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

StochesStotasBlewe added 22:30 - Apr 19 The highlight of the game was that I estimated 456 Fulham fans in attendance, only 1 out, got a little cheer for that. left after 80 minutes, the will to live was ebbing away. No real quality. Another bore draw. Taxi for MM, TC. Can,t wait for this season to end.
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tallguy6767 added 22:32 - Apr 19 The selkerk..show some respect! The man captained the club to 2 trophies something of the like will never be seen again!
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grinch added 22:41 - Apr 19 Bad game but we didn't lose and knudsen got good goal give him credit. He can ask pitman why he couldn't do it like that. Was also good grounding for young andre to show him it is going to be tuff in this league not many touches but he is only 16 and that has to be remembered we can't play to many youngsters though as we would get caned. Let's regroup for next season and they are not alk poor teams in this league we have just ground out results the league position does not lie

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blueboy1981 added 22:44 - Apr 19 The Selkirk - Mick Mills knows the game inside out, and was a fantastic player for our Club - what he doesn't do is pretend to be something he isn't. Please don't be disrespective of someone who captained our side during some great times. A TOWN LEGEND in every respect. You are not obligated to listen to him, and if you had for longer, you may have learnt something. Cracking the jaw is not obligatory - to know what you are talking about.

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blueboy1981 added 22:45 - Apr 19 ....... and while you're at it, wash your mouth out.
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grubbyoik added 22:55 - Apr 19 Runaround.. That wasn't ment to be a negative..
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BlueMachines added 22:58 - Apr 19 A Town Legend yes. Knowledgeable yes. But an awful commentator!!
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Bert added 22:59 - Apr 19 I seldom make negative comments about the team and club I support but tonight was as bad as it gets. Only Feeney came out of it with any credit. Unacceptable and a total bore. So much for MM saying that the players were given the freedom to play tonight.
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budgieplucker added 23:01 - Apr 19 Well another indifferent performance at home and perhaps that is a polite description. You could put the best creative premiership player in the town side and it wouldn't make a difference. Players have to be on the same wavelength for it to work. The wooden top twins huff and puff and look more like they are auditioning for a nativity play, sorry neither will get the part of the wise men but can probably toss up for Joseph and the donkey. Brad 'the cowboy' Pitt (man) looked like he had left his horse back at the ranch. With four giant redwoods in the Cottagers defence the long ball tonight was never remotely an option. Just look at the effervescent Scott Parker, always had time and a very capable and neat footballer at the age of 35. Not what you would call a traditional holding midfielder but a true box to box player who plays out from just in front of the back four, if only we could find such a player. And then there was his burst into the box and pass for the Fulham goal. The move yet again made it look like a bank holiday Monday in bedrock in our penalty area as our defence yet again looked like a collection of extras in a Flintshire movie. No pun intended for the fact that they may have been coached by a dinosaur. Andre, bless him, showed some nice touches and hopefully a taste of things to come hopefully alongside the "bish" next season and take us to a more angelic and orchestrated outfit rather than the current combination of crazy gang and keystone cop performances. But as said above we need more footballers on the same wavelength and not looking as if we are making it up as we go along. Then there was Freddie (Sears not Flintstone) sadly stuck in a left wing rut. Then on to the equaliser, I could have sworn that it was Barney Rubble who poked the ball in to the Fulham net. Neanderthal or what......?

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jas0999 added 23:19 - Apr 19 The injury time equalizer really papers over the cracks of another pathetic and unacceptable performance and result. The fact we are 8th really shows the poor quality of this league. We can be summed up by the ironic cheers which greeted Brus 70th minute off target shot. How on earth is such a performance acceptable? Mick again started with Douglas/Skuse. How many more times? These two are so defensive it's unreal. We were at HOME to a poor bottom of the table side - who in the end were slightly unlucky not to win and would have done if Bart hadn't yet again pulled off decent saves. No idea where we go from here. Dozzell starting, Knudsen scoring and Feeneys first half performance the only positives. The football has to improve which means investment in some quality players. Big summer ahead with a complete rethink and change of strategy required from Evans.

19

Minneapolis_ITFC added 23:20 - Apr 19 Yes we salvaged the game right at the very end but looking at the bigger picture, it was another lackluster team performance and to go 89 minutes at home against a team with nothing to aim for and not find a goal is something of an embarrassment. Not only that, but by all accounts Fulham created much more opportunity than ourselves and could have been out of sight before we rescued it right at the end ? I realize it was a largely irrelevant game for both teams regards end of season achievements (you can chalk that one up to the Grade-A bore McCarthy and too many team players not giving a sh-t about where we find ourselves or having a day off) but thought before time we could at least find a victory in this one and maybe take it into the last remaining games of this (disappointing) season if only to provide a level of hope and expectation. Bottom line we evaded defeat right at the end, but it should never have reached that stage to begin with and salvaging a lousy point from today doesn't improve an awful lot. Take this opportunity to thank Knudsen for his strike but make no mistake about it, still strongly advocate for McCarthy's departure at some stage before next season gets underway. I thank you for the good work you did on your arrival but you have outstayed your welcome and the thought of another two or three years of your 'leadership' after the garbage of the last eight months feels one with a sense of nausea. Please do many a favor, type out your resume, and find employment elsewhere. It invariably gets to a stage where enough is enough.

