Fulham vs Charlton Athletic. Sky Bet Championship.
Craven CottageAttendance18,654.
Report and highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash at Craven Cottage
Saturday 5 October 2019 18:30, UK
Fulham twice came from behind as they drew 2-2 with Charlton in a pulsating Sky Bet Championship encounter at Craven Cottage.
Chelsea loanee Conor Gallagher (41) scored his fourth goal of the season to put the Addicks ahead, before Ivan Cavaleiro (55) restored parity after a rampaging run and wonderful strike for Fulham 10 minutes after the restart.
A header from Macauley Bonne (57) put the visitors back in front inside 120 seconds, but Aleksandar Mitrovic (63) smashed the ball into the roof of the net from close range to set up a grandstand finish in the London derby.
The hosts' search for a winner intensified during nine minutes of second-half stoppage-time and an heroic late stop from Charlton 'keeper Dillon Phillips prevented Bobby Decordova-Reid side-footing home a dramatic winner.
Charlton sprung a surprise in the opening exchanges in south west London, with an aggressive pressing approach catching the Whites off-guard and the lively Jonny Williams proving a handful for Harry Arter.
The hosts did eventually settle after a frantic start but struggled to create openings and were denied a penalty when Mitrovic grappled with Tom Lockyer inside the 18 yard box.
A searching cross from makeshift left wing-back Jake Forster-Caskey was headed into the path of Gallagher by Chris Solly, and he struck a tidy fourth goal since a summer loan from Stamford Bridge to put Charlton in front.
Scott Parker switched to a back three at the break, and his tinkering evidently had a positive effect as Cavaleiro struck a magical equaliser after racing from halfway, exchanging passes with Decordova-Reid and dispatching a sublime strike past Marcus Bettinelli.
As Fulham's hunger to put the game to bed - and return to the summit as a result - grew, they hit the bar through Joe Bryan and Mitrovic, but between those two efforts, Bonne's towering header sent the away fans in the Putney End into raptures.
They did get back on level terms when sheer brute force saw Mitrovic rob the ball from Solly's feet and smash into the roof of the net, but the Addicks remained resolute and had Phillips to thank late on for his magnificent timely save to deny Decordova-Reid.
Simply put, Charlton probably would not have left Craven Cottage with any points at all had Phillips not been in inspired form on Saturday lunchtime.
He twice saved from Bobby Decordova-Reid - who looked incredibly bright as a half-time substitute - and was unfortunate to concede the equaliser after initially pushing Tom Cairney's goal-bound effort away from danger
Scott Parker: "In the first half, I thought Charlton were very good and we had to change things around second half and make a couple of changes because they caused us some problems, really, and we tried to match them up.
"On another day, a couple of very, very good chances go in, but full credit to Charlton - I thought they were very good today and we go again."
Lee Bowyer: "I can't praise them enough. I just went in there [the changing room] and I said "Be proud of yourselves, you are a pleasure to work with." I've got a group of lads who just give me everything every time.
"Not just out of possession with their workrate, even in possession, you've got to be brave coming here against a top Fulham side. I thought we were the better side first half and they should be proud of themselves."
The second international break of the season means there are no Sky Bet Championship games next weekend, with teams back in action on the weekend of October 19/20. Both sides will kick-off at 3pm on the Saturday: Fulham travel to the bet365 Stadium to face Stoke, with Charlton hosting Derby at The Valley.
