Bizarre as it may seem on the back of a five-goal drubbing, but John Ruddy's sturdy resistance as the last line of defence prevented a hammering becoming a total embarrassment.

Ruddy's perfect week after an impressively mature England debut ended on a sour note in front of the watching national manager.

Roy Hodgson could not have attached any blame to Ruddy for the five goals conceded. The big man from St Ives was left to face Damien Duff alone for the second consecutive occasion in these parts.

Mladen Petric was allowed a free header from Duff's corner, then his strike took a wicked deflection after the interval. Alex Kacaniklic was given the freedom of the Norwich backline to slot a fourth before Steve Sidwell smashed a fifth from the penalty spot.

Ruddy and Ruddy alone prevented the goal rush starting even earlier after recovering from a miscued clearance that dropped to Bryan Ruiz. The 25-year-old denied the overlapping John Arne Riise then Ruiz then Petric as Fulham poured forward to the sound of the trumpets.

Ruddy then smartly tipped over the dangerous Ruiz's free kick in the final seconds of the opening period.