Charlton 3 (Tucudean 11, Buyens 45 pen, Vetokele 78) Derby County 2 (Ward 31,85).
Keep it zipped for a bit but the signs are there’s something buzzing at The Valley. Or, more accurately, at Sparrows Lane, New Eltham, where the groundwork is done.
At a warmly appreciative Valley on Tuesday evening, Derby County became the second fancied promotion contender to bite the dust within three days. It wasn’t easy but this victory was no backs-to-the -wall gutsfest against superior opposition. On the contrary, the Addicks matched their talented visitors skill for skill in a thrilling, end-to-end duel, before young Nick Pope’s 85th minute error brought with it a brief descent into chaos. County’s second goal distorted the scoreline but this result was a fair one.
The dramatic improvement over last season’s near-collapse is easily explained. This summer’s reinforcements, undoubtedly acquired under Bob Peeters’ supervision, are leagues ahead of the one-armed paper-hangers, most of them neither use nor ornament, which were made available to Chris Powell or Jose Riga. All of them, with the exception of one unused fringe player, are gone and unlamented. In their place, six new arrivals started against Derby, each of them worthy of his place and clearly signed with Peeters’ approval. A perfect pitch is another advantage enjoyed by the new boss.
Among the new blokes, George Tucudean has been slowest to settle. Although the consensus has been that there’s something about him, the jury, so to speak, has been considering its verdict. Before a blatantly illegal challenge caused his withdrawal at half-time, the big Romanian put all argument to rest. Judgement was returned overwhelmingly in his favour.
Crowning an encouraging start, the Addicks moved ahead on 11 minutes. A sweeping move from their own half was given added momentum by Johann Gudmundsson’s electric turn and crisp pass out to Jordan Cousins on the left flank. Stepping inside instinctively on to his right foot, the teenaged prodigy picked out Tucudean, policed by Jake Buxton and Richard Keogh on the 18-yard line. One clever touch disposed of his markers, before a firm drive on the turn bisected them on its way into the bottom corner. Tucudean had announced his arrival but wasn’t quite through for the night.
Stung by the reverse, it was equally unlikely that these impressive Rams would implode. Urged on by dynamic engine roomers Craig Bryson (his foul on Tucudean was a cheap shot) and Jeff Hendrick, their recovery brought chances for Bryson to force a smart save from Pope and Simon Dawkins, who eluded Johnnie Jackson but shot narrowly wide. Just past the half hour, the Midlanders deservedly equalised.
Prolific last term but scoreless so far this season, Chris Martin let fly venomously from 20 yards but was defied by Pope’s fine full-length save. The loose ball was retrieved on the right byline by Hendricks, rolled neatly back to Jamie Ward and deposited brilliantly into the top left corner by the goal-starved striker.
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Coming into their own, the newly confident visitors pressed home their advantage, with Bryson’s fierce drive stinging Pope’s palms. Reaching half-time without further damage quickly became Charlton’s priority. To regain their lead, therefore, in the dying seconds of the half, was a precious bonus. And it was nearly a one-man show.
Tucudean’s twisting run and close control bewitched a posse of pursuing Rams until Keogh succumbed to temptation and brought him down heavily inside the area. Referee Bull sensibly weighed his responsibility before pointing to the spot, with Keogh’s turf-pounding histrionics no doubt as much in relief at escaping a card of any colour as genuine anger at the inevitable decision. Ice-cool Joni Buyens placed the penalty in precisely the same spot he chose against Colchester a week previously.
A tense second half stretched before the Addicks but they showed every intention of holding their own. Jackson set up substitute Moussa to screw a shot wide; Igor Vetokele evaded Buxton but saw his shot smartly saved by Lee Grant; Jackson’s free kick shaved the bar. At the other end, Martin’s deflected shot caromed dangerously wide and Keogh blasted Bryson’s corner wildly high. The scoring was clearly far from over and, with 12 minutes remaining, the home side grabbed a seemingly decisive third goal.
Excellent and industrious as ever, Jackson’s “suspect” legs caught up with a pass near the right byline, before the indispensable skipper checked back on his wand of a left foot to chip over a teasing cross. Reading the play intelligently, Lawrie Wilson had made ground to flick on at the near post and Vetokele’s header buried the chance into the opposite corner.
So that was that – time for Peeters to “put his feet up in the dug-out and enjoy a fat cigar.” Except that it wasn’t quite that. There were still five minutes on the clock when Ward’s weak toepoke passed inexplicably through Pope’s legs to set the stage for possible panic. But part of that previously mentioned buzz is the rock-like resistance organised by centre backs Andre Bikey and Tal Ben Haim, not to mention the reliability of Joe Gomez and Rhoys Wiggins. Plus Gudmundsson and Buyens – different class! They saw it through and Peeters was free to light up.
Charlton: Pope, Gomez, Ben Haim, Bikey, Wiggins, Gudmundsson (Fox 89), Buyens, Jackson, Cousins (Wilson 64), Vetokele, Tucudean (Moussa 46). Not used: Phillips, Morrison, Harriott, Church. Booked: Buyens, Gomez.
Derby: Grant, Christie, Buxton, Keogh, Forsyth, Hughes (Mascarell 46), Dawkins (Russell 69), Bryson, Hendrick, (Best 77), Ward, Martin. Not used: Roos, Naylor, Eustace, Whitbread. Booked: Bryson.
Referee: M. Bull. Att: 15,317 (1,434 visiting).