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Charlton 3 (Gudmundsson 33, Watt 48, 71) Huddersfield Town 0.

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.

On an afternoon of raw emotion, Chris Powell came home on Saturday, his path smoothed by a diplomatic declaration that he had “moved on” from his contentious dumping almost exactly a year ago.

Now at the helm of Huddersfield Town, Powell’s welcome, though warm and heartfelt by the vast majority of a bumper football-for-a-fiver crowd, was qualified by current circumstances. Though Charlton had eased their relegation worries recently, the Addicks are not quite safe yet and there’s a limit to the goodwill on offer to visiting managers. Even your author, an ardent admirer of Powell as man, manager and tunnel jump pioneer, wished him well only to a point, then prayed for his side to be mullered by the local heroes. So much for sentimentality; so much less for the protocol of press box neutrality. When the chips are down, dog savages dog and the beautiful game turns ugly.

The old pro knows how it works. He would readily accept that neither player, manager, supporter nor some short-lived owner with a undisclosed business plan, is more important than the club itself, particularly one being run with all the opaqueness of a freemasons’ lodge by a humourless bloke spotted around the place about as regularly as Damon Runyon’s Seldom Seen Kid.

So The Valley paid its dues to one of its own, then turned its attention to the apparently even-money clash between Powell’s Terriers and the Addicks of Guy Luzon, Charlton’s still-new manager (shalom, Guy, but it might be wise not to unpack completely yet) following the bum’s rush given to Jose Riga and Bob Peeters. And, boy, did the Israeli justify his assertion that winning beautiful rather than ugly was dear to his heart.

For once a moving third minute’s applause had warmed Powell’s cockles, Charlton settled down to take Town apart. Their movement was non-stop, their passing intuitive, their appetite for the ball insatiable. Not a weak link marred their performance, with the recently off-form Yoni Buyens and much-maligned left back Morgan Fox stepping up to do their bit. And when an underworked Stephen Henderson was called upon to contribute, his second half saves from Jack Robinson and, more miraculously at full stretch from Murray Wallace’s “cert” explained why three clean sheets have been achieved in four games since the big keeper returned from a 3-month injury absence.

In front of Henderson, Chris Solly’s right back excellence can be assumed while the new centre half pairing of 17 year old Joe Gomez and twice as old Roger Johnson scarcely put a foot or head wrong. With the game still scoreless, Johnson’s recklessly brave block on Ishmael Miller sent the visitors a message that Charlton’s irresistible artistry was matched by a steely determination to do what was necessary to defend their goal at all costs. Shielding them, meanwhile, with his usual wholeheartedness and positional awareness, Jordan Cousins put in another prodigious shift.

But it was the stylish smoothness of Johann Berg Gudmundsson, with the reborn Frederic Bulot his skilful ally, who encouraged the ceaseless running and interchanging from Tony Watt and Igor Vetokele which doomed Huddersfield to defeat. Gudmundsson is a delight to watch but even he was overshadowed on this enjoyable occasion by the dynamic Watt.

The ex-Celtic striker was a headache the Terriers couldn’t shake off. Vetokele had already squandered a good chance set up by his partner when Watt’s latest foray was crudely checked by outwitted Mark Hudson’s foul. The 30-yard free kick was tailored precisely for Gudmundsson’s wand of a left foot and the ball was nestling in the top right corner almost before Alex Smithies had reacted to the danger.

After Ishmael Miller had pulled a rare chance wide for the Yorkshiremen, Vetokele’s weak effort from Bulot’s pass failed to trouble Smithies and Watt ended his buccaneering first half by bursting through to riffle the sidenet.

Any fears that Charlton, though overwhemingly superior, hadn’t quite sealed the deal were laid to rest three minutes after the break when Bulot’s fine pass sent Vetokele accelerating away from Robinson on the left flank. The Angolan’s square pass was slightly behind Watt, who made light of swivelling to plant an improvised drive into the bottom left corner of Smithies’ net.

