Kevin Nolan’s Match Report: Charlton Athletic v Rochdale (21/02/2012)

Charlton 1 (Kermorgant 57) Rochdale (Adams 53).

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.

The once smooth progress of Charlton towards the Championship has slowed recently to an leadenfooted shuffle. This third 1-1 stalemate in four league games reduced their lead at the top of League One to seven points over second placed Sheffield United, who now have a game in hand. It’s always tough at the top. And it promises to get tougher, with uncompromising Stevenage next up at The Valley on Saturday.

In each of the three draws, the Addicks have fallen behind, before coming up with second half equalisers. That speaks volumes for their spirit but leaves unanswered, awkward questions about their inability to dominate the modest likes of Bury, Tranmere and, on Tuesday, Rochdale. They are looking decidedly shopworn. Still unbeaten in 2012, however, they plough on remorselessly under gathering pressure.

Averaging approximately a goal per game since the New Year, Charlton have resourcefully made the most of each precious strike. The goal which pegged back capable Rochdale was not only a beauty but ended an eight-game sequence, during which none of their forwards has found the net.

Scoreless since he converted a superb free kick on Boxing Day at Yeovil, Yann Kermorgant has plugged away gamely but lucklessly, his endless stream of cleverly headed flicks almost wilfully ignored by his strike partners. Chances have been few but when centre back Kevin Long was suckered into fouling the combative Breton ten yards outside the penalty area, the buzz of anticipation was palpable. And the crowd’s expectation was vindicated as Kermorgant curled an unstoppable free kick into the top left corner, the same spot picked out last Thursday by Oliver Muldoon to knock cocky Spurs out of the Youth Cup. Setpieces are clearly an important part of the coaching agenda at Sparrows Lane.

Having surrendered the lead they had taken just four minutes previously, second-from-bottom ‘Dale might reasonably have been expected to buckle. Not a bit of it. They persevered with the patient pass-and move game which had served them well and gave almost as good as they got during the remaining half hour. They deserved the point they worked so hard and skilfully to earn.

Forced into change by the continuing absence of inspirational skipper Johnnie Jackson and the last minute illness of outstanding right back Chris Solly, the Addicks lined up lopsidedly with left back Rhoys Wiggins moving across to replace Solly and Cedric Evina slotting in for Wiggins. Danny Green again filled in for Jackson on the left flank, while Bradley Pritchard stepped into Green’s right wing role. Bradley Wright-Phillips was a seamless replacement for hamstring victim Danny Haynes in partnership with Kermorgant up front. The impression was of a make-do-and-mend side doing their best to paper over unavoidable cracks. But that unquenchable spirit sustained them again.

A mildly critical Valley shifted uncomfortably during an uneventful first half of honest endeavour and slender achievement. Wright-Phillips, despite his long scoring drought, was his side’s likeliest scorer and was barely beaten to Wiggins’ lofted pass by alert keeper Peter Kurucz. A reminder of his lethal ability was then provided by the raking, low drive, following Kermorgant’s astute lay-off, which beat Kurucz but missed the left post by a whisker. By the time Wright-Phillips’ header from Green’s cross was smartly saved by the Hungarian keeper, the uncomfortable feeling grew that this was to be another fruitless outing for the goal-starved striker. Being bundled off Evina’s unselfish cutback hardly improved mood. Fortunately for Charlton, his hard-grafting colleague was due a change of luck.

Sensing their high-flying hosts’ nervousness, Rochdale had their first half moments, with Gary Jones’ shot deflected narrowly wide and Dale Stephens forced to head Jason Kennedy’s centre too close to his own bar for his peace of mind. Unconvincing though they were, it was still a mild shock when the league leaders fell behind eight minutes after the interval.

Caught pushing anxiously forward, Charlton were outnumbered in a three-on-two break led by Welshman Nicky Adams, who exchanged passes with Jones to his right before managing a scuffed shot on the run. A helpful deflection off Wiggins wrongfooted Ben Hamer on its treacherous way inside the right post, to the unrestrained joy of 121 intrepid wayfarers from Greater Manchester. The Addicks were up against it again but their despair was shortlived, thanks to Kermorgant’s moment of pure magic.

