LONDON, Nov 20: Jonatan Johansson’s stoppage-time overhead kick salvaged a 4-4 draw for Charlton Athletic in a remarkable London derby against West Ham United at The Valley Monday.

After Paul Kitson had scored a hat trick for West Ham, substitute Jermain Defoe looked to have won them the match with a fierce volley six minutes from time.

But Finland international Johansson’s acrobatic effort — his second goal of the night — ensured a see-saw match finished all square.

The point apiece did little for either teams’ hopes of moving clear of the premier league drop zone. Charlton stay 15th on 14 points, one place and one point behind West Ham.

Kitson, who spent two months on loan at Charlton last year, marked his first start of the season by drilling West Ham in front after only three minutes.

But Jason Euell struck twice in seven minutes, first after hesitancy by West Ham goalkeeper Shaka Hislop and then after an error by Czech defender Tomas Repka, to put Charlton 2-1 up.

The advantage lasted barely two minutes, though, as Kitson grabbed his second, converting a lovely pass by Scott Minto on the half-hour mark.

There was no let up in the frantic action and Euell and Kitson both had chances to complete their hat-tricks before the break.

The halftime talk did little to tighten up either defence. Six minutes into the second half Johansson tucked a Scott Parker pass under Hislop to restore Charlton’s lead.

But West Ham were level 13 minutes later when Paolo Di Canio’s cross confused the Charlton rearguard and Kitson stabbed home Trevor Sinclair’s cut-back for his hat-trick.

West Ham manager Glenn Roeder brought on Defoe and the 19-year-old striker, a former Charlton youth team player who left the club in acrimonious circumstances two years ago, volleyed a vicious right-footed shot into the net with six minutes left.

Charlton looked beaten but two minutes into stoppage time Mark Fish headed on a cross and Johansson pounced to save Alan Curbishley’s side a point.

Hitzfeld rules himself out:

Ottmar Hitzfeld, tipped as a possible successor to Alex Ferguson when he retires as Manchester United’s manager at the end of the season, said on Tuesday he planned to stay with Bayern Munich until at least 2004.

“It is an honour to be linked with United but I will not be joining them,” Hitzfeld was quoted as saying in The Sun newspaper.

Hitzfeld, who will go head-to-head with Ferguson in the Champions League in Munich on Tuesday night, said: “I have a contract with Bayern until 2004 and expect to see that out.

“I have never failed to honour a contract and I still have work to do at Bayern. It’s a job I love.

“Alex has become an institution at Old Trafford. Anyone who takes the position will have to have strong shoulders. It is a burden that would weigh many people down.”

Coach Hitzfeld, 52, has won the European Cup with both Bayern and Borussia Dortmund.—Reuters