Rickie Lambert’s late penalty saw Fulham held to a frustrating 1-1 draw at home to Southampton on Boxing Day.

The Whites went into the match with one win in their last 10 games – but they took just eight minutes to go in front when Dimitar Berbatov slotted home at the far post after Kelvin Davis could only tip Sascha Riether’s cross into the Bulgarian’s path.

Fulham had chances to increase their advantage – Berbatov headed wide from a few yards out, while Ashkan Dejagah spurned a couple of opportunities.

And those misses came back to haunt Fulham when Chris Baird handled in the box on 83 minutes and Lambert, so reliable from the spot, smashed his penalty past Mark Schwarzer to earn the Saints a point.

Fulham Manager Martin Jol made three changes to his starting XI from the side that lost 4-0 at Liverpool last time out. In came Philippe Senderos, Steve Sidwell and Hugo Rodallega. Aaron Hughes and Giorgos Karagounis dropped down to the bench, while there was no place in the matchday squad for Kieran Richardson, who limped off at Anfield. Bryan Ruiz was back on the bench for the first time since suffering a hamstring injury in the 3-1 defeat to Sunderland in mid-November.

There was a minute’s applause before kick-off for former Fulham and Southampton goalkeeper Ian Black, who recently passed away. Both sides also wore black armbands in tribute to the Scotsman.

Fulham needed a good start following a recent poor run. And they almost had it in the third minute. Rodallega burst down the left before squaring the ball for the unmarked Sidwell on the edge of the box. The midfielder hit his effort first time, but screwed his shot just wide of Davis’ right-hand post.

On eight minutes, though, the Whites took the lead. Dejagah played the overlapping Riether in down the right. Davis could only get a touch on the German’s low cross and Berbatov stabbed home after Jose Fonte failed to clear his lines. Berbatov was booked after removing his jersey in celebration to reveal a T-shirt that read ‘Keep calm and pass me the ball.’ It was his first goal for Fulham since a brace in the 3-3 draw at Arsenal.

As the rain lashed down, it should have been 2-0 to Fulham on 15 minutes. Rodallega freed Alexander Kačaniklić down the left and the youngster’s cross was met by Berbatov only for the Bulgarian to inexplicably head well wide from just six yards.

Southampton’s first attempt on goal came in the 19th minute, but Jack Cork’s effort from distance was held by Schwarzer after Berbatov had misplaced a pass to Riether to put Saints on the attack. On 25 minutes Berbatov was lucky to escape further punishment after a late foul on Nathaniel Clyne.

There was an almighty goalmouth scramble on 38 minutes after John Arne Riise tried to let the ball run out of play. Cork kept it in but Berbatov and Brede Hangeland made superb diving challenges to prevent Southampton getting shots on goal.

Fulham made a change at the break, with Kačaniklić replaced by Ruiz. The substitution saw Rodallega switch to the left flank.

It was Southampton who had the first effort on goal in the second half but Jason Puncheon’s left-footed shot fizzed just wide of Schwarzer’s far post. At the other end, Dejagah had a good chance to increase Fulham’s lead. The Iran international did the hard part, collecting Berbatov’s defence-splitting pass and turning past Luke Shaw. But, on his wrong foot, he sliced his shot horribly wide. Dejagah did better on 66 minutes, controlling Rodallega’s flick but firing his shot across the face of the goal and wide. He was replaced soon afterwards by Kerim Frei. The change saw Ruiz move to the right wing, with Rodallega going back up front with Berbatov.

Southampton continued to press in search of an equaliser. Lambert volleyed over on 77, before Rodallega was replaced by Karagounis as Jol looked to shore things up.

But Fulham shot themselves in the foot on 83 minutes. Gaston Ramirez’s corner was handled by Baird in the box as the former Saints man went up for a header and Phil Dowd pointed to the spot. Lambert smashed home the resulting penalty to draw his side level.

Schwarzer took two attempts to save a fierce Cork drive on 88, parrying his first effort in the air but then gathering the ball from close to the line, before Sidwell thumped a volley just wide after a Berbatov cross had only been cleared as far as Fulham’s number seven. Hangeland then headed a Riise free-kick just wide in the final action of the match as the Whites had to settle for a point.