Galvanised by their instant equaliser, the home side had the better of the remaining chances. Stephens drove menacingly wide, before Kurucz produced a magnificent save to keep out Kermorgant’s far post header from Pritchard’s perfect cross. Kurucz continued his defiance with an instinctive close range block from Kermorgant after Stephens’ corner created chaos. At the other end, Wiggins produced a desperate last ditch block to foil substitute Joe Thompson, with Michael Symes bending the loose ball wide. It wasn’t impressive, Lord knows, but another small step forward was taken on Tuesday evening. Charlton aren’t exactly sprinting to the line but it’s getting closer all the time. Stay with ‘em, these gutsy geezers are worth the effort.

Charlton: Hamer, Wiggins, Morrison, Taylor, Evina (Cort 82), Pritchard, Hollands, Stephens, Green (Wagstaff 65), Wright-Phillips (Clarke 72). Not used: Sullivan, Hayes.

Rochdale: Kurucz, Darby, Amankwaah, Long, Widdowson, Adams (Thompson 82), Kennedy Barry-Murphy, Jones, Jordan, Symes. Not used: Lucas, Grimes, Tutte, Holden. Booked: Long.

Referee: F. Graham. Attendance: 15,067.

Kevin Nolan’s Match Report: Tranmere Rovers v Charlton Athletic (18/02/2012)

Tranmere Rovers 1 (Brunt 33) Charlton 1 (Morrison 60).

Kevin Nolan reports from Prenton Park.

Like postmen persecuted by a persistently baleful mutt, Charlton just can’t shake off Tranmere Rovers. No matter how hard they struggle to outwit dogged Rovers, nothing works. They still end up with their teeth buried in their socks. This fifth consecutive 1-1 draw between the sides was easily the most predictable result on the English football coupons on Saturday.
Uncomplicated and unsophisticated, the Wirralsiders make no secret of either their intention or tactics. They get stuck into an unapologetically direct game, with the ball moved aerially from back to front, with minimum risk of interception. They don’t score many goals (31 now in 31 games) but keep it tight defensively (36 goals conceded, only 12 of them at home). This latest 1-1- draw was a dot on the cards.

Grateful for their point at The Valley in October, Charlton again started sluggishly and found themselves a goal down at the interval. Once again there was an element of luck about their equaliser though, to be fair, they finished strongly and did enough to share the spoils. Long before the final whistle, Owen Fon Williams acknowledged as much, with an overdue booking for his delaying tactics. Some of these League One keepers could teach procrastination a thing or two about thieving time.

Not that Tranmere were unworthy of their point. They rushed their table-topping visitors out of their stride in an error-strewn first half and but for Ben Hamer’s brilliant goalkeeping, they might have put this game out of Charlton’s reach by half-time.

Young loanee Ryan Brunt, operating alone up front, was Hamer’s first victim. Meeting Martin Devaney’s accurate cross at the far post, Brunt directed a text-book downard header which was sneaking inside the left post until Hamer scrambled desperately across his line to save. As it turned out, his first goal in league football had been only briefly delayed.
Without injured skipper Johnnie Jackson and with Danny Haynes making his first start in place of Bradley Wright-Phillips, Charlton struggled to secure a foothold in a game already threatening to drift away from them. Yann Kermorgant was given their best chance by Owen Fon Williams’ miskicked clearance but was unable to beat the backtracking keeper from distance. Mere minutes later, Rovers took the lead.

Breaking quickly after Danny Hollands’ pass was intercepted, Devaney made tracks in the inside right channel before trying his luck right-footed on the run. Reacting alertly to his blocked effort, he teed up an overhead effort which eluded a forest of legs before being turned into the bottom left corner by the faintest of touches from Brunt. A thoroughly dismal half could hardly end soon enough for the visitors.

Not surprisingly, the Addicks improved after the break. Hollands should have equalised but placed his close range header too close to Fon Williams, who parried smartly. Haynes then wriggled through a posse of defenders, only to be crowded out in the act of shooting. But Charlton weren’t kept waiting long for equality.

