About Kevin Nolan

Charlton 4 (Watt 26, Ahearne-Grant 40, Bergdich 57, Ghoochannejhad 77) Dagenham & Redbridge 1 (Doidge 69).

Kevin Nolan reports from the Valley

Blithely unencumbered by past Cup embarrassments, Charlton’s current side made light work of sweeping aside their League Two visitors and cruised into the Capital One second round. Dagenham never really stood a chance. Nor did Redbridge, who didn’t turn up to help their neighbours.

A great believer in breeding a winning mentality, Guy Luzon took the competition seriously and fielded a strong side. There were debuts for massive French centre back Naby Sarr and 18 year-old Regan Charles-Cook at right back but this was no outing for intended second stringers. The starting line-up for next Saturday’s trip to Derby is by no means cut and dried.

Clearly meaning business, the Addicks might have been in front on 16 minutes after Nyron Nosworthy clumsily tripped the irrepressible Tony Watt. From over 20 yards, Johnnie Jackson’s free kick beat Mark Cousins but clipped the crossbar on its way to safety. Jackson and Watt combined again shortly afterwards, with the skipper’s pass allowing the Scottish livewire to attack the heart of the visitors’ defence. Temporarily dispossessed by Nosworthy, Watt tenaciously won the ball back before placing it carefully past Cousins into the bottom right corner. The Addicks were off and running.

Charles-Cook (some player,Charlie Cooke, by the way), meanwhile, was finding his hands full with elusive wide man Ashley Chambers who, in one memorable incident, dummied the youngster on the left touchline before sprinting into ominous space. Charles-Cook’s lungbursting recovery run and key block of the winger’s cross spoke volumes for the kid’s fighting spirit.

Before the interval, Charlton predictably doubled their lead. Stylish Cristian Ceballos fed Watt, took the striker’s return in his stride and crossed low from the left. On the six-yard line, Zakaraya Bergdich’s robust challenge created the loose ball, which Karlan Ahearne-Grant, still a 17 year-old anklebiter, turned inside the right post for his first senior Charlton goal.

Little had been seen of Dagenham as an attacking force until on the half hour, Joe Widdowson’s centre caused brief concern as Patrick Bauer slipped but a distracted Matt McClure air-kicked an acceptable chance behind the struggling defender.

With no half-time substitutions made, Luzon continued his hard-nosed attitude to the tie. He was almost rewarded with a third goal when Watt’s typical persistence made room for El-Hadji Ba’s fierce drive to rebound off the bar but didn’t have long to wait. And the clincher, when it came moments later, was easily the best of the four.

As Watt carried the ball into a densely packed penalty area, Ahearne-Grant’s willing decoy run took the pressure off his strike partner. Using the space created, Watt’s inspired reverse pass sent Bergdich through to calmly slot past Cousins for a goal which brought most of a paltry crowd to its feet in salute.

These game Daggers weren’t ready to roll over yet and replied with a clever face-saver of their own. Timing his through pass perfectly, Chambers found Cristian Doidge, who stayed astutely onside before giving Nick Pope no chance.

Pope’s headlong dash from his line to beat Jodi Jones to a long ball, which he headed emphatically into touch was impressive. Not so impressive was his handling of no fewer than three pea-rollers straight at him, all of which he awkwardly fielded at the second attempt. Mindful of the “shocker” they scored through his legs at The Valley last season, Derby’s scouts will pass the word to their strikers not to give up on seemingly innocuous shots. Nor should Pope’s defenders until their otherwise admirable keeper’s technique can be corrected.

Dagenham’s brief recovery, meanwhile, was quashed by the Addicks’ fourth goal, claimed by the dimly remembered Reza Ghoochannejhad, once of this parish but a world traveller since World Cup 2014. And a tidy effort it was as the Iranian international ran on to Ba’s fine pass, found his angle close to the right byeline too narrow, so casually opened his body for a cute left-footed finish whipped over Cousins’ shoulder into the near corner.

With many of their Championship rivals eliminated from The Capital One Cup on Tuesday evening, Charlton march on. Forget the many disappointments because they have a proud Cup tradition to sustain them. After all, they remain the only SE London club to have actually WON the FA Cup. Not so tasty in the variously titled League Cups but there you go, you cant -and don’t – win ’em all.

Charlton: Pope, Charles-Cook, Bauer, Sarr, Fox, Ceballos (Holmes-Dennis 74), Ba, Bergdich (Gudmundsson 62), Jackson, Watt (Ghoochannejhad 62), Ahearne-Grant. Not used: Mitov, Cousins, Makienok, Lennon. Booked: Ceballos.

Dagenham: Cousins, Nosworthy, Dikamona, Boucaud, Widdowson, Jones, Hamalainen (Hemmings 58), Partridge (Passley 75), Ferdinand, Chambers, McClure (Doidge 58). Not used: O’Brien. Connors, Cureton, Richards. Booked: Nosworthy.

Charlton 2 (Watt 52, Fox 72) QPR 0.

Kevin Nolan reports from the Valley

With the last rites prematurely adminstered to Australia’s cricketers before noon at Trent Bridge, a nation’s sporting focus switched naturally to the Championship’s opening day clash of Charlton and QPR at a resplendently sparkling Valley. Shirtsleeves were the order of the day at both venues, where the home heroes disdainfully dismissed noisy, presumptuous visitors.

Still nursing Premier League pretensions, Rangers fielded, unusually these days, no fewer than eight English starters, a surprising statistic which no doubt owes more to enforced economy than to unimpeachable patriotism. Their home boys might have numbered nine but Joey Barton has withdrawn to label his stamp collection. We send him our love… and a bang on the ear.

