By Mark Mothershaw
City's 2006/07 FA Cup campaign came to a disappointing end this afternoon at Craven Cottage.
Vincenzo Montella and Brian McBride fired the Cottagers into a two-goal half time lead.
Former Everton man Tomasz Radzinski added a disputed third midway through the second half to earn Fulham a place in Monday's fifth round draw.
City boss Tony Pulis handed a debut to on-loan winger Lee Martin, while the returning Salif Diao ad to make do with a place of the substitutes bench.
The Potters were slow out the blocks and it was the home side who grabbed the game by the scruff off the neck from the start.
Wayne Routledge whipped in an inviting centre for Radzinski but his header was well saved by Steve Simonsen.
However, just seconds later the home side took the lead. Radzinski played a neat ball across the City backline and former Roma star Montella tapped home into an empty net.
City's first real effort on goal came midway through the first half when Dominic Matteo's pin point free kick was met by Ricardo Fuller, but the Jamaican international headed just wide.
The impressive Montella was the catalyst as the hosts doubled their advantage - a clever ball from Franck Queudrue was neatly controlled by the Italian and he delicately played the ball beyond the City rearguard for Brian McBride to slot into the bottom corner.
City began the second half a lot brighter and within five minutes of the restart they should have halved the deficit.
Darel Russell twisted and turned his way down the left flank and placed an inch perfect pass into the path of the on loan Lee Martin, but the Manchester United youngster fired straight at Lastuvka from eight yards.
But in the 53rd minute Fulham showed their class and an exquisite through ball from the impressive Moritz Volz set free Radzinski and he calmly slotted home from 12 yards.
City should have got on the scoresheet in the second half but chances went begging, substitute Adam Rooney twice went close while Liam Lawrence stung the keeper's hands from long range.
Fulham (4-4-2): Lastuvka, Volz, Queudrue, Christanaval, Bocanegra, Rosenior (Davies 64), Brown (c), Routledge, McBride (Jensen 76), Radzinski, Montella (Dempsey 61) Subs not used: Niemi, Knight.
City (4-4-2): Simonsen, Hoefkens, Duberry (c), Higginbotham, Griffin (Wilkinson 48), Lawrence, Matteo (Diao 52), Russell, Martin, Sidibe, Fuller (Rooney 64). Subs not used: Eustace, Pericard.