A string of corners helped apply pressure on Rovers, with Dale Stephens swinging them in dangerously from the right. On the hour, Michael Morrison powerfully headed Stephens’ latest delivery against the crossbar before launching a one-man appeal that the ball had bounced down over Fon Williams’ line. Much to his delight and Rovers’ dismay, referee Andy Haines and his eagle-eyed linesman agreed. Charlton were level and the momentum shifted behind them.

Though deflated, the home side were far from finished. A swirling free kick from Adam McGurk (scorer of Tranmere’s goal at The Valley) caught a favourable breeze before being touched on to the bar by Hamer, who then excelled himself by leaving his line alertly to foil McGurk, who had been sent clear by a quickly taken free kick.

A much livelier second period gathered pace with Hollands awkwardly kneeing a difficult chance over the bar and, at the other end, Robbie Weir forcing a fine save from Hamer with a crisp snapshot. The end-to-end exchanges continued as Danny Green’s perceptive pass provided the overlapping Rhoys Wiggins with space to cross on the run. Arriving beyond the far post, Kermorgant made a hash of his volleyed effort.

Having replaced apparent hamstring victim Haynes, Wright-Phillips’ search for a drought-busting goal duly resumed. The sharpshooter was no doubt thankful for the offside flag which spared his blushes for a horrendous miss from two yards. Undaunted, he tried again but nodded Green’s cross too high, then turned provider with a juicy centre of his own which Kermorgant also wasted. Once prolific, the hapless strikers can’t buy a goal between them at present. They just need to hang in there. Every dog has its day, as Charlton find to their cost every time they tangle with Tranmere Rovers.

Tranmere: Fon Williams, Holmes, Goodison, Taylor, Buchanan, Devaney, McGurk (Akins 83), Weir, Wallace, Welsh, Brunt (Tiryaki 85). Not used: Labadie, McChrystal, Coughlin. Booked: Fon Williams.

Charlton: Hamer, Solly, Morrison, Taylor, Wiggins, Pritchard, Hollands, Stephens, Green, Haynes (Wright-Phillips 56), Kermorgant. Not used: Sullivan, Wagstaff, Cort, Clarke. Booked: Hamer.

Referee: Andy Haines.

Kevin Nolan’s Match Report: Charlton Athletic v MK Dons (14/02/2012)

Charlton 2 (Jackson 42, 45 pens) MK Dons 1 (Bowditch 87).

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.

Almost five months ago, Charlton arrived at MK Dons evocatively named stadium.mk, unbeaten in their opening nine games and solidly ensconced at the top of League, a position they have jealously guarded since. Beaten only once themselves, Dons were comfortably placed in ninth place, five points behind the Addicks. Following this defeat, they now trail the leaders by a whopping 17 points; their consolation is that they have inched into fifth position, with a play-off spot a reasonable ambition.

For over a half hour on that crisp September evening, Charlton were all but played off the park by their brilliant hosts. A breathtaking display of pure football, easily the best they have encountered this season, saw them struggling to stave off an embarrassing hiding. Dons were too good for them yet took into their half-time dressing room only a single-goal lead and that from a penalty conceded by the usually impeccable Chris Solly. It wasn’t enough and the improving visitors reeled them in during a far more even second period. Yann Kermorgant’s first goal for his new employers won them a valuable and ultimately merited point.

On Tuesday, Karl Robinson’s side were again impressive, on this occasion emerging for the second half, two goals and a man down, yet proceeding to dominate the startled league leaders. Charlton were thankful that Dean Bowditch’s fine effort, which deservedly reduced the arrears, arrived as late as the 87th minute. Even then, they endured an undignified struggle to protect the points.

MK Dons have only themselves to blame for blowing this particular game. They were more than holding their own as a competitive first half wound down until the fatal indiscipline of Scottish centre back Gary McKenzie ruined their chances. The aggressive defender had already been booked for an violent foul on Kermorgant when he clashed with the big Breton amid the confusion caused by a Johnnie Jackson corner. A six of one, half dozen of the other clash turned ugly in the moment it took McKenzie to deliberately head butt Kermorgant in full view of referee Stroud. A red card was inevitable, as was a penalty since the ball was still in play. Jackson’s nerveless spotkick into the bottom left corner ensured that McKenzie’s boneheaded behaviour incurred the full majesty of the law.

