Rovers rally for Fulham draw

Nelsen challenges for the ball with Dempsey

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Blackburn came from behind twice to hold Fulham to a 2-2 draw at Craven Cottage.

After a tight first half that was notable only for a knee injury to Blackburn striker Benni McCarthy, the game opened up after the break.

Fulham struck the first blow after 51 minutes as Ryan Nelsen brought down Diomansy Kamara and Danny Murphy slotted home the penalty.

Brett Emerton equalised for Blackburn just six minutes later following a fast counter-attack, but Diomansy Kamara restored Fulham's lead from close range in the 63rd minute.

Antti Niemi produced a string of fine saves to keep Blackburn at bay but Fulham once again surrendered a winning position as Stephen Warnock finished from Jason Roberts' cross 11 minutes from time.

Short of strikers

Blackburn manager Mark Hughes opted to rest Roque Santa Cruz after the Paraguay striker returned late from international duty, leaving McCarthy to spearhead the attack.

But the move backfired when McCarthy was caught by a lunging challenge from

Dejan Stefanovic that struck the South African marksman.

After lengthy treatment, McCarthy was helped from the pitch in the sixth minute and he looked in considerable discomfort as Roberts came on to replace him.

The damage was not as bad as first feared, however, with a cut knee the diagnosis for his injury.

As soon as play resumed, Fulham created a magnificent chance with Clint Dempsey sending Kamara racing into space.

But Kamara took an extra touch to set himself up, giving Brad Friedel the time to advance and save the shot, when he should have hit it first time

Several players then arrived late and could not connect with a crafty Simon Davies pass, letting Rovers off the hook.

Blackburn suffered from the same failing in the 19th minute when a superb cross from Stephen Warnock went unrewarded and a poor backpass to Antti Niemi put Fulham under further pressure.

The visitors' promising spell had taken the sting out of Fulham's impressive opening and the match settled down into a more even contest.

The teams struggled to fashion any clear-cut chances and the fans were becoming restless at the lack of entertainment.

Fulham were getting plenty of bodies forward - there were five in or around the box for one attack - but could not produce the telling pass.

They almost broke the deadlock in first-half injury-time when Kamara pounced on a mistake by Christopher Samba and charged into space.

Unopposed, he sprinted into the area only for Friedel to get his hands to a well-struck shot.

In need of a goal

The game desperately needed a goal and it arrived five minutes after the interval through Murphy from the spot.

Rovers skipper Nelsen made a clumsy tackle on Kamara on the edge of the area and referee Mike Dean signalled for a penalty which Murphy stroked home.

Murphy could have been on spot-kick duty again shortly after but Dean was unimpressed by appeals for Andre Ooijer's handball.

Blackburn should have equalised when Pedersen escaped Fulham's defence and enjoyed a free header from six yards out, but amazingly the Norwegian winger nodded wide.

Emerton succeeded where Pedersen had failed in the 57th minute, however, to level the score.

The menacing Warnock picked out Roberts whose header flew backwards and straight to the feet of Emerton who fired his first Premier League goal of the season.

Back in front

Replays showed Roberts was offside when Pedersen crossed but the anger of Fulham fans did not last long as six minutes later their side were back in front.

Murphy picked out Davies on the right of the area and the Wales midfielder had time to feed Kamara, who had floated in unmarked to the far post.

The Senegal hitman made no mistake from close range, stabbing the ball home for his third Cottagers goal.

Emerton almost caught Fulham napping after Pedersen had forced a great save from Niemi before Cottagers substitute Shefki Kuqi was kept out by Friedel at the other end.

Kuqi was left to rue Friedel's reactions as in the 79th minute Blackburn equalised for a second time, Roberts finding Warnock who took full advantage of some dire defending to find the net.

Both sides pushed for the winner, setting up a dramatic finale to an entertaining second half, but the breakthrough never came.