Fulham 1 Aston Villa 1: Full time report
Fulham centre-half Brede Hangeland earned Fulham a point with a last-gasp equaliser at Craven Cottage.
Marc Albrighton's 42nd-minute strike looked to have given Aston Villa a vital win when he latched on to a sensational cross-field pass from Barry Bannan to finish in style.
But Hangeland rose highest to head home a free-kick from Danny Murphy with just seconds remaining.
The visitors should have opened the scoring in the first minute when Albrighton put Stewart Downing in the clear but he delayed his shot and Carlos Salcido cleared the danger.
But Fulham responded immediately with a cross from Simon Davies that was headed straight into the hands of Brad Friedel by Zoltan Gera.
A dangerous cross from Downing in the 10th minute caused Mark Schwarzer to punch the ball clear for a throw-in but both sides were largely entrenched in midfield.
In the 15th minute, Villa's England under-19 striker Nathan Delfouneso headed inches wide when he rose unmarked on the edge of the six-yard box to meet a cross from Albrighton.
But a minute later it was Fulham's turn to be wasteful when Gera wriggled free of the Villa defence only to send his shot a yard wide of the target from the edge of the penalty area.
Villa had Friedel to thank in the 18th minute when Davies put Clint Dempsey clear but the American's angled drive was save by the outstretched foot of the Villa keeper.
The loose ball fell invitingly for Gera but his volley was just too high with the goal gaping.
Villa's injury crisis deepened in the 33rd minute when captain Nigel Reo-Coker was forced out of the action with what appeared to be a hamstring problem. He was replaced by Ciaran Clark.
Delfouneso wasted another gilt-edged chance in the 40th minute when Bannan's pass found Luke Young on the right.