Toiling away on the left flank for Dons, meanwhile, was Alan Smith, a fading veteran presumably hired to bring streetwise savvy to the greenhorn Bedfordshire country club. Smith had generally pottered about to no great effect before popping up to help his defence out after Danny Green’s thunderous drive crashed back from the bar. In the feverish scramble which developed around the rebound, he stuck out an ill-advised foot, flagrantly tripping Jackson to concede a second penalty. Charlton’s skipper dispassionately scored his 12th goal of the season from the spot, with Smith booked for his ridiculous protests.

Their two-goal deficit was poor reward for the visitors’ first half efforts, many of them inspired by marauding right wingback James Tavernier, on loan from Newcastle United. Moments after Jackson had shaved a post from a free kick, Tavernier tormented Rhoys Wiggins with a sinuous run before crossing dangerously from the touchline. A helpful deflection set up a point blank header for Smith, who gaped in amazement as Ben Hamer clawed away the sure thing. Ex-Addick Charlie McDonald fired the rebound over the bar as the Addicks lived on their nerves.

Still seeking to end a scoring drought stretching back nine games since November 19th, Bradley Wright-Phillips came close to changing his luck by blocking a clearance from the hapless McDonald. The rebound ballooned under the bar, where it was claimed with difficulty by backtracking keeper David Martin. Optimistic appeals that it had crossed the line were correctly dismissed by Mr. Stroud. Wright-Phillips’ overdue breakthrough will come eventually, possibly when it’s least expected. Meanwhile, the blistering pace of new boy Danny Haynes offers an alternative, briefly or otherwise, for patient boss Chris Powell. Trust him to get it right.

The second half of what promised to be a comfortable stroll turned into a gruelling ordeal for the nervy Addicks. Pushed back by the defiant ten men and unable to retain possession, they were required yet again to defend grimly, something they have made almost an art form, with a paltry 20 goals conceded in 28 league games preceding this encounter. It seemed they might protect that outstanding record when a flying Hamer brilliantly tipped Stephen Gleeson’s piledriver over the bar but, with three minutes left, Bowditch’s goal ensured another of those nerve shredding finishes, to which The Valley faithful have become wearily accustomed.

Having replaced the increasingly tetchy Smith, Jay O’Shea made an immediate impact with a clever pass which caught Wiggins, for once, on the wrong side of his man. Taking a steadying touch, Bowditch detonated a rising drive into the near top corner. Six more minutes (three of them added) passed in a blur of hectic activity, during which the abiding memory remains yet another of those sturdy blocks, patented by the indomitable Solly, perilously close to Hamer’s besieged goal.
Piece of cake, really. Don’t know what all the fuss was about. We all need to calm down and get hold of ourselves. I didn’t fight in two world wars (and Cyprus) to fall apart now. We’re all in this together. Me, you, David Cameron, his missus, all their mates….

Charlton: Hamer, Solly, Morrison, Taylor, Wiggins, Green, Holllands, Stephens, Jackson (Haynes 63), Kermorgant, Wright-Phillips (Pritchard 90). Not used: Sullivan, Cort, Clarke.

MK Dons: Martin, Tavernier, Mackenzie (sent off), Williams, Lewington, Chadwick (Powell 76), Potter, Gleeson, Smith (O’Shea 83), Bowditch, McDonald (Kouo-Doumbe 46). Not used: McLoughlin, Ibehre.

Referee: K. Stroud. Attendance: 15,569.

Kevin Nolan’s Match Report: Chesterfield v Charlton postponed

Always keen to explore the philosophical implications behind matters of great importance, Basil Fawlty knew a thing or two about the effects of losing to the last minute goal. He understood that it knocked what was left of your stuffing out of you. As he shrewdly observed, “it’s so final!”

