Birmingham City 1 (Dyer 82) Charlton 0.
Kevin Nolan reports from St. Andrews.
Neck and neck in the Championship, with only goal difference separating Charlton in 10th and Birmingham in 11th position, you could say that this tedious game was the definitive mid-table, end-of-season irrelevance. And you wouldn’t be whistling Dixie if you did.
Earnest enough but deadly dull, this entirely predictable bore received less attention among over 1,000 travelling fans than the astonishing developments far below them in the league table. In this age of instant communication, the twists and turns at the Den and New York Stadium provided superior entertainment. By common consent, Wigan Athletic are already removed from the equation with either Millwall or Rotherham joining them in League One next season. But it’s not over yet.
We know, we know, what does all that have to do with a Birmingham-Charlton game at St. Andrews? Well, admittedly nothing as it goes but the occasional digression helps to pad out a report that’s promising to be a heavy burden to bear. So cut some slack unless it’s skin off your nose.
To be fair, the main event began explosively with City’s Robert Tesche unleashing without warning but with dramatic suddenness a rifle shot from all of 30 yards. It’s a tribute to in-form goalkeeper Stephen Henderson’s alertness that he even saw the ball as it left vapour trails behind it on its way towards the top left corner. But see it he did and managed, while airborne, to turn it against his left post and safety. His save of the season, no question.
Tesche tried his luck more routinely later on but again Henderson was up to the task of dealing with a low skimmer. He was entitled to the luck he received when Diego Fabbrini somehow shovelled wide after willowy winger Demerai Gray’s cross left him with only the keeper to beat. He was even luckier later as David Cotterill fastened on to the loose ball left by David Davis’ meandering solo dribble, beat him with a cleverly curled drive but was rescued by his left hand post.
The chances were not all one-way. In a dreary first half, Tony Watt’s fulminating drive proved, if nothing else, that in Darren Randolph, City had a more than useful keeper themselves. The ex-Addick corkscrewed in the air to tip the rocket over the bar. Randolph also stood firm to parry with two hands a vicious, angled effort from Igor Vetokele.
Doesn’t sound like too bad a game after all might be your reasonable conclusion and, to be fair, it had its moments. The trouble was that each moment was separated from the next one by great expanses of turgid dross. Anyway, it meant more to the Blues and with just eight minutes remaining they duly claimed all three points through a goal of rare quality which didn’t belong in this pedestrian company.
Surprisingly replacing the dangerous Cotterill midway through the second half, winger Lloyd Dyer began by slicing a shot hopelessly wide but he was to make substantially more of a second chance minutes later. His fellow substitute Wes Thomas started the process by winning possession in midfield before finding Tesche outside Charlton’s penalty area. The ball was promptly moved on to Dyer, who dribbled into space on the left before placing a crisp low drive across Henderson into the opposite corner.
There was still time for Henderson to confirm his Charlton man-of-the-match credentials by brilliantly saving Davis’ ferocious shot but this was one game not destined to live long in the memory of non-Brums. The visitors treated it as an encumbrance before far more glamorous Bournemouth arrive at The Valley on Saturday -possibly already promoted automatically- for the final curtain of an up-down-up again season. There will be, of course, the usual sideshows and it will be galling to realise that the Cherries include among their rampaging team three ex-Addicks in born again right back Simon Francis (voted into the Championship’s select X1), arguably the best midfielder in the Championship in Harry Arter and the iconic Breton Yann Kermorgant, about whom nothing remains to be said. So brush up on your booing. Or better yet, cheer them, then beat them.
Birmingham: Randolph, Caddis, Spector, Morrison, Grounds, Davis, Tesche, Cotterill (Dyer 71), Fabbrini (Thomas 80), Gray, Donaldson. Not used: Doyle, Robinson, Gleeson, Shinnie, Arthur. Booked: Grounds.
Charlton: Henderson, Solly, Ben Haim, Johnson, Fox, Gudmundsson, Cousins (Diarra 88), Buyens, Bulot (Eagles 63), Vetokele (Church 78), Watt. Not used: Etheridge,Gomez, Wiggins, Lennon. Booked: Cousins.
Referee: Jeremy Simpson. Att: 17,775 (1,069 visiting).
Peter Cordwell says
The good news from this angle is that Mr Nolan is back covering away matches, which is marvellous for all concerned. Might even make The Valley myself this Saturday.