Jonas Knudsen scored an injury time equaliser, the Danish international’s first goal for the Blues, as Town drew 1-1 at home with Fulham, Moussa Dembele having put the visitors ahead in the 66th minute.

Sixteen-year-old Andre Dozzell was handed his full debut, while Cole Skuse and Brett Pitman returned to the Town line-up and Kevin Bru, Kevin Foley and David McGoldrick dropped to the bench.

The Blues started with Dozzell in a central midfield three ahead of Skuse and Jonathan Douglas, with Liam Feeney on the right Freddie Sears on the left of Pitman up front.

Former Town loanees Richard Stearman and Ryan Tunnicliffe started for the Cottagers at right-back and in midfield respectively.

Neither side threatened in the early stages, although the Blues saw most of the ball. On 12 Dozzell fed Feeney to his right and the on-loan Bolton man sent over a cross towards Pitman, who claimed he was fouled but referee Paul Tierney showed no interest.

A minute later, Sears crossed low from the left to Dozzell, but he was unable to find Douglas with his lay-off.

Fulham subsequently broke down the Town left but Ross McCormack’s cross was too deep and Knudsen saw it out of play. On 19 Dembele shot powerfully wide from just outside the Blues area.

Chances continued to be far and few between but on 34 the Cottagers almost went in front. Ex-Blues loanee Ryan Tunnicliffe was played in on goal by Lasse Vigen Christiansen and tried to stab the ball past Bialkowski, who did superbly to get an arm down to his left to divert it wide.

Four minutes later Fulham skipper Scott Parker caught Douglas in possession midway inside the Town half and found Dembele, who took the ball into the area before shooting well over.

Referee Tierney ended what had been a hardly enthralling half after one additional minute.

It had been a 45 minutes typical of an end of season game between two teams with nothing left to play for.

Fulham came closest to scoring when Bialkowski saved from Tunnicliffe, while the Blues had seen a fair amount of the ball but without being able to create any serious opportunities.

Town’s biggest threat had been Feeney crosses from the right but too many of them flew behind.

Full debutant Dozzell, had shown one or two nice touches and had got into the box on a number of occasions as he looked to add to Saturday’s goal at Sheffield Wednesday.

Ten minutes after the restart the 16-year-old was replaced by McGoldrick, while Bru took over from Douglas. Dozzell had shown his talent fleetingly but hadn’t seen enough of the ball to make a huge impression on the game.

The second half continued in much the same vein as the first with penalty area action rare.

Just after the hour Skuse deflected a Dembele shot wide and from the resultant corner on the left Bialkowski brilliantly tipped over a Shaun Hutchinson header which looked bound for the roof of the net.

On 64 Feeney looped a weak header to Marcus Bettinelli, arguably Town’s first attempt on target of the evening, although the Cottagers keeper wasn’t tested.

Two minutes later, Fulham went in front. The visitors counter-attacked down the right and Parker crossed to an unmarked Dembele just inside the box and the 19-year-old Frenchman smashed a shot past Bialkowski.

Bru shot wide on 70, Town’s first serious strike of the game, leading to much sarcastic cheering from the Blues’ support. Two minutes later, Hutchinson headed wide from a McCormack corner.

Bettinelli was finally forced into a save in the 73rd minute when Pitman hit a powerful strike from the edge of the area on the right, the keeper doing well to get across to push it past the post. From the corner, Tommy Smith, making his 250th appearance for the Blues, headed over.

As the game entered its final 10 minutes Town continued to labour without particularly threatening. On 81 Bialkowski hit a clearance against McCormack inside his area but deflected well away from goal.

Parker was booked for a late tackle on Bru, having been fortunate to get away with an earlier foul on Feeney, then on 87 Pitman had the ball in the net but McGoldrick was adjudged to have handled in the build-up.

As the match moved into its final scheduled minute McGoldrick, who along with Bru was starting to make more of an impact on the game, hit a well-struck shot from the right which was going wide but which Bettinelli helped on its way.

And in the aftermath of Bru’s left-sided corner the Blues equalised. Having been cleared, the ball was played back out to McGoldrick on the right. The sub’s clever pass played in Sears on the right of the area and he cut the ball back to Knudsen, who hit a first-time shot into the net off the underside of the bar.

In injury time Christophe Berra headed a Knudsen cross wide at the far post when he should have nodded it back across goal, then Smith was booked for a foul on Dembele. Referee Tierney brought the game to an end moments later.

As with most end-of-season games played between two sides with nothing to play for, the match won’t be one which will be remembered for too long.

Fulham, who still haven't beaten Town since 1963, could have been home and hosed before Knudsen’s late equaliser with Bialkowski again in top form, making impressive saves from Tunnicliffe and Hutchinson in either half.

Having gone ahead the Cottagers will feel they ought to have claimed the three points with the again disappointing Blues rarely able to create anything until McGoldrick and Sears combined to conjure Knudsen’s goal.