Among the homespun West Londoners was Charlie Austin, an old-fashioned centre forward, whose rags-to-riches rise once inspired a generation of workaday wannabes. On the cusp of a lucrative move upwards, Austin was probably being exhibited to potential customers in the transfer window by manager Chris Ramsey. If so, events proved conclusively that the rookie boss had made an enormous, if understandable, mistake. His coveted No. 9 was definitely on the pitch but had also blatantly failed to turn up, if you catch the drift. An early blast wide, a deflected effort on the turn and a hugely embarrassing shank which traversed laterally from left side to right before limping over the touchline for a throw-in were the peaks of Austin’s miserable contribution. When he departed to universal derision with six minutes remaining, it came as a surprise to many, who imagined he’d left already. With a shrewd eye to business, Ramsey claimed he had “worked hard”.

So much for Austin, much feared by home fans pre-kick-off. The Addicks have centre forward issues of their own and disquiet spread at the glaring absence of Tony Watt’s name from Charlton’s starting X1. Enfant terrible Tony had been dropped by Guy Luzon following a training ground kerfuffle ( domestic dust-ups remain, like transfer fees, “undisclosed”) and consigned to the bench.

Having apparently committed the crime, Watt sensibly did the time before emerging to replace an overawed Karlan Ahearne-Grant for the second half. Within seven minutes he destroyed QPR with an excellent goal, of which the old Austin might have approved. Receiving El-Hadji Ba’s pass, over which the steadily improving Simon Makienot cutely dummied, he stepped nonchalantly inside right back James Perch before letting fly. Possibly anticipating a shot across his bows aimed at the far corner, Robert Green got a hand to the ball which instead squeezed past him at his near post.

By that time, the Addicks had weathered Rangers’ early onslaught, which featured seven fruitless corners within the opening quarter hour. With Austin neutered by the no-nonsense attentions of Alou Diarra and with Patrick Bauer in equally uncompromising mood at the Frenchman’s elbow, the locals exerted a grip they had every intention of maintaining.

In front of the imperious centre backs, holding midfielder Ahmed Kashi was immense. A bundle of furious energy, he tackled, intercepted and distributed intelligently. There may be an occasional yellow card in the offing but the Algerian powerhouse promises to be a shrewd acquisition. His unwavering commitment reduced Jordan Cousins’ workload and Charlton’s homegrown star responded accordingly. Still little more than a freshfaced kid, the recent signing of young Jordan to a four-year contract, represents sound business.

As different as chalk from cheese, meanwhile, the liquid left-footed skills of Johann Berg Gudmundsson meshed nicely with the dynamism of Ba in central midfield. Gudmundsson was all elusive, creative elegance, not to mention the power behind a 30-yard free kick in the closing stages which was already rebounding off Green’s crossbar while the veteran keeper was still in flailing, mid-air flight in a hopeless quest to make contact. Until he tired, Ba ruled the roost from box-to-box.
About skipper Chris Solly, little remains to be said; his consistency is taken for granted. He’s one of the best footballers produced at Sparrows Lane in reliable memory and to liken him to Phillip Lahm is no flight of fancy. But alongside him, left back Morgan Fox still has doubters, sceptics he answered with another solid display, to which he added the flourish of his first goal for the club. Receiving Watt’s pass to the left of Green’s goal, he glanced up to measure line and length and from a cricket pitch’s distance, crashed a swerving drive inside the right post. There’s no celebration to match that of a maiden goal scored by one of your own and The Valley raised its roof in homage.

Rangers were a well-beaten side, though they might well recover in time to join the Championship pacesetters. Their best efforts at least gave Nick Pope an opportunity to reassure Luzon that the prolonged absence of Stephen Henderson need not be the disaster predicted by many. Pope’s flying first half save from Tjaron Chery’s blockbuster was outstanding, while his instinctive reaction to Matt Phillips’ close range missile after Jamie Mackie had opened up the Addicks on the left, was equally important.

So there you have it, the Ashes regained in the morning, further ashes in West London mouths in the afternoon. All it needed was for Ireland to marmalise Wales in Cardiff. Not that I pay much attention to the rugby, of course.

Charlton: Pope, Solly, Bauer, Diarra, Fox, Kashi, Ba (Bergdich 76), Gudmundsson (Ceballos 89), Cousins. Ahearne-Grant (Watt 46), Makienok. Not used: Mitov, Jackson, Charles-Cook, Lennon. Booked: Diarra, Ba.

QPR: Green, Perch, Onuha, Hill, Luongo, Konchesky, Chery (Emmanuel-Thomas 71), Henry (Faurlin 71), Mackie, Phillips, Austin (Polter 84). Not used: Lumley, Hall, Doughty, Hoilett. Booked: Hill, Konchesky.

Referee: Robert Madley. Att: 19, 469.

Charlton 0 AFC Bournemouth 3 (Ritchie 10,85, Arter 12).

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.

Oozing class and confidence, upwardly mobile AFC Bournemouth put Charlton in their place (which turned out to be bottom of the top half of the Championship) in this embarrassingly one-sided season finale.

Clearly the best side in the division, the rampant visitors’ outstanding campaign was dramatically rubberstamped deep into added time with the galvanic news that Sheffield Wednesday had equalised at title rivals Watford. The Cherries’ perfect day was complete; they were going up as champions. Shame they couldn’t have celebrated their success at their own ground but their gleeful followers had already turned Floyd Road into some corner of a foreign field that is forever Dorset. And anyway there’s twice the room at a gleaming Valley to throw a promotion party. Even the sun made spasmodic efforts to shoulder its way through the oppressive cloud cover and join in but never quite made it.

