Match ends, Fulham 2, Crystal Palace 2.
FulhamFulham2Crystal PalaceCrystal Palace2
Chris David scored a fine goal in added time to earn Fulham a final-day draw against Crystal Palace.
Dwight Gayle turned Joel Ward's drive past David Stockdale from close range to put Tony Pulis's visitors ahead just before the half-hour.
Cauley Woodrow curled in from Hugo Rodallega's pass to pull the Cottagers level before Gayle scored a free-kick.
But David collected the ball near halfway and hit a looping shot in off the bar from 25 yards to secure a draw.
Fulham boss Felix Magath has promised to stay on following relegation to the Championship.
And, ahead of what is sure to be a summer of departures at Craven Cottage, the German will have been buoyed by the contributions of Woodrow, 19, and 21-year-old David.
Pulis, meanwhile, is set for talks with the Palace board about how to take the club forward, and 17 points from the last 24 available is a solid base to build from.
His side took control early on and deserved the advantage Gayle gave them after 27 minutes.
Yannick Bolasie, who had earlier had a decent effort turned wide by Stockdale, laid off for Ward.
The full-back's powerful shot was flying straight at the goalkeeper but Gayle, making his first league start since Pulis took over in November, beat the offside trap to divert the ball in.
They went close to adding a second when Thomas Ince floated over a free-kick from the left and Scott Dann's header was pushed away by Stockdale.
Goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey, making his first start since joining from Wolves in January, also showed his quality when he palmed away Fernando Amorebieta's powerful header.
Fulham improved after the interval and, after a quick corner, debutant David's cross was headed back across goal by Amorebieta and Rodallega's header glanced the outside of the post.
They pulled level when Rodallega held off a crowd of defenders and laid off for Woodrow, who had a loan spell at Southend earlier this season, to curl home.
Palace restored their advantage when Gayle bent in a free-kick late on to add to the two goals he scored in the 3-3 draw with Liverpool on Monday.
The visitors could have added a third when Jason Puncheon broke and Glenn Whelan hit the bar before Gayle prodded the rebound wide.
But in the fourth minute of added time, Dutchman David's powerful effort from distance meant Magath's team avoided a 25th league defeat of the season.
Fulham manager Felix Magath:
"We never fought as a team that fights against relegation. If I look at the TV and saw Sunderland or Norwich playing, they had much more fight than us.
"I asked my team what was going on and one player told me 'we cannot fight'.
"Chris' goal makes it a little bit better for us and we're hopeful for the future. This was the start of the new season for me."
Crystal Palace manager Tony Pulis:
"When I first came to the club Dwight was the marquee signing. We'd spent a lot of money on him and it looked like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders in lots of respects.
"He wasn't really integrated into the group and he looked a bit on the fringes, so we spent a lot of time opening him up as a person and a player.
"He's become a lot closer to the group and his mates in the dressing room. He didn't need the pressure, we took that away from him and he's improved immensely."
Line-ups
Fulham
Formation 4-4-1-1
- 13Stockdale
- 22ZveroticSubstituted forDejagahat 50'minutes
- 35AmorebietaBooked at 58mins
- 28ParkerBooked at 83mins
- 4Heitinga
- 5Hangeland
- 11KacaniklicSubstituted forDavidat 23'minutesBooked at 90mins
- 7Sidwell
- 20Rodallega
- 25Woodrow
- 15RichardsonSubstituted forTunnicliffeat 79'minutes
Substitutes
- 8Kasami
- 18Mitroglou
- 19Tunnicliffe
- 24Dejagah
- 30David
- 32Williams
- 41Joronen
Crystal Palace
Formation 4-4-1-1
- 26Hennessey
- 3Mariappa
- 2Ward
- 15JedinakSubstituted forDikgacoiat 59'minutes
- 6Dann
- 27Delaney
- 11InceSubstituted forPuncheonat 71'minutes
- 28Ledley
- 16Gayle
- 29ChamakhBooked at 12minsSubstituted forMurrayat 74'minutes
- 7Bolasie
Substitutes
- 1Speroni
- 8Dikgacoi
- 12O'Keefe
- 13Puncheon
- 17Murray
- 19Gabbidon
- 30Jerome
- Referee:
- Kevin Friend
- Attendance:
- 24,447
Match Stats
Home TeamFulhamAway TeamCrystal Palace
- Possession
- Home66%
- Away34%
- Shots
- Home15
- Away15
- Shots on Target
- Home5
- Away6
- Corners
- Home6
- Away4
- Fouls
- Home11
- Away15
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Fulham 2, Crystal Palace 2.
Post update
Attempt missed. Dwight Gayle (Crystal Palace) right footed shot from the right side of the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Glenn Murray with a headed pass.
Booking
Chris David (Fulham) is shown the yellow card for excessive celebration.
Goal!
Goal! Fulham 2, Crystal Palace 2. Chris David (Fulham) left footed shot from outside the box to the top left corner. Assisted by Ryan Tunnicliffe.
Post update
Attempt missed. Ashkan Dejagah (Fulham) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left.
Post update
Glenn Murray (Crystal Palace) hits the bar with a right footed shot from the right side of the box. Assisted by Jason Puncheon following a fast break.
Post update
Foul by Steve Sidwell (Fulham).
Post update
Kagisho Dikgacoi (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Hugo Rodallega (Fulham) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Post update
Cauley Woodrow (Fulham) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Adrian Mariappa (Crystal Palace).
Booking
Dwight Gayle (Crystal Palace) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Scott Parker (Fulham) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Dwight Gayle (Crystal Palace).
Goal!
Goal! Fulham 1, Crystal Palace 2. Dwight Gayle (Crystal Palace) from a free kick with a right footed shot to the bottom right corner.
Booking
Scott Parker (Fulham) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Foul by Scott Parker (Fulham).
Post update
Glenn Murray (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Hand ball by Kagisho Dikgacoi (Crystal Palace).
