By Nathan Mercer

Rovers players celebrate their well-deserved win

Bristol Rovers sent Fulham crashing out of the FA Cup with a 5-3 win on penalties at a sodden Memorial Stadium.

The Londoners struggled to adapt to the quagmire of a pitch with Tony Warner pulling off fine saves from close range from David Pipe and Andrew Williams.

Jimmy Bullard, making his first start since September 2006, fired wide from 25 yards as Fulham toiled.

Fulham's Dejan Stefanovic saw red in extra-time, before Craig Disley struck the winning penalty kick.

Interview: Fulham boss Roy Hodgson

The Pirates now face Barnet in the fourth round after their penalty shoot-out win against Swindon.

Roy Hodgson's miserable start as Fulham boss continued and took the Cottagers' run of games without a win to 13.

His side were forced on to the back foot for much of the match as the hosts, unbeaten in seven, sought to ruffle the side 41 places above them in the league standings.

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The visitors struggled to cope with the sticky pitch as well as the League One side's endeavour and frequently surrendered possession in the midfield swamp.

And shortly before the break, Rovers missed a glorious chance to open the scoring through Pipe.

The excellent Chris Lines broke down the left and wriggled into the box before the ball broke kindly for Pipe, who should have buried his chance from six yards.

Warner made a fine save to keep the score goalless and he was called into action five minutes later, this time to make a more regulation save.

Richard Lambert flicked on for Williams, who escaped his marker, but his weak stab goalwards failed to trouble the alert Warner.

Fulham were restricted to long-range efforts with Bullard, after his long-term knee injury, enjoying the best of them - narrowly firing his 25-yard drive wide.

Rovers' workrate failed to subside in the second half as they continued to stifle the below-par visitors.

David Healy's volley on the turn from the edge of the box briefly raised Fulham's hopes, but Rovers laid siege to Warner's goal with Chris Baird forced to clear off the line from Lines.

Lambert saw a fizzing drive hit the side netting in extra-time while Clint Dempsey forced a superb save from Steve Phillips, who palmed the American's fierce effort to safety after a neat pass from Seol Ki-Hyeon.

Stefanovic was dismissed a minute before the end of extra-time after hauling down Lines for his second yellow.

And Phillips's save from Bullard proved to be decisive with Disley stroking home the winning kick.

Bristol Rovers: Phillips, Lescott, Hinton, Elliott (Disley 21), Jacobson, Pipe, Campbell, Coles, Lines, Williams (Rigg 97), Lambert.
Subs Not Used: Igoe, Walker, Carruthers.

Fulham: Warner, Baird, Bocanegra, Stefanovic, Konchesky, Volz, Bullard, Hughes, Brown (Ki-Hyeon 91), Healy, Dempsey.
Subs Not Used: Ricardo Batista, Davis, Milsom, Leijer.

Sent Off: Stefanovic (119).

Booked: Stefanovic.

Bristol Rovers win 5-3 on penalties

Att: 11,882

Ref: Martin Atkinson (W Yorkshire).

BBC Sport Player Rater man of the match: Fulham's Jimmy Bullard 7.00 (on 90 minutes).