Provided with some 1400 extra seats after selling out the away end, Bournemouth’s supporters made the most of their unexpected freedom. They seemed to be everywhere. There aren’t many clubs thoughtful enough to evict their own fans from season-ticketed seats to accomodate glory-hunting visitors but that’s Charlton in a nutshell. Decent to a fault, they sought to compensate the dispossessed locals with offers of free food which, when supply disastrously failed to meet demand, proved yet again that there’s no such thing as a free lunch. For their part, the South Coasters rather ungraciously responded by blitzing their benefactors with two goal inside the opening 12 minutes..

Generously welcomed back to his former stamping ground, Yann Kermorgant had a quietly effective game, which began with an assist on Matt Ritchie’s well taken opener. With his back to goal, the burly Breton’s perfectly weighted square pass invited the onrushing Ritchie to bury a firm shot across Stephen Henderson’s bows and into the net off the foot of the left upright.

Already discouragingly in arrears, the last thing Charlton needed was to carelessly concede a second goal before the shock of the first one wore off. But Yoni Buyens compounded their problems by being caught napping in possession by hustling Harry Arter. The former Charlton youth player neatly picked his pocket, promptly closed in on Henderson and left him helpless with a low drive into the bottom left corner. Arter’s ninth goal neatly bookended a season during which his steady improvement placed him among the Championship’s best midfielders.

With their job prematurely done, Eddie Howe’s talented side throttled back and spent almost 75 scoreless minutes toying absentmindedly with their outclassed victims. As the Addicks floundered from one defensive crisis to another, their tormentors queued up at times to score at close range, instead over-elaborated extravagantly and until the diminutive Ritchie claimed his second goal with five minutes remaining, allowed the scoreline to suggest there was a contest going on. It was a measure of the visitors’ superiority that despite being patronised, Charlton were never in with a chance of reducing their arrears. The gap separating the sides was far too wide.

Still only 37, the deeply impressive Howe now faces a formidable challenge in the Premier League. It’s de rigeur to predict that promoted sides are destined to struggle at top level but history justifies pessimism. But the Cherries will give it a go and, before leaving, showed Charlton what it takes to climb out of the Championship. With their kaleidoscopic movement, intuitive passing and clinical finishing which fell just two short of 100 league goals, they’re quite a side. The Premier League will be graced by their presence.

So Charlton’s uneven season concluded with two depressing performances, neither of which will have pleased Guy Luzon. When the Israeli took over in the immediate aftermath of a 5-0 thumping at Watford on January 17th, the Addicks were in 17th position before subsequently slumping to 20th in the wake of a 3-2 home defeat by Norwich. A steady improvement began with the 3-0 dismantling of Brentford four days later and relegation was comfortably avoided with several games to spare. That’s acceptable this term but it won’t cut the mustard next time around, not if there’s any ambition at board level.

Luzon’s post-game comments suggested that he will be at the helm again when hostilities resume. A period of managerial stability will be a welcome change but Addicks fans will be watching the comings and goings of players with even keener interest. A summer of organic team-building and a competitive pre-season are expected to launch a serious attempt to emulate Bournemouth’s example. It’s time Charlton fans looked upward. Relegation is unthinkable, mid-table security no longer an option. Let’s go for it, Guy!

Charlton: Henderson, Solly, Ben Haim, Johnson, Fox, Gudmundsson, Diarra (Gomez 69),  Buyens, Bulot (Eagles 69), Watt, Vetokele (Church 39). Not used: Etheridge, Bikey, Wiggins, Lennon. Booked: Diarra, Johnson. 

Bournemouth: Boruc, Francis, Cook, Elphick, Daniels, Pugh (Smith 69), Arter (Gosling 62), Surman, Ritchie, Kermorgant (Jones 82), Wilson. Not used: Allsop, Pitman, Fraser, Ward.

Referee: Neil Swarbrick. Att: 21,280 (4,668 visiting).

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).

Charlton 2 (Watt 74, Buyens (pen) 79 Leeds United 1 (Morison 40).

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.

This “meaningless” mid-table match lived down to its promise during a first half of soporific inertia, from which Leeds emerged with a lead supplied for them by a goal of stunning quality which stood out incongruously in the dross surrounding it. Not that Charlton seemed to care much until Guy Luzon presumably got among them during an awkward interval. It seems to have worked because the second half saw an entirely different kettle of Addicks.

Led by ex-Charlton employee Neil Redfearn, in temporary charge at Elland Road until dodgy chairman Massimo Cellini completes his current Football League ban on May 4th, United showed up without six overseas stars who claimed implausibly to be hors de combat for various reasons. It was either an appalling stroke of misfortune or a contemptuous slap in the face for Redfearn, who had already lost his assistant, Steve Thompson, to suspension during a week which was self destructive even by Leeds United’s chaotic standards.

Proving not for the first time that no love is as blind as that of a supporter for his/her football club, over 3,000 fans followed United down from Yorkshire to leave nobody in doubt that their loyalty was unquestioned and their respect for fellow Yorkshireman Redfearn unconditional. His hastily reshuffled team did their camp followers proud in the early going.
Former Crewe midfielder Luke Murphy should have capped the visitors’ bright start but made a volleyed hash of converting the chance made for him by young hot shot Alex Mowatt’s cross and Steve Morison’s headed flick. Morison’s inadvertent shins then blocked a lazy clearance by Stephen Henderson as the Addicks reverted briefly to needless interpassing in front of their own goal but the ball rebounded an uncomfortable yard wide of the grateful goalkeeper’s left post.

