Charlton 2 (Jackson 81, Cousins 90+6) Fulham 2 (Tunnicliffe 32, McCormack 59).
With just 10 minutes of this desperately disappointing game left, Charlton were staring another demoralising defeat squarely in the face. The players were showing every sign of surrendering, the crowd was becoming mildly mutinous, even your reporter’s blue bookie’s pen had dried up.
It was a bleak scenario into which Guy Luzon, bowing to popular demand, introduced his third and final substitute. But this was no ordinary substitute. For bursting from a phone box kept near the bench for his exclusive use, the newcomer bounded on to the field, joined the throng awaiting Johann Berg Gudmunsson’s outswinging corner and, with his first touch, headed it unstoppably into the roof of Fulham’s net. Screaming his delight and defiance at the covered end, the mystery man tore open his shirt to reveal himself as Captain Jackson, rescuer of lost causes and regular accomplisher of the impossible. It was all in a day’s work for Charlton’s own super hero.
The electrified crowd bayed back their affection and appreciation, having beseeched Luzon to stick him on for at least 20 minutes. They know the character of their man, the galvanic impact he has on both team and supporters. And many of them have no time for the theory that his 33 year-old legs are past it, reasoning that at least 50% of football is played in the head. A vast store of knowledge has accrued inside this particular veteran’s head and informs him that there are times when standing still is a shrewder ploy than tearing around to no specified purpose. It was a shot in the arm to have him back.
Confident, complacent, cocky Fulham were taken aback by the new development. After strolling into a 2-0 lead, which they might, on occasion, have improved, they were thrust on to the back foot and didn’t relish the experience. Suddenly goalkeeper Andy Lonergan took an age with his goal kicks, while Jamie O’Hara’s 90th minute replacement by Sakari Matilla was attended by as much ceremony as the Changing of the Guard. Their understandable delaying tactics appeared to have worked when lively Karlan Ahearne-Grant fired what seemed a last chance over the bar. But the richly promising 18 year-old kid, at the other end of the career spectrum as his venerable skipper, wasn’t quite through for the afternoon.
Summoning one last burst of his youthful energy, Ahearne-Grant made space on the right flank for a perfectly flighted cross. Overpowering the tiring Cottagers at the far post, 21 year-old Jordan Cousins emulated Jackson’s no-nonsense treatment of Gudmundsson’s earlier delivery and bulleted a headed equaliser past the remains of Fulham’s resistance. And if Tony Watt had managed to get a toe in front of Richard Stearman to convert a fleeting last-kick chance, the stirring rally might have raised the roof.
Prior to the intervention of superhero Jackson, there was little to enthuse either the under-pressure Luzon or a patient, expectant crowd. As early as the opening minute, Cousins produced a deliciously timed pass to send Conor McAleny through the inside left channel but the Everton loanee shot wastefully wide of the left post as Lonergan hopefully advanced. Sobered by the escape, the West Londoners took the initiative, with Nick Pope required to pull off excellent saves to keep out drives from Jazz Richards and the busy O’Hara.
With Pope in such reliable form, it was discouraging when the latest of the rookie keeper’s disastrous errors helped the visitors to an important lead just past the half hour mark. Picking himself up 30 yards from goal following a careless foul by Alou Diarra, Ross McCormack’s low free kick was on target but hit straight at Pope. Troubled by similar shots in past games, the young stopper spilled the ball at the feet of Ryan Tunnicliffe, who made easy work of converting the rebound. Until Stephen Henderson returns and as long as Dimitar Mitov is not trusted to step into the breach, Pope’s vulnerability to the low, hard shot down his throat, remains a fatal flaw in the armoury of an otherwise promising keeper. His problem needs to be addressed before his confidence and The Valley’s loyalty are mutually exhausted.
Having paid eleven million quid for McCormack, Fulham weren’t fully vindicated by his goal output last season. But his 59th minute strike, which doubled the Cottagers’ lead a minute before the hour mark, was typically predatory. The spadework was done on the left by the indefatigable Tunnicliffe, whose pass was initially taken too wide by the Scottish scoring machine. Wrapping himself around a left-footed shot, McCormack found the bottom right corner with practised ease.
At that point, with the game drifting away from them, Charlton apparently stood no chance. Substitutes Zakaraya Bergdich and Franck Mouusa, to be fair, improved matters but the general torpor gave no hint of the drama about to unfold. The Addicks were sleepwalking to defeat when, to overwhelming approval,
Luzon played his last card. Call it charisma, call it personality, just call it the Johnnie Jackson effect and have done with it. He’s Charlton’s courageous captain, their captain courageous, a player admired, for good reason, throughout the league. And not for the first time, he came through like gangbusters. Enjoy him while you can,
Charlton: Pope, Solly, Bauer, Diarra, Fox (Bergdich 65), Gudmundsson, Ba (Jackson 80), McAleny (Moussa 71), Cousins, Watt, Ahearne-Grant. Not used: Mitov, Sarr, Holmes-Dennis, Kennedy. Booked: Gudmundsson.
Fulham: Lonergan, Richards, Stearman, Ream, Husband, Pringle (Garbutt 60), Christensen, O’Hara (Matilla 90), Tunnicliffe, Dembele (Woodrow 78), McCormack. Not used: Lewis, Fredericks, Kacaniklic, Burn. Booked: Christensen.
Referee: James Linington. Attendance: 14.662.
Chris says
Great stuff as per.
Thanks.
Peter Cordwell says
Lovely report but did Jackson get booked for ripping his shirt?