All that Charlton’s outstanding display required was a final flourish, a detail inevitably taken care of by the on-fire Watt. With 19 minutes remaining, the charismatic Scot drove at the heart of Town’s demoralised defence, shrugging aside a series of halfhearted challenges before finishing almost casually past a by now shellshocked Smithies. A fine solo goal.

Luzon, though naturally pleased by what he’d overseen, was impressively matter-of-fact in declining to rate the performance as Charlton’s best under his tenure. The demolition of promotion candidates Brentford was mentioned but the message that quality as much as quantity matters to him is clear. He’s off to a solid start and maybe he’ll last. He’s shrewd and likeable and the fans will take to him. Then possibly we can bid farewell to all the uncertainty which has undermined this fine old football club for a year now.

It’s been a right ‘mare for the supporters. A Flanders ‘mare in many ways.

Charlton: Henderson, Solly, Gomez, Johnson, Fox, Gudmundsson (Wilson 54), Cousins, Buyens, Bulot (Diarra 75), Vetokele, Watt (Eagles 81). Not used: Dmitrovic, Bikey, Church, Lepoint. Booked: Gomez, Cousins.

Huddersfield: Smithies, Robinson, Hudson, Wallace, Edgar (Smith 64), Scannell, Butterfield, Hogg (Coady 64), Bunn (Lolley 72), Vaughan, Miller. Not used: Murphy, Carroll, Gobern, Majewski. Booked: Robinson.

Referee: James Linington. Att: 25,545 (2,151 visiting).

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Charlton 1 (Gudmundsson 88) Cardiff City 1 (Adeyemi 12).

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.

A goal down to Cardiff City and on their way out at half-time, 10-man Charlton mustered a rousing second-half rally guaranteed to stir the blood and warm the cockles of a supportive crowd on Boxing Day. But for all their moving courage, they seemed doomed to disappointment as Tom Adeyemi’s early header continued to separate these sides with just two minutes left on the clock.

Fortunately for the Addicks, Johann Berg Gudmundsson had one more shot left in his locker. The restless bundle of energy seized on a loose ball some 30 yards from goal, moved forward a couple of paces, then thundered an unstoppable drive into the top left corner. “Pick that one out!”, he muttered in his native tongue as The Valley deliriously echoed his sentiments in more mundane Anglo-Saxon terms.

Gudmundsson’s magnificent equaliser was no more than Charlton deserved and might have provided the springboard for an even more dramatic turn of events had Igor Vetokele managed to convert the juiciest of chances deep into four minutes of added time.

Facing only David Marshall after Joni Buyens’ clever dummy allowed Gudmundsson’s pass to send him clear of a bamboozled defence, Vetokele, by overwhelming local choice the right man in the right place at the right time, chose power over precision and blasted wildly over the bar.

Those four added minutes, by the way, can’t pass without comment. After factoring in four second half substitutions and a lengthy goal celebration, it seems that City’s cynical timewasting, which included leisurely touchline-to-touchline journeys for long throw specialist Aron Gunnarsson to do his stuff, was a tactical masterclass. So don’t let anyone tell you that crime doesn’t pay. Except, of course, it came unstuck on this occasion.

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None of Charlton’s late heroics, meanwhile, can entirely gloss over their first half ineptitude. Until George Tucudean smashed Buyens’ cute pass against Marshall’s hands shortly before the break, they had rarely threatened. By that time, they were deservedly both a goal and a man down.

Gunnarsson had wasted little time in demonstrating his prowess with ball in hands, his lusty first minute missile from the right corner flag earning City their first corner. Crossing almost immediately to the opposite flank, where his hosts had thoughtfully provided a gap in the advertising hoardings to aid his momentum, he uncorked a monster which Ben Turner touched on for Ademeyi to bury a header into the roof of the net.

Out-of-sorts, disjointed and bereft of imagination, the Addicks -or Callum Harriott to be precise- compounded their haplessness by making a poor situation worse just past the half hour. A clumsy first touch led Harriott to launch a high, dangerous challenge -in fairness, more the product of incompetence than malice- on Craig Noone. Referee Russell’s red card was inevitable, just about the only decision he got right all afternoon, as wryly observed by Bob Peeters late on.