As the Whites continued to set the pace, Morison’s striking sidekick Billy Sharp headed Sam Byram’s precise centre tamely over the bar before Tal Ben Haim popped up at the other end with a speculative shot which Igor Vetokele diverted on to an upright, then hastily retreated to his defensive post to crudely chop down Byram as the academy graduate aggressively crossed the 18-yard line.

Stepping up to take the penalty, Sharp hit his shot firmly but within reach of Henderson, who brought the house down by turning the ball onto his left-hand post at full stretch. His marvellous save unfortunately protected equality for just three more minutes.

Scorer of two stunning long range goals during the 2-2 draw these sides shared at Elland Road in November, highly rated academy graduate Mowatt came desperately close to punishing a foul committed by Yoni Buyens with a curling free kick which the indiarubber Henderson turned aside at the expense of a right wing corner. Charlton’s luck, as it turned out, had unfortunately just run out.

Murphy’s outswinger was aimed deliberately for the penalty spot where Morison met it with a searing sideways-on volley which the defiant Henderson managed to touch as it screamed into the top left corner. Morison’s habit of scoring against Charlton remains unbroken. Mind you, he also scored for the Addicks in a 4-4 draw with the club that dare not speak its name but that hardly balances the books.

Also twice a scorer in the 2-2 draw last year, Johann Berg Gudmundsson was oddly benched while Charlton sleepwalked through a dire first half. With only three games left in the season, the hungry playmaker hardly needs rest as he proved by replacing the subdued Chris Eagles and inspiring a stirring rally. The chances arrived thick and fast as first Vetokele badly sliced Tony Watt’s clever pass wide, then Yoni Buyens’ curling effort forced Stuart Taylor to produce a smart diving save. United were beginning to creak by the time Gudmundsson stepped inside Scott Wootton to pick out Watt wide of the far post with a sumptuous centre. The Scot’s neatly cushioned volley beat Taylor on its way into the far corner and Charlton were level. But parity was not enough for the hungry Gudmundsson.

Pursued by a posse of anxious defenders as he dribbled parallel to their goal, the Icelandic playmaker found space to unleash one of those stinging left-footed shots which have brought him eleven goals this season. Diving to his left, Taylor could only push the ball away but looked favourite to complete the save as he sought to regain his feet. Reaching the rebound before the struggling keeper, however, Vetokele nicked possession but was clumsily brought down by Taylor as he moved clear of his challenge.

Watt briefly fancied the penalty but in Yoni Buyens, the Addicks already have a deadeye spotkick taker. Taylor became the eighth goalkeeper this season to head one way as Buyens’ perfect penalty was stylishly clipped home in the opposite direction. The matchwinner crowned an excellent contribution from the rangy Belgian – one of many during Charlton’s “meaningful” second half. Comfortably mid-table or not, winning always beats losing. Its a good habit to get into…the alternative’s an equally hard one to break.

Charlton: Henderson, Solly, Ben Haim, Gomez, Fox, Eagles (Gudmundsson 46), Diarra (Cousins 11), Buyens, Bulot, Watt, Vetokeke (Church 90). Not used: Etheridge, Wiggins, Johnson, Lepoint. Booked: Vetokele, Watt.

Leeds United: Stuart Taylor, Wootton, Cooper, Bamba, Charlie Taylor, Murphy, Austin,
Byram (Dawson 88), Mowatt. Sharp (Montenegro 84), Morison. Not used: Cairns, Ngoyi, Berardi, Sloth, Phillips.

Referee: T. Harrington Att: 18,053 (3140 visiting).

Charlton 1 (Gudmundsson 16) Fulham 1 (McCormack 8).

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.

The point earned by each of these sides from this lively derby had wider significance on sober reflection. Not only did this result rubberstamp Charlton’s place in the Championship next season but it moved Fulham eight points clear of the choppy relegation waters beneath them. Millwall and Rotherham look likely to dispute the last place in the lifeboat, with Wigan Athletic not yet drowning but waving feebly in struggling to stay afloat.

Having contributed their usual three points to Millwall’s fighting fund on Good Friday, Charlton pulled themselves together sufficiently to keep Fulham still hanging on for safety. A predictable draw was accepted as fair by all bar Fulham boss Kit Symons, who might have had a point in complaining about Charlton’s “offside” equaliser but was possibly massaging the truth a little in claiming that the officials had apologised for their “mistake.” Any witnesses, Kit? It just seems a bit unlikely.

Symons’ side, with so much more to play for than their hosts, were still enjoying their early lead when Tony Watt’s clever dummy over Igor Vetokele’s pass made space for aggressive left back Morgan Fox to cross dangerously from the left touchline. From a suspiciously offside position near the penalty spot, Federic Bulot swung and missed, leaving later arrival Johann Berg Gudmundsson to filch his 10th goal of the season at the far post. Had Bulot made contact, no doubt the goal would have been disallowed but he didn’t and under the wider interpretation of the offside law, was considered inactive. Try telling that to goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli, who was clearly distracted by Bulot’s presence in his eyeline.Those are the breaks, of course, and Symons might be seeking explanations from an arms-aloft defence which was conspicuously absent as both Bulot and Gudmundsson confronted Bettinelli.

Though it seemed unlikely at the time, the talented Icelandic’s effort ended the scoring, with the few chances created but spurned by both sides under an equal opportunities system.

