Lucas Akins' 51st minute penalty secured a vital home victory for the Brewers. The popular Brewers frontman held his nerve to fire home after Fulham skipper Kevin McDonald had dragged Kyle McFadzean to the ground. Albion had taken an early lead through Stephen Warnock's first goal for the club only for Oliver Norwood to equalise on 31 minutes.
Fulham, as they did on their previous Championship visit, showed plenty of silky football going forwards but this time lacked the cutting edge to finish off their best moves whilst Albion were clinical with the chances that came their way.
Albion showed just one change to the side that earned a precious point at Carrow Road on Tuesday evening. Sean Scannell was declared fit after suffering with a tight calf ahead of the Norwich game and he was brought back into the side in an attacking role partnering Marvin Sordell up top as Joe Mason dropped to the bench.
Fulham, who were arguably the best side to visit the Pirelli Stadium in the Championship last season quickly flooded forwards with Neeskens Kebano an immediate threat on the left running at the Burton defence. The shrill of the referee's whistle from the kick off had barely died out when the flying winger found space to deliver a low cross that was hastily cleared by Ben Turner inside his own six yard box. Young left back Ryan Sessegnon, who bagged a last gasp equaliser at Craven Cottage last season to deny Albion an away win also found space at the back post to send in a low shot that deflected off John Brayford into the waiting arms of Stephen Bywater.
Albion found themselves a foothold in the game and Jamie Allen, on his home debut, worked space on the edge of the box for a shot that was comfortably fielded by David Button in the Fulham goal.
Liverpool loanee Sheyi Ojo also found himself with an early chance to go for goal but his eighth minute curler was too high and in the end no threat to Bywater's goal.
Having settled themselves after all the early pressure from Fulham it was the Brewers who grabbed the lead on 12 minutes. Jake Buxton's searching ball over the top picked out the run of Scannell. The winger turned striker got into the box and picked out the supporting run of Sordell. Whilst the Fulham defence got back to crowd out the Albion striker the ball deflected perfectly into the path of WARNOCK who had the simple task of side footing into the empty net.
After shaking off the disappointment of conceding Fulham were soon threatening the Burton penalty area once more, Stefan Johansen doin well to pull a ball back from the bye line only for Ollie Norwood to scoop the ball over the bar from close range. The inevitable hands on the head reaction from the Fulham man told you what a good chance it was. Kebano and Floyd Ayite then combined well inside the box, Ayite denied at the near post by a smart stop from Bywater.
NORWOOD made up for his poor miss just after the half hour mark with an excellent equaliser. Benefitting from a deflection that took the ball into his path he looked up and from 25 yards angled a searing shot into the bottom corner of the net. A disappointing goal to concede from an Albion perspective.
Albion were inches away from regaining the lead on 36 minutes as Sordell set up Jamie Allen for a shot that beat Button all ends up but cannonned back into play off the inside of the post.
John Brayford tested Button as well with a left foot shot as Burton maintained their pressure before Fulham broke forwards and thought they should have had a penalty when Ojo burst through. The winger went downas Bywater came to meet him and close him down but referee Stephen Martin was highly unimpressed with Ojo's theatrics and booked him for diving.
Half time: Burton Albion 1-1 Fulham
It was Albion who started the brighter in the second period and Lucas Akins twice got into the Fulham box. The first time he unfortunately slipped at the vital moment trying to deliver his cross and the second time he was crowded out before he could get a cross into the box.
Sean Scannell was denied a first Burton goal as his effort was blocked at the near post before the Brewers were eventually rewarded for their persistence. Referee Martin pointed to the spot after Fulham skipper Kevin McDonald dragged McFadzean to the ground. AKINS stepped up to nervelessly beat Button to restore Albion's lead.
Fulham thought they should have had a spot kick when Ayite went down trying to meet a low cross. Ben Turner stood his ground and cleared well. Referee Martin was not remotely interested in awarding a penalty. Ryan Fredericks managed to jink his way into the area before he was stopped by an excellent challenge from Warnock. Again the Fulham fans behind the goal were baying for a penalty but there was nothing doing.
The visitors began to pile in balls in from the left and Albion's defence had to be on the very top of their game as space began to open up. Both Buxton and McFadzean got vital touches to balls fizzed through the Burton box to deny Fulham players a clean shot on goal as the pressure intensified.
Bodies were having to be thrown in front of everything at this stage and Fulham came closest yet to getting back on level terms when Sessegnon crossed in from the left and Ojo saw a rising effort crash back off the crossbar.
Sessegnon was proving a fruitful outlet for the visitors on that left hand side and when another low cross came in from the teenager it was Johansen who turned and smashed a rishing shot over the bar as the frustrations of the West Londoners increased.
Ojo did finally have the ball in the back of the net on 75 minutes but by the time he shot the flag had long since gone up for offside.
McFadzean picked up a yellow card for the Brewers as a rash challenge on Sessegnon ended his attempts to create something for the visitors cutting infield from the left hand side.
Despite plenty of late Fulham pressure the Burton backline defended superbly and when Bywater clung onto a late cross into his near post referee Martin was ready with the final whistle to signal another famous victory for the Brewers.