The manager’s interval message was apparently simple. Charlton had reached rock bottom, their only way was up. And how wholeheartedly his depleted troops, among which Neil Etheridge was making an encouraging debut, responded. Inspired by Gudmundsson, who used Harriott’s departure to move into a free roving role further upfield, they drove the previously dominant Bluebirds to disorganised distraction.

A second half siege began with Tucudean flicking Johnnie Jackson’s inswinging corner against the right post. Growing in confidence and pressing home his case for regular selection, the nimble-footed Rumanian then panicked Sean Morrison into hauling him back by skinning him inside the visitors’ half, an offence for which Morrison might have seen a red rather than the yellow card he received. Gudmundsson came within a whisker of exacting appropriate retribution but his artful free kick clipped the woodwork. The on-fire Icelander then forced a splendid, one-handed save from Marshall with a crisp low drive.

Surely nailed-on to partner Vetokele up front during and also after Harriott’s suspension, Tucudean received from Jordan Cousins, beat Marshall with a subtle flick but was foiled by John Brayford’s cushioned goalline clearance. A rare handful, Tucudean’s shot struck a defensive hand inside the penalty area; no dice was Russell’s response. Short of forcing the ball home by battering ram, there seemed no way to breach the Welsh wall until Gudmundsson’s sublime intervention.

So Christmas went out with a bang. The old Boxing Day fixture never quite had the glamour of Christmas Day but it’s as good as it gets these days. And quite right too. No more chestnuts roasting on a vendor’s open fire, no more Jack Frost nipping off our toes, no more straining to see more than a third of the pitch from behind the inevitable six-footer standing resolutely in front of you on a freezing terrace. Heath and Safety’s taken care of all that. But what they can’t take away is the sheer, animal thrill of a last minute goal in your favour. Nostalgia? -okay, it ain’t quite what it was but it’s still packs a punch. Cheers, JBG. And cheers all of you out there… you are out there, right?

Charlton: Etheridge, Solly, Ben Haim, Bikey, Gomez (Onyewu 56), Gudmundsson, Buyens, Jackson (Vetokele 56), Cousins, Harriott, Tucudean. Not used: Pope, Wilson, Bulot, Fox, Ahearne-Grant. Booked: Solly.

Cardiff, Marshall, Brayford, Morrison, Turner, John, Noone, Gunnarsson, Adeyemi (Ralls 88), Whittingham, LeFondre (Harris 69), Jones. Not used: Moore, Da Silva, Manga, Macheda, Connolly. Booked: Morrison.

Referee: Mick Russell. Att: 17,543 (874 visiting).

Blackburn Rovers 2 (Rhodes 6,19) Charlton 0.

Kevin Nolan reports from Ewood Park.

Horrified witnesses in a packed away end at Fulham two months ago will recognise the key components in Charlton’s latest defensive debacle at Ewood Park. Lacking only the late coup-de-grace applied by the West Londoners’ Hugo Rodellega on that chaotic occasion, this dismal defeat followed an otherwise eerily familiar pattern.

In front of only 318 battlehardened camp followers in the frigid Northwest, the Addicks stuck doggedly to their doctrine of playing out from the back and, as at Craven Cottage, were cruelly punished for their self-indulgence. They were actually served an early warning when Joe Gomez’ misplaced pass led to a chance which Jordan Rhodes fired against Nick Pope’s legs. But they didn’t learn. No more than three minutes later, Rhodes faced Pope again in one-on-one confrontation. It was unlikely that as prolific a marksman would kick a second gift horse in the teeth.

Presumably under strict tactical instructions, Pope’s pass out to Jordan Cousins placed the youngster under unwelcome pressure from Ben Marshall, who neatly abstracted possession before playing in Rhodes to his left. There was to be no second reprieve with the hitman’s careful drive slotted across Pope into the bottom right corner.