Off to a positive start, the Cottagers adopted Route One as the best way forward in grabbing an 8th minute lead. Centre back Michael Turner, once of this parish, launched a lusty clearance into Charlton’s penalty area, which lured Stephen Henderson into rashly leaving his line. Beating the stranded keeper to his punch, Matt Smith backheaded cleverly for Ross McCormack to loop a precise header into the far corner of a vacated net.

Sent through by Danny Guthrie shortly afterwards, McCormack’s angled shot was splendidly blocked by Tal Ben Haim before Gudmundsson missed a chance to double his tally in circumstances almost identical to his opener.

Bewildering footwork by Watt inside their 18-yard line panicked Fulham’s defence, with Vetkele picking up the pieces and squaring unselfishly for Gudmundsson to tap in at the far post. This time, the prolific midfielder missed the target with a right foot which suffers in comparison with his wand attached to his other leg. He hit the net but sadly on its wrong side.

Scott Parker, another bygone graduate from Charlton’s Sparrows Lane hothouse, kept the West Londoners ticking with his usual repertoire of cultured passing. Dutifully booed for every touch, the still youthful veteran shook off the frankly embarrassing abuse until, in the last minute, after being chopped down by Fox near the right corner flag, he chose to react. A lecture about swearing in front of kids was delivered to some local hero, who was running off at the mouth. Where’s the anonymity of a crowd when you need it most?

There was still some life left in the action, meanwhile, and the best chance of nicking all three points fell to the towering Smith, who snatched at a glorious close range opening but blasted it over the bar. And then, in added time, a needless foul on substitute Alex Kacaniklic gave McCormack a last gasp free kick, which he sent spiralling over the bar. So a draw it was despite Symons’ plaintive cri de coeur about the offside law. You feel for him but he really must keep up. It was amended years ago and has created confusion ever since.

Charlton: Henderson, Gomez, Johnson, Ben Haim, Fox, Gudmundsson, Diarra, Cousins, Bulot (Eagles 69), Vetokele (Church 79), Watt. Not used: Dmitrovic, Bikey, Wiggins, Lennon. Lepoint. Booked: Ben Haim.

Fulham: Bettinelli, Hoogland, Turner, Burn, Husband, Guthrie (Kacaniklic 67), Parker, Tunnicliffe, Kavanagh (Ruiz 67), Smith, McCormack. Not used: Kiraly, Stafylidis, Woodrow, Rodallega, Donnelly. Booked: Parker, Burn.

Referee: A. Madley. Att: 16,521 (1620 visiting).

Millwall 2 (Gueye 79, Hooiveld 87) Charlton 1 (Diarra 68).

Kevin Nolan reports from The Den.

The mismatch was obvious. It pitted 12th placed Charlton, free scoring winners of seven of their last nine games against relegation haunted Millwall, languishing in 23rd place and without a home win since October 25th. No contest really. Charlton were up against it.
Since Neil Harris took over, the Lions’ improvement had still to be rewarded with a win. And trailing 10-men Charlton 1-0 with eleven minutes left in this scruffy local derby, it seemed their wait would go on. Naturally, though, the Addicks couldn’t see it out. No change there then.

Millwall’s appointment of Harris might have been made just in time to save them. The blowhard rhetoric of his predecessor Ian Holloway had been sucking them inexorably into the relegation rapids. His “my way or the highway” ravings, the early-season demand that his players sign contracts of commitment, not to mention his cringeworthy claim to blood brotherhood with chairman John Berylson, were embarrassing enough. The adoption of a large black flat cap completed the ersatz Cockney image.

Before he made off with Berylson’s shilling, Holloway left Harris with a difficult task, which was eased by this dramatic victory over habitual patsies. It was gained the hard way over opponents who could hardly be accused of not trying but having less to lose, simply didn’t want it as much as these fully committed Lions. It’s an old, wearisome story.

Unchanged from the side which gave promotion seekers Brentford a large fright in their last fixture, Millwall bossed the early exchanges, with Lee Gregory an old-fashioned toecap away from converting Ed Upson’s fine cross. Upson himself should have done better than head a precise centre from Dan Harding over the bar while, at the other end, Johann Berg Gudmundsson’s angled delivery was turned into the sidenet by a straining Chris Eagles.

There wasn’t much in it before the dismissal just past the half hour of an unusually belligerent Chris Solly tipped the balance in Millwall’s favour. A brutal fusillade of point blank shots which saw Martyn Woolford’s drive blocked by Joe Gomez near the goalline and Jimmy Abdou’s follow-up effort similarly thwarted seemed to be resolved by the boom viciously lowered by Aiden O’Brien which beat Stephen Henderson. Behind his keeper Solly kept the ball out with either his face (his version) or an upflung arm (according to referee Mick Russell). Blood from a cut lip was offered as evidence of the right back’s innocence but received scant sympathy from Russell who pointed to the spot before ordering off Charlton’s captain. Once the mayhem subsided came the small matter of the penalty, which Gregory placed too near Henderson and was saved comfortably. An opportunity had been missed but Millwall’s consolation was easy to find. They now had an hour to break down ten men, something they found increasingly hard to do.

Henderson’s defiance continued with a splendid save at full length to turn aside a crisp shot on the turn from Upson and the keeper continued his fine work with another plunging stop to foil Shaun Williams after the break. Gudmundsson replied for the handicapped visitors by curling a snapshot narrowly wide before, halfway through the second period, the Addicks defied logic by grabbing the lead.

A more than capable deputy for Rhoys Wiggins recently, Morgan Fox’s ability to cross accurately is hardly a secret. The peach he delivered after checking inside from the left touchline was cleverly flicked across David Forde and neatly inside the far post by Alou Diarra. With Good Friday results favouring them elsewhere, Millwall’s big chance to make progress seemed to be eluding them. But they were far from finished as it turned out.

