Fulham hold Chelsea

Little local difficulty: Goldbaek (r) challenges Zenden

Fulham 1-1 Chelsea

Fulham and Chelsea shared the honours in the first west London top-flight derby for more than 30 years.

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, with his seventh league goal of the season, gave Chelsea the lead on 33 minutes.

But soon after the restart, Barry Hayles drew Fulham level.

Chelsea had to survive the last seven minutes with only ten men after Slavisa Jokanovic - who had been booked earlier - was dismissed after throwing the ball away.

The referee is always right

Chelsea boss Claudio Ranieri

Hayles' goal - he reacted the quickest in the area after Louis Saha had hit the post from Steve Finnan's cross - ensured Fulham avoided a second successive home defeat.

A fortnight ago, Jean Tigana's side had lost another London derby to Arsenal.

Chelsea had the better of the first-half and once again manager Claudio Ranieri was indebted to Hasselbaink.

On 33 minutes Gianfranco Zola flicked the ball to Boudewijn Zenden who crossed to Hasselbaink.

The Dutch international striker had the composure to steady himself with his first touch as he waited for Edwin van der Sar to commit himself before picking his spot.

Maybe we gave them too much respect early on

Fulham midfielder John Collins

Soon after, Zola himself was denied only by a diving save from Van der Sar as he curled an effort towards the top corner.

As ever, Hasselbaink was a threat throughout.

Only two minutes had gone of the game when the Dutchman rattled the crossbar with an instinctive half-volley on the turn after he had stolen in behind Zak Knight.

The key to Fulham's revival was the introduction of Portuguese winger Luis Boa Morte, who came on at half-time as a replacement for Bjarne Goldbaek.

Boa Morte supplied an injection of pace and two minutes after the equaliser he almost put Fulham ahead after Sean Davis had caught Chelsea's flat-footed again.

Fulham's best chance in the first-half fell to Saha, but he headed just past the upright, after another Finnan's cross.

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Fulham: Van der Sar, Finnan, Brevett, Melville, Clark, Knight, Collins, Davis, Goldbaek, Saha, Hayles. Subs: Taylor, Symons, Malbranque, Boa Morte, Marlet.

Chelsea: de Goey, Melchiot, Babayaro, Terry, Desailly, Petit, Zenden, Gallas, Jokanovic, Zola, Hasselbaink. Subs: Bosnich, Ferrer, Gudjohnsen, Dalla Bona, Aleksidze.

Referee: G Poll (Tring)