The nightmare start almost went from bad to worse when Pope dropped a swirling skyscraper at Rudy Gestede’s feet, hardly recommended practice with an in-form 12-goal striker on hand. Luckily for the badly rattled keeper, Gestede’s instant shot cannoned off Morgan Fox’s head to temporary safety.

By now it was essential that the panicky Londoners settled down before their disadvantage became unmanageable. Before the 20-minute mark, Rhodes disabused them of even that modest ambition.

Alertly on the move as Gestede flicked on Jason Steele’s huge punt, Rhodes brushed through Tal Ben Haim’s tissue-thin resistance, stumbled past a vaguely groping Pope and walked his 10th goal of the season into an empty net. The feeble hurdles he’d surmounted were typical of a first half, in which it’s difficult to recall a single 50-50 challenge won by visitors who have frequently made a virtue of papering over cracks in their ability with spirit and determination.

Not this time. Weak on the ball and unable to cope with Rovers’s unapologetic physicality, Charlton were easy prey for hard but fair opponents. And no case can be made for the extreme youth in their ranks. If you’re good enough, you’re also old enough has been a watchword we’ve come to accept. But you can’t have it both ways. Whatever your age, you’re expected to fight for the right to play. You need to toughen up, Charlton. And look after the ball better.

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So with Blackburn unconcerned with improving their position and with the Addicks clearly incapable of doing anything about it, a turgid encounter dragged on for 70 further minutes. Coming from behind has hardly been one of the virtues of Charlton’s campaign so far but at least the boredom gave us time to ponder Bob Peeters’ growing problems.

Beset by injuries to key players, not to mention the untimely return to Arsenal of Francis Coquelin, a talented midfielder on whom he was beginning to depend, Peeters has shuffled his deck recently. On a needs must basis, Chris Solly has stepped into right central midfield before, in the wake of Saturday’s early collapse, relieving left back Fox, whose confidence must have been shaken by his embarrassing removal on the half hour when, in fact, he was no worse than any of his experienced colleagues.

For what they’re worth, some conclusions can be drawn and suggestions made, among them the immediate return to right back of Solly, with the willing Lawrie Wilson operating in front of him. The re-invention of Callum Harriott as a striker in support of Igor Vetokele must surely be reconsidered, with the skilful, if admittedly lightweight George Tucudean handed another chance. The memory of the last second matchwinning chance the Rumanian expertly laid on for Andre Bikey against Blackpool should be factored in by the manager.

Last but far from least, owner Duchatelet must be persuaded to stick his hand in his sky (that’s yer pocket, Roland) and help out with a signing or two. A large, mobile target man, preferably a sturdy Brit,would be handy for starters before Charlton earn a reputation as a bargain basement outfit with contacts exclusively in Belgium. We can only dream of the likes of Rhodes and Gestede, of course, but the situation is precarious. It’s handy to have 30 points but we can’t stick on them, can we? We need to twist and get 20 more asap. It’s 50 or bust and we all know what that could mean. Doesn’t bear thinking about. Which doesn’t stop me thinking about it.

Blackburn: Steele, Baptiste, Hanley, Duffy, Olsson, Tunnicliffe, Evans, Lowe, (Williamson 49), Marshall (Dunn 76), Gestede (King 76), Rhodes. Not used: Kilgallon, Eastwood, Varney, Conway.

Charlton: Pope, Gomez, Ben Haim, Bikey, Fox (Wilson 30), Buyens, Solly, Cousins (Bulot 73), Gudmundsson, Harriott (Pigott 46), Vetokele. Not used: Etheridge, Onyewu, Tucudean, Ahearne-Grant. Booked: Buyens.

Referee: David Webb.
Att: 12,231.

Charlton 2 (Buyens 38,pen, Cousins 55) Blackpool 2 (Eagles 25, Davies 89)

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley

Steady evolution gave way to sudden revolution on Saturday at The Valley, where Bob Peeters threw off his cautious reputation and confronted the steady erosion of his side with unusual boldness.