The arrival of Nicky Bailey, booed for some reason by the visiting fans, steadied the Lions. But it was another substitute, Magaye Gueye, who made the vital difference. His whiplashed shot from an awkward angle arrowed through legs and left Henderson helpless in finding the opposite bottom corner. It seemed that Charlton had snatched a draw from the jaws of victory; eight minutes later they went one worse by snatching defeat from the jaws of that draw. Gueye again caused panic and Jos Hooiveld prodded home the winger’s wayward shot through a crowded six-yard box. If you knew your history, the turnaround came as little surprise.

So plus ca bloody change…but at least it was Harris celebrating rather than that badge-kissing carpetbagger Holloway. Losing hurts but having him crow about it would be too much. Him and his “Millwall (or wherever he lays his hat), love it or leave it” shtick.

Millwall: Forde, Cummings, Hooiveld, Nelson, Harding (Maierhofer 69), Williams, Upson (Bailey 76), Abdou (Gueye 67), Woolford, Gregory, O’Brien. Not used: Archer, Dunne, Beevers, Taylor-Fletcher. Booked: Hooiveld, Woolford, Williams.

Charlton: Henderson, Solly, Gomez, Johnson, Fox, Cousins, Diarra, Gudmundsson, Eagles (Bikey 32), Vetokele (Bulot 72), Watt (Church 78). Not used: Dmitrovic, Wiggins, Lennon. Lepoint. Booked: Solly. Sent off: Solly.

Referee: Mick Russell. Att: 14,722 (2235 visiting).

Charlton 3 (Buyens 58, pen, 70, Church 80) Reading 2 (Pogrebnyak 40,90).

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.

With pressure no longer an issue, carefree Charlton treated their delighted fans to a feast of wildly entertaining, if sometimes harum-scarum football. Cup semi-finalists Reading were torn to pieces at times but somehow led at half-time, reduced their eventual arrears to a single goal in second half added time, then prolonged the unnecessary agony until Garath McCleary’s last gasp free kick floated into the grateful arms of Stephen Henderson.

Despite the mournful bleatings of Reading manager Steve Clarke, who laid his side’s defeat squarely at the feet of referee Darren Deadman, truth is the visitors were outclassed. Spared a heavier setback by missed chances and some heroic last ditch defending, the disgruntled boss nevertheless saw conspiracy everywhere, particularly in the circumstances through which the Addicks equalised the first of Pavel Pogrebnyak’s goals shortly after half-time.

Clashing with Tony Watt in dealing with a routine cross from Chris Eagles, Michael Hector inexplicably swiped the ball clear with a flailing hand. There were few complaints from the Royals at the time but Clarke built a case around a phantom push, which apparently persuaded his young defender to unwisely use his hand rather than his head. From the spot, Yoni Buyens easily beat Adam Federici to make it seven successful penalties this season.

“The penalty was another poor decision by the referee,” grumbled the doleful Clarke, “but you get plenty of them in this division. Then Danny Williams was sent off although his first yellow card was soft because he won the ball.” It didn’t seem the time to mention that Williams, with a booking to his name already, was clearly a mug to engage in unpleasantries with Watt, who clearly had a lot less to lose. Or to advise Hector to keep his hands to himself.

But enough of Clarke’s bitter bellyaching. His side was given a rare chasing during the first half, as Guy Luzon’s re-vamped squad, minus outstanding right back Chris Solly, who was injured during the warm-up, and top scorer Igor Vetokele, rested in a bid to regain full fitness, frequently toyed with them. The hosts’ zestful pass-and-move was impressive and lacked only a goal to ram home their superiority. Five minutes before the break, Pogrebnyak reminded us that scoring is still the point of the game. Benefitting from a helpful penalty area ricochet, the towering Russian turned to plant a low drive past Henderson before both sides headed for the dressing room to work out how they had mutually contrived such a misleading scoreline.

Resuming with clear intent, Charlton missed a couple of chances before Hector crucially intervened. A cute pass from Frederic Bulot set up an accurate cross from Morgan Fox, which Watt shinned awkwardly over the bar at the far post. Then Buyens’ glorious ball picked out Johan Berg Gudmundsson, whose cross was headed down by Bulot for Buyens but Hector’s brave block thwarted his point blank shot. It was looking a little like “one of those days” until Hector offered his helping hand. It was downhill fast for Reading from then on.

Eagles headed Gudmundsson’s precise centre wastefully over the bar but the reprieve was brief. A swooping cross from the superb Joe Gomez was skilfully swept home by the equally impressive Buyens as scoring suddenly seemed a piece of cake. As the Berkshire Royals sagged, a perfect cutback from Buyens set up substitute Simon Church but Federici brilliantly blocked the point blank effort.

Church had scored his first goal of the season in the midweek mauling of Blackpool and duly doubled his tally thanks to the persistence and skill of Watt. Forcing his way along the right byline, the charismatic Scot left a trail of toiling defenders in his wake and engineered the tap-in which Church bundled over the line. Curious “celebration” from the scorer, though. All that faux-modesty and finger-to-lips hushing of the North Stand. Might have been more appropriate to salute Watt’s magnificent contribution than to spare the feelings of a former club which no longer pay your wages. It was bloody embarrassing.

