Bobby Zamora continued his hot run of form as Fulham defied plunging temperatures in Switzerland to secure their place in the knockout stages of the Europa League at the expense of Basle.

The much-maligned striker has now scored four in his last three games and he led the powerful Basle defence a merry dance all evening, before being replaced to a standing ovation from the 1200 travelling Fulham supporters.

Zoltan Gera put Fulham 3-1 ahead with a neat side-footed finish after Basle had profited from a dubious penalty awarded against Chris Smalling and converted by Alexander Frei.

Although Basle set up a nervous last few minutes with a late second by Marco Streller, Fulham held out to join group-winners Roma - plus the likes of Champions League losers Liverpool, Juventus and Atletico Madrid - in the last 32 of the competition.

Bjarne Helge Riise supplied both crosses for Zamora's double strike just before the interval and he set the tone in the first minute with a teasing ball that just evaded the on-rushing Jonathan Greening.

Zamora and Riise caused the Basle defence problems throughout the first half and they almost combined to open the scoring after 15 minutes.

The Norway international launched one of his customary raids down the right but delayed his ball through to Zamora a fraction too long and the Fulham striker had strayed fractionally offside before driving the ball low into the corner.

Basle's centre-backs were struggling to contain Zamora's physicality and he was frustrated to be called back again by the referee after wrestling his way past Abraham and into the box.

At one stage it appeared as if that frustration would get the better of Zamora when he booked for a careless challenge - but it Basle's creaking resistance that snapped first.

Fulham launched a swift counter-attack from a dubiously awarded free-kick, Riise swung a perfectly-weighted cross into space behind the Basle defence and Zamora threw himself at the ball to score from six yards.

Zamora then executed a text-book piece of centre-forward play, chesting the ball down for Riise to surge down the right before arriving at the far post to head Fulham into a two-goal lead at the interval.

Zamora's confidence was flowing and after earning a free-kick on the edge of the box with a clever piece of trickery, his low strike was deflected and forced a smart diving save from home keeper Massimo Colomba.

Basle, who were unbeaten at home in Europe this season, began to build the pressure as Fulham sat deeper and they were gifted a route back into the game just after the hour with a highly dubious penalty.

Substitute Federico Almerares skipped into the box and his cross struck Smalling in the stomach - but on the advice of an assistant referee, Swedish official Stefan Johannesson awarded the penalty and Frei scored.

But Gera, another of those given his chance in Europe, soon sealed Fulham's victorious passage into the last 32.

Dempsey, who had just come on for Greening, sent Stephen Kelly clear down the left and pulled a low cross that Gera side-footed into the corner.

Basle's towering striker Streller scored three minutes from time to set up a nervous finale but Fulham held out for a well-deserved victory.