Town, who have now gone six games without a win and have won just once in nine, remain eighth ahead of Saturday’s trip to top-of-the-table Middlesbrough.

Town: Bialkowski, Chambers (c), Smith, Berra, Knudsen, Douglas (Bru 55), Skuse, Dozzell (McGoldrick 55), Feeney, Sears, Pitman. Unused: Gerken, Hyam, Kenlock, Digby, Foley.

Fulham: Bettinelli, Stearman, Hutchinson, Burn, Ream, Tunnicliffe, Parker (c) (Baird 86), Ince, Christensen (Fredericks 70), McCormack (Cairney 85), Dembele. Unused: Lonergan, Garbutt, Smith, Woodrow. Referee: Paul Tierney (Lancashire). Att: 16,953 (Fulham: 457).

Photo: Action Images

head1970 added 21:56 - Apr 19 complete change at end of season please.
37

EssexTractor added 22:01 - Apr 19 Little to play for, and little played. A shot arrived eventually! An equaliser followed almost at the end At the end of a depressing performance. No inspiration anywhere Someone, somewhere might grasp the nettle and have footballing thoughts before 2016-17 season starts This seasons petering out cannot be corrected Next season must must get better ( Andre Dozzell showed nice touches , with a footballing head on him, let's hope no one drains it out of him!)

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vanmunt added 22:02 - Apr 19 I think we need to re-paint the turnstiles to give us some excitement to watch it dry at PR.
20

martin587 added 22:02 - Apr 19 Head1970.spot on.This was being mugged off 1st class.Nothing more to say.😡😡
9

midastouch added 22:03 - Apr 19 Sounds like i missed another Mick MuGarthy classic! Really surprised to see ExSkuse hasn't hit the target. If we put the goals either side of the half way line our midfield would be prolific with all their side passing!
13

TimmyH added 22:04 - Apr 19 Yawn! - another bore draw, in fact lucky to get that against another poor team...feel so sorry for our supporters at home, subjected to this. Since the New Year: W: 5 D: 7 L:7 - Really not good enough. Still 8th - shows you just how many poor to average teams there are in this league.
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Cakeman added 22:05 - Apr 19 I agree head1970? we need a complete change. A complete rebuild from defence to strikers. Leave Bart in goal and build from there. Easier said than done with our potential lack of budget. Still another fresh lick of paint for the turnstiles should do the trick to sell a few more season tickets.
8

rendoblue added 22:06 - Apr 19 Once again thankyou very much itfc for sapping every ounce of optimism that I had at 7-45 out of me as usual. Absolutely clueless dross once again. Mcgoldrick and bru made a minor improvement but we are just awful. Did anybody else happen to notice the 6ft 6inch cb they had or was ibthe only one. Why hump it up and let him clear every thing. Without Murph and Fraser we are so dull to watch. If we don't improve in pre season the only team we will catch is colchester.

18

TheSelkirk added 22:06 - Apr 19 I was 'blessed' with my first ever experience of listening to Mick Mills' comments on tonight's game (although a ST holder I was unable to go). I thought the levels of frustration I have experienced watching Town this season could not be replicated but hadn't banked on Mr Mills. How often does the guy use the phrases "you know" and "sort of". Every bloody sentence is littered with them! I don't know how the regular listeners cope - it drove me mad after about five minutes. Anyway, onwards and upwards - hoping for a more positive season to come and one we can all get excited about.

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Ipswichlove added 22:06 - Apr 19 I nearly fell alseep... same old, same old. boring boring boring Mick out
20

midastouch added 22:08 - Apr 19 With a bit of luck perhaps we can export some of the side passers to China before next season! If so they'll have to send one of their aircraft carriers to collect them all as we seem to have so many! In Mick We Go Bust!!!
7

finzha added 22:09 - Apr 19 Well done jonas
3

gazza73 added 22:09 - Apr 19 What's the bet that McCarthy will again say that I can't believe that team are down near the bottom of the league they have good players & play good football !! Time for a massive clear out at the club starting with Mick !
19

Tractorboy1985 added 22:10 - Apr 19 So it took our dodgy left back to bypass our 2 hopeless central midfield players to snatch a point in injury time against a Fulham side who haven't won away since October! I don't mind being sh!t but at least offer some kind of entertainment! This club is going backwards and if the tw@t at the top doesn't release funds in the summer I for one won't be putting any money into his pocket! Take take take your middle names should be mr Evans! If I see the skuse/Douglas combination once more I think I'm going to have a breakdown! Worst pairing in my time of supporting town! I'm sure magic and Holland could still create more now than them useless donkeys!! Wake me up in August when no doubt we will again be full of optimism but fail again! Goodnight

22

tallguy6767 added 22:10 - Apr 19 Another night of high drama at the" theatre of screams "Get that Tosser out!!
19