Pogrebnyak’s second scruffy goal in the fourth of five added minutes distorted the scoreline but meant little. The Addicks won this game with something to spare and the ingredients are in place for a serious crack at promotion in 2015-16, assuming, of course, that Luzon’s side won’t be broken up and shipped elsewhere. Bulot’s emergence has been dramatic, Buyens has come into his own, while Gudmundsson is one classy operator. At 17 years of age, Gomez is already the real deal, while, in Jordan Cousins, Charlton have a diamond on their hands. And Watt partnered with Vetokele – could be tasty next season. But why wait until then? Good Friday provides the perfect stage on which to strut their stuff because there’s still important business to take care of this season. Go get ’em, Guy!

Charlton: Henderson, Gomez, Diarra, Johnson, Fox, Cousins, Buyens, Gudmundsson, Bulot, Eagles (Church 68), Watt (Lepoint 88). Not used: Dmitrovic, Bikey, Lennon. Ahearne-Grant. Booked: Buyens, Watt.

Reading: Federici, Gunter, Pearce, Hector, Obita, Robson-Kanu (Blackman 83), McCleary, Norwood (Karacan 63), Williams, Mackie, Pobrebnyak. Not used: Andersen, Akpan, Taylor, Cooper, Stacey. Booked: Norwood, Hector. Sent off: Hector.

Referee: Darren Deadman. Att: 15,007 (953 visiting).

Charlton 1 (Buyens 57,pen) Blackburn Rovers 3 ( Rhodes 15,78 Conway 18)

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.

Charlton’s modest but perfectly timed three-game winning streak at The Valley was broken by in-form Blackburn, who beat them for the third time this season with something to spare.
And that something to spare was the force of nature that is Jordan Rhodes. Scorer of both goals in Rovers 2-0 win at Ewood Park back in November, Rhodes again delivered the goods with two more strikes which more or less decided the issue further south.

With 149 goals in only 277 league games prior to kick-off, Rhodes wasted little time in rounding off his total to an impressive 150 by opening the scoring after just 15 minutes. His goal, from Charlton’s point of view, was a double disaster but provided us with yet another example of the clinical finishing this sharpshooter has made his trademark.

What possessed the normally impeccable Chris Solly to add a gratuitous touch to a ball which was proceeding out of play for a Charlton throw will be a matter for the right back’s conscience but the visitors were ruthless in turning his absentminded error to advantage. Tommy Spurr’s quick throw picked out Rhodes on the move and the danger man brushed past the challenge of an off balance Tal Ben Haim, drew a bead and beat Stephen Henderson with a low drive in off the far post. Apparently Rhodes’ lack of blistering pace has deterred serious interest from the Premier League. Their bleeding loss.

Badly shaken by the early setback, Charlton were rocked by a second goal just three minutes later. And if the opener could be traced to indecisive defending, Craig Conway’s excellent strike was the result of an inexplicable howler of Roger Johnson’s making. Apparently hypnotised by Yoni Buyens’ routine pass, Johnson’s hand was first attracted to the ball, then hastily withdrawn as he froze on the spot. Nipping in behind the stricken centre back, Conway matched the quality of Rhodes’ finish with a crisp, low shot into the far corner.

Two down against more than useful opponents, the Addicks pulled themselves together and chased an already lost cause. Never reluctant to carry the fight, Tony Watt continued his aggressive form, his well judged pass releasing Igor Vetokele to clip the bar from an awkward angle. Before the interval, the confident Glaswegian closed down a careless back pass but was crowded out by goalkeeper Jason Steele and a posse of panicky defenders. He’s a rare handful and difficult to discourage.

Early inroads into Rovers’ lead were vital to the home side’s chances and 12 minutes into the second half, the visitors showed vulnerability of their own. Gamely chasing Jordan Cousins’ ball over the top, Vetokele was mown down by Steele, who escaped with a yellow card due to the close proximity of several colleagues. As deadly a penalty taker as any seen in a Charlton shirt recently, Buyens cleverly changed his high-and-clipped technique, sent Steele the wrong way and gave him no chance with a sidefooted shot into the bottom right corner. All six of the playmaker’s goals have been scored from the spot, while Johann Berg Gudmundsson proved himself, in Buyens’ absence at Leeds in November, to be a 12-yard expert in his own right. That’s seven successful penalties for Charlton this season. They have yet to concede one.

With their arrears now manageable, the Addicks briefly called the tune. Frederic Bulot was a thorn in Blackburn’s right flank, his measured cross after stepping inside right back Adam Henley on the left touchline perfectly flighted for Vetokele at the far post. A carbon copy of the top scorer’s wonderful goal at Wigan seemed certain as Vetokele leapt prodigiously but this time powered his header against the crossbar.

No longer sure of themselves, Rovers were ripped apart shortly afterwards by Vetokele’s cute pass which sent Watt sprinting clear of centre back Alex Baptiste to confront an advancing Steele. Choosing his moment to shoot, the talismanic Scot beat the keeper but also the left hand post by two feet. After his brief flirtation with infallibility, Watt had revealed himself to be human after all. It’s unlikely Rhodes would have fluffed the chance.

Speaking of whom, Blackburn’s goal machine sealed the issue 12 minutes from time. Almost in slow motion, he dispassionately headed home substitute Chris Taylor’s deflected cross as Charlton’s defence stood watching helplessly. When a late Watt effort was scrambled off the line, it was clear this was not to be their day. So still two more points needed for unofficial security…..piece of cake. They don’t play Blackburn every week.

Charlton: Henderson, Solly, Ben Haim, Johnson, Fox, Cousins, Buyens (Church 83), Gudmundsson, Bulot (Eagles 73), Vetokele, Watt. Not used: Dmitrovic, Wilson, Gomez, Bikey, Diarra. Booked: Fox.