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midastouch added 23:21 - Apr 19 Too many side passers spoil the broth!
2

VulpineBlue added 23:21 - Apr 19 Courage mes braves!- there are only 90 more home minutes to suffer this season. As many have written on this string massive summer clear out needed otherwise a relegation battle looms. Huge squad, mainly dross. I don't want another season where it takes real GUTS to simply go to watch the team I love. Absolute pants tonight. Still I stayed until the game came alive in the 92nd minute and clapped the boys off. (Inner turmoil, folks!).

6

wayway added 23:30 - Apr 19 If you think there will be change next season think again. While Evans PLC own the club it will be more of the same and Boring Billy will be there until he chooses to retire
7

midastouch added 23:31 - Apr 19 Mick MuGarthy 10 Commandments: Thou team shall pass sideways Thou team shall have a good engine Thou shall only sign players from Wolves Thou shall have favourites Thou shall alienate the fans Thou shall play the tea lady in the Cup Thou shall always play ExSkuse Thou team shall hoof it into the heavens Thou tactics shall send the North Stand to sleep Thou shall play half the team out of position

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StochesStotasBlewe added 23:32 - Apr 19 Jas0999. Agree 100% but.............we know deep down any investment in quality just aint going to happen with the current owner, don,t we.
7

TractorBoy666 added 23:34 - Apr 19 So, one more home game to sit through this season and I cannot bloody wait until it's finished. Such a disappointing season and I just cannot see things getting better with the current squad, owner and manager. I would honestly love to know where we would be without Bart in net, who put in yet another fantastic display! I wonder what he thinks watching from his goal, and if he actually prays that he doesn't see Douglas out there when he turns back around! Another garbage game by a garbage manager, I can't wait until it all ends. Who knows what Boro will do to us, I'm just glad it isn't on tv!

13

carsey added 23:50 - Apr 19 Can't wait for it to be over Actually watched the second half sitting down in the Lower North Stand! The only thing that raised a smile was the morbid football fan humour singing things like "shoot in a minute we're gonna shoot in a minute". Seriously not expecting anything from next season if McCarthy is still in charge but it surely can't be any worse - can it?
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MicksZzzTactics added 23:54 - Apr 19 Absolutely awesome....and spot on!, MidasTouch. But please stop, ....
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MicksZzzTactics added 00:02 - Apr 20 Carsey: Ohhhh but it can!!! (See more on this very gloomy subject on my posted-in-utter-boredom-during the-excruciating-and-ever-so-forgettable-travesty-of-a-must-win-game ehhhh inputs on the"Dozzell, Skuse and Pitman Start" page, if you like lol )
3

MicksZzzTactics added 01:02 - Apr 20 So while passing by a Ladbrokes yesterday and briefly examining whether there happened to be any among the relatively scarce number of matches played abroad Monday night actually worth betting a few pesos on, well I stumbled across the VERY next "leftover" player Mick The Dinosaur absolutely needs -- hands down!!! - to get this coming summer. And his not from Wolves btw! :-) His ehhhh NAME, yep NAME, alone would sooo soooo improve Hoof Town's now well established ultra dire and turgid image (just ask The 442 who recently voted us MOST boring UK based team 2016! :-) lol Presenting -- drum roll please -- Israel's home made strictly-by-the-sound-of-it REAL? 2nd coming of Vinnie Jones! --- yep even our very own Lucky Luke Hyam and his sometimes rather reckless and/or poorly timed and/or poorly executed tackles and short temper can probably not match this here dude in potential "meanness" remotely! -- Mister ... wait for it --- wait for it -- wait for it -- wait for it -- Barak BADASH!!! :-) HaHaHaHa I kid you not! This is this here fairly handsome and gentle looking 33 year old attacker's (with 53 career goals in 165 pro games btw) REAL last-name! rofl http://uk.soccerway.com/players/barak-badash/56000/ Go get him Mick!!! :-) Cause that would guarantee at least ONE amusing thing to "behold" next season for us more than fed-up and very SOPORIFIC fans (aside from watching Andre developing obviously. If we can hold on to him .... which is a pretty big IF if I know the nowadays seemingly exclusively penny-and-taxbenefit-fixated Marcus "Just call me Ebenezer Scrooge" Evans as well as I think I do by now!). lol

3

harlingblue added 01:17 - Apr 20 In the 71st minute we had our first shot, either on or off target, what does that tell you about our performance? Dozzell looked easy on the ball for 25 minutes until shifted to a wide position, Pittman and Sears toothless up front trying to feed off hopeful punts, always 60/40 in favour of a defender facing the ball. Feeney had a good spell during the first half but without delivering the killer cross, but the lack of a midfield spark was always evident. The introduction of Bru and McGoldrick did two things, Bru had our first shot of the game but was otherwise poor, McGoldrick looked class and demanded the ball and created the impetus to grab an equaliser. Standout players Bart for keeping us in the game, McGoldrick, Smith and goalscorer Knudsen who was always an overlapping threat and then goalscoring saviour, mom tonight.

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sidtheswan added 06:10 - Apr 20 Left early missed the goal. Don't care though boring boring Ipswich. Even Keano's team weren't this bad. How many more seasons do we have to put up with the dinosaur ?
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jas0999 added 06:26 - Apr 20 Pinewoodblueboy - absolutely!!
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Dissboyitfc added 06:59 - Apr 20 Jas agree with most of your post but i honestly believe if MM was given money he would invest in better hoofballers, the football would 'NOT' improve, though may get a few more results. THE STYLE OF FOOTBALL NEEDS TO CHANGE, I hope someone who matters is listening to the supporters.
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