MicksZzzTactics added 22:11 - Apr 19 We "NICKED IT" Mick!!!! -- just like I know you like it! :-), Hallelujah!!!!. And then your favorite Dane (Whom I have to be fair to generally have improved notably of late), Mick, and then at the very death Mick, meaning the opposition have little or no time to respond, just as you also very much like it! Hallelujah!!! Ohhhh wait it was JUST for a draw and a single point, wasn't it now? ..... and this against yet ANOTHER poor season-long bottom crawler!, against whom you AGAIN felt it was beyond necessary to start with your favorite 2 defensive-minded-only super ball equilibrists in midfield (u all know who)!, which in and by themselves obviously contributed to us AGAIN having -- for about the umpteen time particularly this year -- having just about zero shots on target in the 1st half Hallelujah!!! Hallelujah!!! In Mick We Rust.

18

Mystified added 22:12 - Apr 19 Absolutely awful. The highlight tonight was when the North stand fan's started to sing "one shot to the tractor boys"! In my opinion Mick should do the right thing now and step down as manager as he has taken us as far as he can - it's also time our illustrious owner stepped out from the shadows and directly addressed the fan's as it's quite insulting that he continues to hide behind Milne

25

prebbs007 added 22:13 - Apr 19 What do you expect ?? The dinosaur still plays Skuse & Douglas together in CM. He still sets team up not to lose rather than going for it. We will go nowhere with him in charge and with that mentality. The squad is nowhere near good enough and contains a lot of dross league 1 at best individuals. 71 minutes to get a shot against team 4th bottom. Disgraceful. Unless the invisible owner changes his policy and invests in transfers then next season will be the same. Journeymen cart horses who try hard but lack quality. So many changes required. Such a poor season. 😂😂😂

20

prebbs007 added 22:13 - Apr 19 What do you expect ?? The dinosaur still plays Skuse & Douglas together in CM. He still sets team up not to lose rather than going for it. We will go nowhere with him in charge and with that mentality. The squad is nowhere near good enough and contains a lot of dross league 1 at best individuals. 71 minutes to get a shot against team 4th bottom. Disgraceful. Unless the invisible owner changes his policy and invests in transfers then next season will be the same. Journeymen cart horses who try hard but lack quality. So many changes required. Such a poor season. 😂😂😂

10

phillo added 22:18 - Apr 19 Genuinely lost interest when Mick moved Dozzell to left after 20mins .....please don't squeeze the creativity out of another player Mick I implore you. Happy for Knudsen for first goal ...... Apart from that a few hours of my life I wont get back. Depressed.
20

prebsa added 22:18 - Apr 19 What a load of rubish again! If essex57 bohslegend elto gcon harrysh and the other rose tinted followers can defend that the I will be amazed. We were awful tonight. Bart the exception making some good saves. No urgency about anyone with everyone just hoofing it forwards. And poor dozzell who wanted it on the floor had to try and muscle other midfielders for headers because he never got the ball at his feet. Nothing to play for yet Mick still picks two defensive midfielders and poor tactics with no plan B. This is a team who lost 5-0 the other week and are a really poor defensive side and we were by far the worse side not once looking like we wanted to try and attack. It was more of a friendly game! The goal papers over the cracks of what was an awful match. It took until 70 minutes for us to have a shot which caused a massive cheer from the fans. The biggest cheer we have had for a while. Fans then started singing we want two because that's all the excitement we had. Awful game awful tactics and some really awful players. I'm Town for ever but Mick out!

25

Cakeman added 22:23 - Apr 19 MicksZzzTactics that was a great post, very well done.
8

grubbyoik added 22:26 - Apr 19 McCarthy is using new tactics at last... He's using deflection tactics of Bishop and Mcgoldrick coming back into the team and the wonder of Dozzel playing to get the fans off his back and hope we might forget what we have witnessed this season.. A new low.. Almost as bad as Cameron.. Almost..
5

runaround added 22:30 - Apr 19 My last match of the season so nice to get an injury time equaliser, a rare bright moment in what's been an awful few months football wise. I thought we actually tried to play football rather than hoofball but a combination of a lack of confidence, lack of form & lack of match fitness from those on the pitch lead to another frustrating performance. The fact we are failing to beat the lowest teams in this division is worrying & if this continues next season there will be one outcome, relegation! I still feel Evans & McCarthy seem to have lost focus, perhaps interest & the way the result have dipped since the Leeds win is very concerning. A fully fit Bishop & McGoldrick would have made a difference but we can't rely on them being fit. Massive summer ahead for the club, something needs to change though as current situation is not working anymore

11

blueherts added 22:30 - Apr 19 Well MM revert to type set up not to lose Skuse and Douglas to shore up at the back Cue the apologists for MM you know who you are Can't wait to hear this next instalment
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