Blackburn: Steele, Henley, Baptiste, Henry (Spearing 70), Spurr, Conway (Taylor 21), Williamson (Evans 63), Cairney, Marshall, Rhodes, Brown. Not used: Eastwood, Songo’O, Lenihan, Gestede. Booked: Brown, Steele.

Referee: C. Breakspear. Att: 14,888 (703 visiting).

Charlton 2 (Bulot 7,38) Notts Forest 1 (Antonio 14).

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.

Still flushed with success after demolishing Huddersfield three days previously, a sadly depleted Charlton stepped up to face the more daunting visit of bang-in-form Nottingham Forest on a frigid Tuesday evening. And local joy was unconfined as the Addicks sent Dougie Freedman’s men back to the Trent with their tails between their legs. You could say they were a bit lucky. You could also say that their victory was down to their never-say-die attitude. What you can’t say is that it was undeserved.

There was initial dismay as local fans were greeted with the news that Chris Solly, Roger Johnson and Johann Berg Gudmundsson had swelled an extensive injury list which includes long-term absentees Rhoys Wiggins, Johnnie Jackson and Franck Moussa, with Tal Ben Haim a more recent victim. Guy Luzon ‘s resourcefulness was severely tested but there was always the titanic presence of Jordan Cousins to console him. Surely a runaway Player of the Year winner, Cousins covered every inch of a perfect playing surface in his side’s cause. His 21st birthday on Friday means we can’t refer to him as a kid any more which, as a footballer, he hasn’t been for at least two years. A superb professional this man.

Shuffling his deck, Luzon brought in Alou Diarra to replace Johnson at centre back, with Lawrie Wilson deputising at right back for Solly and Callum Harriott slotting in for midfield playmaker Gudmundsson. When Wilson began the action with a ferocious shot stinging Karl Darlow’s hands shortly before Frederic Bulot put Charlton into a 7th minute lead, the early signs were encouraging. That impression didn’t last but first things first.

Already a cult figure at The Valley, Tony Watt brought with him the same swagger which destroyed Huddersfield. His lateral solo run left to right along the 18-yard line was rudely interrupted by Jamaal Lascelles, whose crude challenge earned him a booking. Punishment fitted crime for once as Bulot assumed Gudmundsson’s setpiece duties and curled a superb free kick into the top left corner.

The born-again Bulot had provided the perfect start but it became quickly apparent that burly wide man Michail Antonio had the beating of Wilson on the left and that Harriott could offer little comfort to his beleaguered colleague in nullifying the winger’s menace. Neither offered much resistance as Antonio cut inside them to pick his spot for a low drive which beat Stephen Henderson and found the far bottom corner to equalise.

Antonio was briefly unplayable and stepping inside Wilson, his dangerous centre was headed clear by Diarra from under Henderson’s crossbar. The keeper was anything but convincing in clearing Chris Burke’s resultant corner, then was thankful that Henri Lansbury’s fierce drive travelled untouched through a crowd on its way inches wide of the far post. Possibly still rattled, Henderson made a meal of fumbling Antonio’s innocuous effort as the Addicks struggled to stay level.

Destined for replacement at the interval, both Wilson and Harriott had at least the satisfaction of first combining to create the matchwinner for Bulot. Harriott’s pass was expertly timed to send an overlapping Wilson clear of left back Danny Fox, providing space for Wilson’s low cross to pick out Bulot unmarked in the penalty area. The Gabon international did the rest with a silky first touch setting up the crisp shot which whistled past a helpless Darlow.

Luzon’s anticipated changes involved the introduction of Andre Bikey to take over from Joe Gomez alongside Diarra with the 17 year-old prodigy moving to right back to replace Wilson on the hour. Chris Eagles came in for the mildly injured Harriott.

A series of corners, taken from both sides by Chris Burke, put the Addicks under early second half pressure but it was from Ben Osborn’s precise cross that Matty Fryatt should have equalised, his tame header sailing over the bar. Gomez, meanwhile, was also finding Antonio a handful and the Addicks escaped when the South Londoner’s cross richocheted off Diarra before bouncing harmlessly wide off Fryatt. With the visitors in control, Osborne’s clever turn bamboozled Yoni Buyens but the midfielder’s curling effort missed its target by inches. Bikey’s typically brave block foiled Burke and Fryatt again missed an acceptable chance from Osborn’s perfect cross.

And before you knew it, the fourth official was indicating three minutes of added time, all but 30 seconds of which were spent next to the left corner flag, where Watt’s impudent trickery drove Forest to distraction and Freedman to apopletic frustration. Both Eric Lichaj and Antonio picked up bookings for aiming wild kicks at the cocky Glaswegian and Freedman might have joined in if he could have got at him. It left only time for Henderson to confidently claim Burke’s last gasp corner before Charlton’s victory against the odds was confirmed. Against the odds, largely against the run of play. But magificent and stirring too.

Charlton: Henderson, Wilson (Bikey 46), Diarra, Gomez, Fox, Harriott (Eagles 46), Buyens, Cousins, Bulot, Vetokele (Lepoint 88), Watt. Not used: Dmitrovic, Church, Lennon, Ahearne-Grant.

Forest: Darlow, Lichaj, Collins, Lascelles, Fox, Gardner (Vaughan 66), Burke, Osborn, Lansbury (Veldwijk 79), Antonio, Fryatt (Blackstock 71). Not used: De Vries, Mancienne, Wilson, Paterson. Booked: Lascelles, Lansbury, Lichaj, Antonio.

Referee: S. Hooper. Att: 14,937 (1,559 visiting)