Okay, so Basil was actually talking about death at the time but it’s not such a leap from one thing to the other. They both leave you breathless. And though Charlton didn’t suffer last gasp heartbreak and it’s true nobody died on Saturday, the mood aboard Betty Hutchins’ supporters’ coach on its way to Chesterfield shortly after 10 a.m. became abruptly blacker than Newgate’s knocker. You could have blown us down with a feather when word filtered through that the game at BT Internet@hotmail.dot.com.uk Stadium was off. Kaput. Down the Swanee. Up the Pictures. A Diabolical Liberty.

We’d set off from Anchor and Hope Lane at 9.20 a.m in reasonably good shape and hoping for the best, ignorant of the fact that the overnight temperature in North Derbyshire had plummeted (temperatures either plummet or soar) to ten below and that there had never been a chance this game would go ahead and, in fact, should have been already postponed. But there are, of course, motions to be gone through and referee Colin Webster presumably thought he was doing everyone a favour by scheduling his pitch inspection for 10 o’clock. So by the time he drew the blindingly obvious conclusion that play had never been remotely possible, we were already on the M25, blissfully unaware that we were on a journey to nowhere. It hadn’t occurred to Webster to swerve his hotel shower till later, bolt his breakfast and do his job at 9 a.m. instead. Then a quick call to Charlton might have had us back in bed by ten. Here’s a word for Webster’s Dictionary. Twerp. Here’s three more. Waste of space.

The reaction through the coach was one of quiet resignation. Football fans are used to being mucked about. But a second successive Saturday in front of Ceefax was almost too much to bear. I don’t know how they do it. At the game, after all, you can offer helpful advice and kid yourself anyone even hears it. At Tuesday’s clash with Bury, I knew exactly what Dale Stephens needed not to do when the ball rolled out to him in the 93rd minute. I was still screaming “Don’t shoot!” as his fearsome drive bulged the rigging. I’m no tactical titan, that’s for sure but I do what I can. And I’m always ready to share my acumen with childlike generosity. “Get rid of it!”, I cry, or “Anywhere’ll do!” But I’m not all about negativity. When we’re behind, I’ve been known to urge Charlton to “Keep it on the Island!” You won’t find those pieces of sound advice in the modern coaching manuals. It did Harold Phipps no harm. Dear old Harold mastered the first two but found the third one tricky.

So I settled down to watch England in the rugby, promising myself I wouldn’t keep checking the Sheffield clubs. And I stuck to my guns until half-time when my manly restraint was rewarded by two 0-0 scorelines. I couldn’t stand it, though, and when I checked again, stone me, Jermaine Johnson had scored for Wednesday at Exeter, while United were 2-0 up at home to Wycombe.

Well, that’s it, I told myself and returned to the rucking and mauling in Rome for consolation. At precisely 4.47 p.m I braced myself for disappointment and punched up 318 to confirm the worst. And, blimey, good old Exeter were only beating Wednesday 2-1 but it wasn’t over. Back I went to the rugger, where the pack had collapsed or something, so I sensibly left them to it and , dreading the worst, tempted fate again at St. James Park. Still 2-1, ten to four but they’re still at it. By now, I was hysterically willing the invisible Grecians to get rid of it and assuring them that anywhere will do when an unseen hand smoothly replaced that agonising “L” with what was, by then, the two most attractive letters in the alphabet. “FT” it announced and we had consolidated our advantage over Wednesday without even playing. United won 3-0 but you can’t have everything.

Expecting to be home about 10.30, there was an unexpected Saturday evening to fill but we were too drained go out. A thoroughly satisfying menu of Dad’s Army, Harry Hill and Desperate Midwives on our Eye pods did the trick before the football saw us off. But not before one more helping of “The Kipper and the Corpse” from Basil and the chaps. And then it really was final.

Kevin Nolan’s Match Report: Charlton Athletic v Bury (31/01/2012)

Charlton 1 (Stephens 90) Bury 1 (John-Lewis 43).

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.

An evening of screaming frustration for Charlton was relentlessly heading for a demoralising conclusion when, with three of five added minutes already played, a skidding rebound from visiting goalkeeper Cameron Belford’s parry of Michael Morrison’s close range effort reached midfielder Dale Stephens some 30 yards from Bury’s goal.

