Fulham and Charlton Athletic had to settle for a goalless draw in the London derby at Craven Cottage.

The Addicks will be disappointed not to have taken the points from their short trip to West London, as they stay two points adrift of the top six in the Premiership table.

Fulham keeper Edwin van der Sar does the business again with two poimt blank saves

Chris Coleman's side may feel a bit fortunate to have taken a point on Saturday to stay six points above the relegation zone.

The first half proved to be an even and competitive contest between the two sides and it was the visitors who should have taken the lead early on.

Danny Murphy won possession of the ball in the Fulham box before feeding Paul Konchesky on the left.

His low left foot cross found Shaun Bartlett at the far post, but the South African international made a muddle of the chance, as he got the ball caught between his feet before getting off a left foot strike that was blocked away on the goal line.

Fulham soon responded with two chances from defender Zat Knight, with the first being a far post header that failed to find the target from Claus Jensen's cross from the left.

He then forced Charlton goalkeeper Dean Kiely into a good save with a right foot shot that bounced under the feet of the onrushing Lee Clark following a run forward from the halfway line.

Moments later, The Addicks squandered another great opportunity to break the deadlock when Luke Young's fine cross from the right was knocked on by the outstretched foot of Matt Holland to an unmarked Bartlett at the far post.

His left foot turn and shot was brilliantly stopped by the right foot of Fulham goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar on the goal line to keep the match scoreless.

Murphy then had two right foot strikes of his own for Charlton - with his first effort going wide before a second strike from further distance was easily saved by van der Sar.

At the other end, Kiely was alert to deny Clark a chance after Luis Boa Morte's cross from the left nearly deflected into the path of the former Newcastle United man in the Charlton box.

The half ended with chances at both ends, as Steed Malbranque found right back Liam Rosenior with a pass in the Charlton box.

The former Bristol City man tried to find the onrushing Andy Cole with his low cross, but three Charlton players were able to block away the chance before Murphy cleared.

Just before the break, Konchesky could only hit the side-netting with a far post header after a cross from the right. The second half saw fewer chances at either end, as both side's backlines made timely interventions.

After Charlton's Hermann Hreidarsson had brought down Cole just outside the box, Alain Goma then forced a save from Kiely when he directed Jensen's right footed free kick towards goal.

Cole then failed to connect with a header after Boa Morte sent in a fine cross from the left before Charlton's Radostin Kishishev forced a save from van der Sar at the other end.

Kiely was called on again to save from Boa Morte while Rosenior squandered a chance for Fulham when he struck his shot high and wide of goal from the edge of the Charlton box.

The visitors kept pressing themselves and van der Sar did ever so well to stop Konchesky's half volleyed strike from the edge of the box after a corner from the right while Murphy saw a long-range effort go high and wide of the Fulham goal moments later.

With the match heading towards the final whistle, Boa Morte saw his left foot volleyed strike blocked away, as both sides looked destined to take a share of the points.

In the end, a goalless draw was a fair result, though both managers are sure to feel it was a match that could have been won.

Fulham Van der Sar, Bocanegra, Knight, Goma, Rosenior, Boa Morte, Diop, Jensen (John 73), Clark, Malbranque, Cole.
Subs Not Used: Volz, Legwinski, Crossley, Radzinski.

Booked: Boa Morte (12,f), Goma(40,f), Cole (60,f).

Charlton Kiely, Young, Perry, El Karkouri, Hreidarsson, Konchesky, Kishishev, Murphy, Holland, Thomas (Johansson 75), Bartlett.
Subs Not Used: Fish, Euell, Jeffers, Andersen.

Booked: Kishishev, El Karkouri.

Att: 18,290

Ref: S Bennett (Kent).