Charlton 1 (Lennon 30) Blackburn Rovers 1 (Rhodes 45)
With a keen eye on the two separate items on their agenda, Charlton’s fans responded magnificently to their dilemma by maintaining the pressure on absentee owner Roland Duchatelet and his embattled CEO Katrien Miere, while simultaneously keeping faith with their team. Lifted by an improved performance under new manager Jose Riga, they stayed solidly behind the players but punctuated their vocal efforts with three spirited, cleverly timed requests that The Valley “stand up if you want them out”. Even those who regard democratic protest with patrician disdain might grudgingly concede that the response of a smallish crowd was all but unanimous. It’s known as vox populi but stubborn Duchatelet appears deaf to its legitimate demands.
Recent sufferers at Huddersfield and Hull will vouch for the huge improvement on the playing pitch. I was an appalled witness to the carnage in West Yorkshire but dodged a bullet on Humberside where, word among ashen-faced survivors has it, Charlton set new standards in gormless ineptitude.
Without a win in eleven games since beating Birmingham City on November 21st, a slump which included hugely embarrassing FA Cup defeat by Colchester United, the Addicks would assuredly have halted their decline but for the presence, in Blackburn Rovers’ otherwise mediocre line-up, of a certain Jordan Rhodes. Scorer of seven goals in his last four games against the South Londoners, it was hardly a shock that it was this arch-predator who equalised for the visitors in first half added time. It’s safe to say that if Rhodes were an Addick rather than a Rover, the Londoners would be free from the worry currently undermining them because sticking the ball in the opposition’s net remains the most difficult and thus coveted of the footballing arts. Rhodes was no doubt an irritating goalhanger in his school playground. He can’t help himself.
Boosted by Harry Lennon’s lucky strike, the home side were within one token extra minute of taking a deserved lead in with them at half-time. Possibly they relaxed in anticipation of such luxury as Corry Evans’ measured pass picked out his overlapping right back Adam Henley to leave Morgan Fox outnumbered on Charlton’s left flank. Henley’s precise cross was met by Rhodes’s head and squeezed in off Stephen Henderson’s groping left hand and the keeper’s near post. No PA announcement was required to identify Blackburn’s scorer. When Charlton are his opponents, all goals lead to Rhodes.
A quarter hour earlier, Lennon’s second goal of the season had briefly cheered up the locals. As scruffy as it was welcome, it featured Johann Berg Gudmundsson’s accurate free kick, an untidy clash between impressive new boy Jorge Texeira and Rovers’ skipper Grant Hanley and an instinctively prodded effort from the promising young centre back. Catching a helpful deflection off Chris Taylor, his unconvincing shot squirted past wrongfooted keeper Jason Steele before finding its way into the bottom right corner.
Apart from the constant threat of arch enemy Rhodes, Rovers offered little else apart, it has to be said, from the herculean long throws regularly launched by Tommy Spurr. Funny how the long throw assumes all the gravitas of the corner kick and is similarly treated by referees, instead of being hurried along like any orthodox throw. By the end of this game, Spurr was making the painstaking, diagonal journey from left back to the right touchline whenever the opportunity rose while time stood still as centre backs Hanley and Shane Duffy ambled majestically into Charlton’s penalty area. A wash and brush up of the ball preceded the airborne missiles launched, fruitlessly on this occasion, by the long throw specialist. Ten seconds per throw should be the yardstick before it’s transferred to the other team. And you may quote me to the FA lawmakers on the issue.
You may also deduce from my impassioned denunciation of the long throw that I have little else to say about this routine game. And you wouldn’t be entirely wrong. But make allowances and we’ll give it a go.
For the visitors, Craig Conway’s close range header early in the second half was smartly saved by Henderson, who later distinguished himself in narrowing the angle and blocking Rhodes after the sureshot was played through by Corry Evans. Rovers looked slightly more likely to produce a winner but ran into a home defence still feeling the humiliation of consecutive trouncings up country. There was a semblance of organisation about the Addicks this time and for that Riga is due some credit.
At the other end, unfortunately, Charlton were toothless, the fact that their goal was claimed by one of their centre backs, further evidence that the forwards are not doing their share. A rehabilitated Igor Vetokele was at least lively and stung Steele’s hands with a stinging drive when sent clear by Gudmundsson’s through ball down the inside left channel. Tony Watt, meanwhile, was determined to take Rovers on singlehandedly, a series of solo dribbles quickening the pulse but ending up in cul-de-sacs of his own making. He’s been an enigma to more than one manager. It’s now Riga’s turn to unwrap the riddle
Once erratic referee Rob Lewis had called time on the sub-standard proceedings, the action switched to the West Stand reception area, where the fans thronged to reassure the elusive owner that they had no intention of going away. To the many traditional ditties being warbled, may I direct the heartsick lament of the incomparable Hank Williams to the recalcitrant Duchatelet?
“The news is out all over town…that you’ve been seen a-running round…I know that I should leave but then…I just can’t go…you win again.”
That’s the thing about these turbulent supporters, M. Duchatelet, they just can’t go. But they won once before. Don’t be sure they won’t win again.
Charlton: Henderson, Solly, Texeira, Lennon, Fox, Gudmundsson, Cousins, Jackson, Bergdich (Harriott 75), Vetokele (Ghoochannejhad 75), Watt. Not used: Pope, Makienok, Ba, Johnson, Poyet.
Blackburn: Steele, Henley, Duffy, Hanley, Spurr, Taylor (Bennett 46), Akpan (Lenihan 83), Evans, Conway, Rhodes, Graham (Jackson 77). Not used: Raya, Kilgallon, Lawrence, Ward.
Booked: Duffy.
Referee: Rob Lewis.
Att: 13,512.
Steve Bridge says
“All goals lead to Rhodes” = classic Kev!
#WeWantOurCharltonBack
Ginty says
Thank you Kevin your reports are sometimes better than the football!!