Charlton 2 Crystal Palace 2: For 11 tantalising minutes, Crystal Palace had a clear view of salvation, hope flaring as they dared to believe they would retain their Premiership status. The implications of their inability to cling on will pursue them miserably back into the English Championship.
Palace's centenary season will be spent restored to the second tier, with their relegation by a point confirmed.
For all the grumblings of injustice, embittered murmurings that Jonathan Fortune should have been sent off for deliberate handball before thumping the hosts level late on, there was no consolation to be found in disappointment. Fortune was Charlton's.
Where Palace go from here - other than down - is unclear. Their rise under Iain Dowie was as staggering as it was unexpected last season, but relegation from the Premiership will cast doubt over the manager's future and that of his England striker, Andrew Johnson.
"That performance was full of pride and passion," said Dowie. "We've not gone down with a whimper but with plenty of heart and courage. I'm proud to be those players' manager.
"You can't hide away from this. Hardship makes you a better person, and we'll come back better next season. And I think we can hang on to Andy Johnson. He's a Premiership player, but he's signed for us for four more years. Until someone tells me different, he'll turn up for pre-season training here because we've got to build and look to the future."
The free-kick conceded sloppily by Mikele Leigertwood on Jerome Thomas nine minutes from time was ridiculously soft. That Fortune was able to muscle ahead of Tony Popovic to power a headed equaliser from Thomas's delivery was damning. Hope died with that concession.
It had taken Dougie Freedman's introduction from the bench to transform Palace's first-half dominance, which had yielded only Bryan Hughes' goal, neatly taken in a cluttered penalty area, into the advantage their busy approach play merited.
Freedman had lobbed Dean Kiely within two minutes of his arrival to haul the visitors level. While Palace's fans implored "we only need one goal", the substitute then spun a cross which Fortune palmed away to earn Palace's 13th penalty of the season.
Johnson slammed his 21st Premiership goal into the net with Dowie bemused that Charlton still boasted a full complement. "I don't know how the fella stays on the pitch," he growled. "If it's a deliberate handball it's a deliberate handball."
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