down the flank before squaring back to his strike partner, who met the pass with a solid, first-time shot that flew into the net.

The Whites continued their positive approach after the break too, Dempsey the first to test Hennessey in the second period, with another low shot.

And it wasn’t long before the American was on the scoresheet. Danny Murphy’s fizzing low pass from deep found its way through a clutch of players and Dempsey followed it, latching onto the ball and carrying it across the Wolves goalmouth before firing in confidently with a right-footed finish.

Just after the hour it was four. Andy Johnson took an aerial pass down nicely and fired a low shot which Hennessey could only knock away. Pogrebnyak reacted quicker than any Wolves defenders to pounce on the loose ball and stab home to complete his hat-trick and send the on-looking Hammersmith End into raptures.

Fulham weren’t finished there either as Johnson hit the bar with a floated effort on 68 minutes before, moments later, new signing Mahamadou Diarra was introduced to make his debut, the Manager’s first substitution.

As the half progressed there were further chances, Dempsey seeing a shot blocked by Berra and Dembele’s swivelled half-volley held by Hennessey.

Then on 83 minutes it was five, Clint Dempsey putting the finishing touches to a delightful passing move on the edge of the Wolves box that involved Dempsey early on, then Pogrebnyak, before Diarra played the final pass which Dempsey gleefully ran onto, before smashing past Hennesey from the left side of goal.

Wolves had had a couple of half-chances, but appeared to lack the conviction that they could score. That, coupled by some brave Fulham defending, ensured a second consecutive clean sheet on an afternoon of many positives for a rampant home side now brimming with confidence entering the final months of the season.