Beset by long term injuries to first choice goalkeeper Stephen Henderson, left back ace Rhoys Wiggins and deeply influential skipper Johnnie Jackson, Peeters learned as late as Thursday evening that Arsenal wanted loanee Francis Coquelin back in their ranks on Friday morning. The Gunners were perfectly within their contractual rights but their ruthless behaviour smacked of disrespect for a “smaller” club, which had a moral right to expect more reasonable notice that the loan was to end. No criticism of Coquelin, of course, who departed to resume an occasional career on Arsenal’s bench.

Meanwhile, back to Peeters who, short of donning a Che Guevara beret and rounding it off with a “No pasaran” t-shirt, could hardly have kicked over the traces with more spirited abandon. His new 3-5-2 (or was it 3-5-1-1?) formation featured regular right back Chris Solly in a right central midfield role, while17 year-old prodigy Joe Gomez took over behind him. Novice left back Morgan Fox was pushed forward to wingback as the Addicks were pared down to three at the back. With Callum Harriott and Igor Vetokele carrying the red flag up front, it seemed that visitors Blackpool would be swept away by a tide flooding aggressively over the barricades.

It would have been heartwarming to report the overwhelming success of Peeters’ bold experiment but the reality was rather different. Though Solly settled responsibly to his new duties, the “diamond” we were promised looked more than a bit lopsided. There was little understanding, even less dynamism, no cohesion to speak of. Frankly the laboured diamond began to look more lozenge-shaped as soon as the newly revitalised Seasiders got among them. And a well chewed lozenge at that.

It was Jean Paul Sartre who stopped waffling about other things long enough to maintain that “in football, everything is complicated by the presence of the opposing team”, an inconvenient truth just as conveniently ignored by your grandstand know-alls. It quickly became obvious that Blackpool intended to cheerfully complicate life for the misshapen Addicks. Timing’s the key to football and Lee Clark’s rejuvenated side bears no resemblance to the shambles which offered easy pickings for opponents earlier in a campaign which still looks odds-on to finish in relegation. It wasn’t Charlton’s good fortune to meet them while they were still on offer.

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The visitors’ defiant intentions were signalled as early as the 3rd minute, after Jordan Cousins carelessly tripped Chris Eagles and Jacob Murphy’s swerving free kick was turned aside at full stretch by Nick Pope. Pope was also reliable in getting behind Eagles’ sidefooted effort but rode his luck as Steven Davies was gutbusting inches away from touching Eagles’ swooping diagonal cross past him.

It was an uninspiring start to the uprising and was hardly improved by Vetokele’s poor touch in allowing Cousin’s piercing pass to roll untouched through to Joe Lewis; so it came as no surprise that it was unfancied (14/5 could be had on-line) Blackpool who shocked their supposed betters by snatching the lead.

Still with something to offer at 29, Eagles found space to accept Tom Kennedy’s infield space, his fierce drive earning a right wing corner off Tal Ben Haim; Jamie O’Hara’s inswinger was pawed by Pope on to Nyron Nosworthy’s head and forced over the line by Eagles despite Solly’s goalline resistance. All very scruffy but justified by the run of play.

As the Addicks came into it, O’Hara was booked for upending Cousins but Johann Berg Gudmundsson’s free kick soared harmlessly over the bar. The momentum had shifted, though, and a vital equaliser before the break was secured by Charlton’s fourth successful penalty of the season.

A sweeping move along the left flank was spearheaded by Fox, whose well-timed pass sent Gudmundsson to the byline. The midfielder’s cutback eventually reached Vetokele, who was irresponsibly upended by Peter Clarke. As expected, Yoni Buyens proved ice-cool from the penalty spot.

A rare home win -Charlton’s first since October 21st – seemed assured when the indefatigable Cousins fired them into the lead ten minutes after the break. Picked out by Solly’s square pass 25 yards from goal, the coltish teenager picked his spot and calmly passed the ball into the bottom right corner.