Making his first start following a three-month injury absence, Stephens could have been excused for chipping the ball back into a heavily congested penalty area in search of an equally desperate colleague. Instead an all-or-nothing first time blockbuster ripped past Belford on its way into the top right corner and pandemonium gripped an almost disbelieving Valley. This was one of those instances when a draw felt as psychologically satisfying as a victory. And the irony of the last-gasp equaliser won’t be lost on Belford, whose blatant time-wasting, as much as his inspired goalkeeping, had seemed certain to rob the Addicks of their unbeaten home record.

For Stephens, the moment was especially sweet. His return as a late substitute during last Saturday’s narrow win over Exeter had brought with it the added class which this hard-grafting side had lacked in his absence. His ability to dictate the flow of movement and pace helps the side change defence into attack more fluently, a virtue clarified by his brief cameo at St. James Park.

Against determined Bury, whose irritating gamesmanship was balanced by spells of impressive football, Stephens started well as the fulcrum of a team showing slight signs of understandable staleness. The barnstorming momentum which carried all before it during the early season blitz on League One has stuttered since the New Year and spirit alone has sustained the promotion charge. On the playmaker’s slim shoulders will be carried the responsibility of restoring flair to the industry. His recovery from injury seems particularly well timed.

Thrashed 3-0 by Rochdale, next Saturday’s visitors to The Valley, in their last game, the Shakers clearly had no intention of providing cannon fodder for the runaway league leaders. Well organised and spirited, they gave as good as they got and, in Belford, had a last line of defence in defiant mood.

The chunky keeper cheerfully swapped insults with the North Stand, stood his ground and was well on his way to the last laugh until Stephens spectacularly intervened. His good work began with a smart save from Morrison and continued with a quite brilliant block of Leon Clarke’s angled drive, after Johnnie Jackson capped a great run with a perfect pass. He was at it again to turn a downward header from Yann Kermorgant past his right post, again following Jackson’s bright approach play.

Growing worryingly disjointed and laborious, Charlton’s mission prior to the break became clearly to stay in the game and reach the interval unscathed. They had lived dangerously as early as the 3rd minute when Giles Coke cleverly chest chest trapped a cross before half-volleying wide but were comfortable, if uninspired, before falling behind shortly before a welcome break. A clever flick from wide man Ryan Doble provided lone wolf striker Lenell John-Lewis with the half-yard he needed to swivel sharply and beat Ben Hamer from 15 yards. An already discouraging task promptly doubled its degree of difficulty.

Struggling they might have been but there’s no doubting the Addicks’ fighting spirit. An otherwise disappointing Danny Green began the second period by bruising Belford’s hands with a venomous drive, then the winger’s inswinging corner was headed back from the far post by Morrison for Matt Taylor to nod a reasonable chance over the bar. The visitors weren’t exactly hanging on but were grateful that a fierce shot from the irresistible Rhoys Wiggins deflected safely off Peter Sweeney and even more thankful that Wiggins’ full back partner Chris Solly clipped the outside of the woodwork with an effort, which might (or might not) have flicked off a defensive hand.

Hope was making room for despair as the minutes ebbed away. But you don’t count out Chris Powell’s battlers until it’s officially over. They kept battering at Bury’s resistance and Stephens found his range with two well struck, though narrowly wide, snapshots. It looked all up when Jackson drove over the bar but Stephens had one last shot in his locker. And as it bulleted beyond the heroic Belford, the sheer joy of the uber-late goal carried all before it. It wears off, of course, but the euphoria makes the world a briefly better place. If society could tap into it, we’d really be on to something. Speaking personally, I’ll spend much of Wednesday patting kids on the head and helping old ladies over busy roads with their shopping. It’s the least I can do. And I always do the least I can do.

Charlton: Hamer, Solly, Morrison, Taylor, Wiggins, Green, Hollands (Pritchard 84), Stephens, Jackson, Kermorgant, Clarke (Haynes 73). Not used: Sullivan, Hayes, Cort. Booked: Green.

Bury: Belford, Picken, Hughes, Sodje, Skarz, Amoo, Sweeney, Schumacher, Coke (Carrington 86), Doble (Worrall 85), John-Lewis. Not used: Williams, Bishop, Eastham.

Referee: Andy D’Urso. Attendance: 13,264.

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