Charlton see off Fulham challenge

Charlton 2 Fulham 1

Jerome Thomas who penned an improved contract with the Addicks earlier this week swept home Shaun Bartlett's cross at the far post on 27 minutes, with Talal El Karkouri heading in a second after the break.

Fulham never looked like building on their impressive display against Manchester United last week, and a late goal from substitute Tomasz Radzinski was not enough to salvage anything.

Play had only been under way for a matter of moments before it was halted by referee Steve Bennett following a clash of heads between Danny Murphy and Fulham defender Carlos Bocanegra. Thankfully, neither sustained serious injury and the match soon resumed.

In the 27th minute Charlton made the breakthrough, Murphy passing the ball out to Shaun Bartlett on the right side of the area. The South African's centre cleared both Fulham defenders and Thomas swept the ball in from six yards.

Jonathan Fortune almost bundled in a second for Charlton in the 43rd minute, but just could not connect with Hermann Hreidarsson's knockdown from a corner.

Chris Coleman was out of his dugout after Fortune went through the back of McBride, a challenge which went unpunished by the referee.

Murphy was then within inches of putting his side 2-0 up in the 62nd minute.

Collecting the ball on the left of the box, the one-time England man twice turned Ian Pearce inside out before curling a right-foot shot against the far post, with van der Sar beaten. Zesh Rehman hacked the rebound clear.

Fulham boss Coleman then made a change, sending on Tomasz Radzinski for the ineffective Steed Malbranque.

Moments later, though, his side were 2-0 down.

Rosenior was booked after tugging back Thomas on the left edge of the Fulham penalty area.

Murphy swung over the resulting free-kick, with El Karkouri getting up ahead of McBride to head the ball past van der Sar.

Cole fired wide in the 76th minute after a mix-up in the Charlton defence presented the former England striker with the ball only eight yards from goal.

Diop then sent a free-kick just over from a central position, and with nine minutes to go Radzinski gave the visitors hope when he stabbed home from close range after Kiely parried McBride's header from a corner.

However, it was too little too late and Charlton closed out the match to climb to seventh in the table.

CHARLTON: Kiely, Young, El Karkouri, Fortune, Hreidarsson, Rommedahl (Konchesky 83), Kishishev, Holland, Murphy, Thomas (Euell 87), Bartlett (Jeffers 79).

FULHAM: Van der Sar, Rosenior, Rehman, Pearce, Bocanegra, Diop, Legwinski (John 73), Pembridge, Malbranque (Radzinski 63), Cole, McBride.

Ref: S Bennett