Fulham denied by late Charlton comeback

Charlton 2 Fulham 2

Jordan Cousins scored an injury-time equaliser at The Valley, where Fulham lost a two-goal lead.

They were cruising with 10 minutes to go, with Ross McCormack’s 100th Championship goal having added to Ryan Tunnicliffe’s first for the club.

But Charlton skipper Johnnie Jackson came off the bench and headed home a corner with his first touch, on 81 minutes, before Cousins also headed in from a corner.

Fulham could have been behind after just 30 seconds when Charlton’s Everton loanee Conor McAleny, who had a brief spell at Brentford two years ago, fired wide with just the keeper to beat.

Alou Diarra also went close with a header for the home side, but Tunnicliffe fired in Fulham’s deserved opener on 32 minutes when keeper Nick Pope spilled McCormack’s free-kick into his path.

McAleny stayed lively and, after he shot tamely into Andy Lonergan’s arms, the youngster supplied a superb pass across the face of goal that should have been turned in by Karlan Ahearne-Grant at the far post.

But Fulham continued to have the upper hand and went further ahead when McCormack controlled brilliantly inside the box before a well-timed half-volley found the corner of the net just before the hour mark.

However, the visitors were unable to hold on after Jackson pulled a goal back.

Fulham (4-2-2):Lonergan; Richards, Stearman, Ream, Husband; Christensen, O’Hara (Matilla 90), Tunnicliffe, Pingle (Garbutt 60); McCormack, Dembele (Woodrow 75).
Subs not used: Lewis, Fredericks, Kacaniklic, Burn.