Up front for the visitors, meanwhile, the bustling Davies is exactly the kind of centre forward badly needed by Charlton to support Vetokele. Uncomplicated, direct and physical, he kept plugging away but was in the wrong place at the wrong time as he inadvertently blocked Kevin Foley’s goalbound drive. In the last seconds of normal time, he put matters right with a typical No. 9’s equaliser.

Harshly penalised for fouling Ishmael Miller though he appeared more sinned against than sinning, Andre Bikey conceded the free kick which Tony McMahon whipped in from the right and Davies, bravely throwing himself in front of the rashly charging Pope, risked injury to head down inside the right post. The scorer limped painfully off though Bikey himself wasn’t quite finished. With almost the game’s last kick, he met George Tucudean’s precise lay-off from the left byline but from eight yards blazed haplessly over the bar. It would have been hard on the plucky Tangerines if he’d scored but it was always a long shot -even from eight yards!

Charlton: Pope, Gomez, Ben Haim, Bikey, Cousins, Solly, Buyens, Fox, Gudmundsson, Harriott (Tucudean 71), Vetokele. Not used: Etheridge, Wilson, Bulot, Onyewu, Pigott, Ahearne-Grant. Booked: Ben Haim.

Blackpool: Lewis, Foley, Nosworthy, Clarke, Kennedy, McMahon, Murphy (Miller 48), O’Hara, Perkins, Eagles (Delfouneso 53) Davies (O’Keefe 90). Not used: Parish, Orlandi, Waddington, O’Dea. Booked: O’Hara.

Referee: A. Davies.

Notts Forest 1 (Tesche 59) Charlton 1 (Harriott 10).

Kevin Nolan reports from the City Ground.

When an on-fire Callum Harriott illuminated Charlton’s dismal 2013-14 season by banging in five goals in their last two league games, the immediate talk was of an overdue breakthrough, the final transition of an outstanding U-21 prospect to accomplished professional. It’s reasonable to assume that the end of the campaign came too soon for the in-form winger.

Harriott seems to have been around for so long that it’s almost surprising to realise that he doesn’t actually get the key of the door until March 4th next year. (That’s what we old-timers used to call reaching the supposedly mature age of 21). Already father of toddler son Harley, the newly responsible dad no doubt earmarked this season as the one in which he stepped up from the wannabe juniors to nail down a place in Bob Peeters’ embryonic senior side. That hasn’t worked out yet but time is still on his side. He’s making his move as injuries provide inevitable openings.

The often frustrating kid could manage no better than a place on the bench during the Addicks’ opening fourteen games before making his first start at Leeds on November 4th. Playing up front behind lone forward Igor Vetokele, his improvement has been steady and while the old tendencies to showboat dribbling and careless loss of possession still surface occasionally, a new willingness to put in the hard yards is winning over the sceptics. All his busy performances required was a goal to take the pressure off Vetokele. At a chilly City Ground, that important detail was taken care of after just 10 minutes.

Starting brightly with midfield providers Johann Berg Gudmundsson and Francis Coquelin dictating the play, the Addicks put together a sumptuous move in grabbing the lead. It was launched by Ben Tal Haim’s commitment to bringing the ball out of defence and crossing the halfway line before handing the initiative to Gudmundsson tight to the right touchline.

Checking back on his sweet left foot, the Icelandic international flighted a precise crossfield pass which was cleverly controlled by Jordan Cousins, who alertly picked out Harriott inside him. One steadying touch set up a crisp low drive which caught a slight deflection before finding the net off the inside of the right post. Charlton were off and running, their jubilation tempered only by the uncomfortable knowledge that only rarely are they good for more than one goal per game. A total of 21 in 20 games speaks for itself.

