McBride dented Everton's Champions League qualification dreams and boosted Fulham's chances of beating the drop when he headed home from a cross by Simon Davies in the 67th minute.
• Hodgson motivated by relegation fear
It was struggling Fulham's first victory since beating Aston Villa at Craven Cottage at the beginning of February and Roy Hodgson's side deserved to take all three points with a performance of grit and determination that Everton could not match.They began in sparkling fashion but their eagerness to get an early goal was all too evident when Jimmy Bullard scuffed a 20-yard shot that failed to trouble Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard.
Fulham were the only side in the game in the early stages and a delightfully chipped pass by Davies allowed McBride to try his luck with a left-foot volley that flashed past the far post.
Everton's lack-lustre start was clearly of concern manager David Moyes and their situation was not helped by an enforced substitution in the 13th minute.
England striker Andrew Johnson was replaced by Tony Hibbert after appearing to collect an ankle knock.
Johnson's injury would not have helped his international chances with both England coach Fabio Capello and assistant Stuart Pearce among the spectators at Craven Cottage.
Fulham continued to seize the initiative and a cross from Davies was just too long for Johnson to take advantage.
The home side were guilty of some poor passing in the final third and but they were rarely troubled by an Everton side that now relied on the solitary figure of Aiyegbeni Yakubu in attack.
Everton hardly looked like a side chasing the fourth Champions League spot as their relegation-threatened hosts enjoyed most of the possession.
It took the Merseysiders until the 24th minute to engineer their first real attempt at goal and then Steven Pienaar's effort bounced harmlessly wide of Kasey Keller's upright.
Everton were beginning to weather Fulham's early storm but they had little attacking guile - typified by a wasteful punt out of play by defender Phil Jagielka.
In the 36th minute, Fulham defender Brede Hangeland was caught out by some clever footwork from Yakubu but Everton wasted the free-kick when Mikel Arteta sent the ball behind the line for a goal kick.
The game had now lost its early promise and too many incomplete passes from either side meant for a disjointed affair in the blustery conditions.
Fulham's lack of confidence going forward was epitomised by the indecision of Davies in the 40th minute when the former Everton player found himself within shooting range on the edge of the penalty area.
But instead of trying his luck, Davies opted to play the ball out to Andreasen on the wing and the chance was lost when the Fulham player failed to keep it in play.
It was Everton who came closest to breaking the deadlock three minutes before the interval.
A smart move down the right flank involving Pienaar and Phil Neville ended with Yakubu finding space inside the penalty area.
However, the Everton striker tried to use power to beat Keller and the Fulham goalkeeper was able to palm the ball to safety.
Fulham began the second period full of intent but the lack of invention from the midfield continued to ensure the scoresheet remained blank.
Everton were equally unimpressive with creativity at a minimum although a rare burst of pace from Neville brought a booking for Fulham's Danny Murphy in the 55th minute when he checked his run with an ungainly lunge.
Fulham's Johnson managed to win a corner in the 59th minute but when Jimmy Bullard played the ball into the area, the Fulham striker headed over from six yards.
The home side had to make their pressure tell but when Bullard floated over another corner three minutes later is Davies who sent his header over the crossbar.
It was little surprise that Fulham could not find an opening as Everton's last away defeat in the Barclays Premier League was last December at Old Trafford.
But the breakthrough finally arrived in the 67th minute through captain McBride.
The goal owed much to the skill and endeavour of Davies on the left flank who sent over a perfect cross for the American striker to head into the roof of the net.
It was just reward for the home side who had kept their more illustrious opponents subdued for much of the contest.
It proved to be enough for Fulham to hang to all three points and leave them, momentarily at least, three points from safety at the foot of the table.
Hodgson motivated by relegation fear
R
Fulham manager Roy Hodgson has urged his side to produce eight more victories
in their remaining fixtures to save the club from Premier League
relegation.
Brian McBride's first goal since the beginning of the season settled a
hard-fought contest at Craven Cottage to boost Fulham's survival hopes.
McBride's return from a six-month knee injury lay-off could be crucial for
Fulham but Hodgson has been left equally cheered by the collective spirit within
the camp.
'We knew we had to get the victory,' Hodgson said.
'When you are fighting for your life at the bottom, the motivation is always
going to be that little bit stronger than when you are trying for fourth place
and the Champions League.
'I thought it was a good performance by the team in every respect and the
goal that won the game was a worthy winner.
'Brian is an experienced player. He is 36 and a talismanic figure at the
club. It was just that little bit of quality that was needed because both teams
were defending and fighting hard.
'We have got eight extremely important matches and if we want to stay up we
have got to reproduce this performance eight more times.
'We've only got three more home games. I don't need reminding we have not won
away from home but if we are going to get the necessary number of victories we
need, a couple are going to have to be away from home.'
Hodgson continued: 'We did well today but there is still a lot of work to do.
We are working at it.
'I have got to be positive and today against a good team vying for fourth
place in the league, I would defy anyone to say there was a major class
difference between the two teams.
'I am pleased with the hunger, appetite and desire of the players. When I
came here things were not good and the players were beginning to hang their
heads.
'But people have stood up to be counted. Morale is always low when teams are
losing. That is a fact of life.
'Confidence comes when you are playing well and winning. If you not playing
well and losing then you can speak until you are blue in the face but the first
time a couple of passes go astray, then the confidence goes out of the window.
'If you work very hard with the players on the training ground every day and
keep the mood in the squad as good as it can be, then you have got a chance.'
Everton manager David Moyes insisted that Liverpool remain favourites to
clinch the fourth Champions League spot after his side's first league defeat
since December.
Although Moyes has not given up on fourth spot, Everton are now three points
behind their Merseyside rivals which he claimed put them in pole position.
'Liverpool were always favourites, I've said that many times,' Moyes said.
'We are just going to try and win as many as we can and keep going. We've
been on a great run but today was not one of our better performances.
'The players have been terrific but today we dropped below the high standards
we have set. I am disappointed with today's game.
'The players have been excellent and this is our first defeat in I don't know
how many league games but we've not got a great record at Fulham.'
Everton's chances were hampered even further by an early groin injury to
striker Andrew Johnson and Moyes admitted the lack of attacking options is
becoming something of a concern.
The Everton manage was already without Tim Cahill, James Vaughan and Victor
Anichebe through injury and Johnson's enforced substitution has not helped.
Moyes added: 'It is a concern at the moment - Andy has a groin strain but I
looked at my bench and I didn't have a lot of options.
'The mood has been good and the club has done great. I am just disappointed
we didn't play well but I have to give Fulham credit because they made it hard
for us.
'I didn't think it was a game of many chances and they shaded the half
chances more than us. We should have done much better and stopped their goal.
'I don't like anybody scoring against but Brian is a great player, great
professional and he deserves everything he gets.'
Fulham 1 - 0 Everton