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Managed by the ultra-competitive Stuart Pearce, Forest were unlikely to surrender meekly and wasted little time in coming back at their lively visitors. A litany of missed opportunities was begun by the mess made by an unmarked Michail Antonio of hitting an inviting target at the far post. Jamie Paterson was equally careless with the close range chance he prodded lamely wide. And when Coquelin was booked for needlessly fouling Antonio, Nick Pope’s punched clearance of Paterson’s free kick was returned by Ben Osborn’s volley which deflected harmlessly over Pope’s bar.
Ten minutes before the break, the visitors’ more cultured football almost confounded that damning one-goal-per-game statistic. Taking the fight to Forest, Harriott ran at the heart of their defence before releasing Coquelin into space to his right. The immaculate French midfielder crossed perfectly, Vetokele managed a twisting header but Karl Darlow reacted smartly to parry. A 20th minute replacement for worryingly injured skipper Johnnie Jackson, Lawrie Wilson was unable to convert the rebound on his weaker left foot.
Forced back by the Trentsiders in the second half, Charlton lived on their nerves as Thomas Ince was set up by Danny Fox’s deep cross to shoot wildly off target. Hearts were in mouths when the Trentsiders howled for a penalty but referee Kevin Wright was ideally positioned to judge that Chris Solly’s tackle on Paterson was not only fair but clinical. Pearce’s men were building up a head of steam, though, and equalised before the hour. And what a goal it was. Meeting Ben Haim’s decent enough headed clearance outside the penalty area, interval substitute Robert Tesche detonated an unstoppable left-footed volley, which the elastically elongated Pope unbelievably managed to touch on its searing journey into the top left corner. As if to prove that it was no fluke, Tesche unleashed a second cannonball shortly afterwards but Andre Bikey bravely blocked.
Briefly lifting the steady pressure, the Addicks created arguably the second period’s best chance. Slipped through by Vetokele’s astute pass, Harriott eased between centre backs Michael Mancienne and Jamaal Lascelles but shot weakly against the advancing Darlow’s optimistically deployed right foot.
There was little else to trouble Darlow as his side desperately sought a winner. An irritating nemesis of Charlton while at QPR, substitute Dexter Blackstock headed Osborn’s centre straight at Pope, who was equally reliable in covering Antonio’s daisycutter. When Paterson’s late volley bent harmlessly wide, the visitors had the useful point their resistance deserved. Plus further proof that young Harley’s daddy is buckling down to put regular food on his high chair and the softest nappies on his powdered areas. Way to go, Callum. It’s making a man of you, not to mention a a more dedicated footballer.
Forest: Darlow, Lichaj, Mancienne, Lascelles, Fox, Antonio, Lansbury (Tesche 46), Paterson, Ince (Blackstock 76), Osborn, Fryatt. Not used: Wilson, Hunt, Vaughan, Burke, DeVries. Booked: Lansbury, Tesche.
Charlton: Pope, Solly, Ben Haim, Bikey, Fox, Gudmundsson (Bulot 90), Coquelin, Jackson (Wilson 20), Cousins, Harriott, Vetokele. Not used: Etheridge, Gomez, Onyewu, Buyens, Pigott. Booked: Coquelin.

Referee: Kevin Friend.
Att: 22,297.

Charlton 0 Ipswich Town 1 (Noel Hunt 90).

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.

It comes sight unseen, drops you to your knees and leaves you with no chance of beating the count. For there’s little hope of recovery from the punch all fighters fear – the perfectly timed shot to the solar plexus.

The last minute winner in football has the same effect. Actually it’s regularly scored these days well beyond the scheduled 90 minutes as referees quite rightly extend time to fit changing circumstances. In this case, Charlton’s failure to conclusively clear a right wing corner in the third of four added minutes meant it was their turn to suffer the heartbreak of last gasp defeat. In boxing terms, they were mere seconds away from a deserved, if meaningless, newspaper decision when they walked into a paralysing body blow. In one devastating swing of substitute Noel Hunt’s right foot, all their disciplined defending and freewheeling aggression counted for nothing. To victors Ipswich Town the euphoria; to losers Charlton the ashes of bitter disappointment. That’s how it goes. That’s all she wrote.

Younger brother of Town veteran Stephen, who had himself stepped up from the bench to replace warm-up injury victim Luke Hyam, Noel Hunt joined the Tractor Boys on a month’s loan from Leeds United just two days previously. This invaluable winner for his temporary employers validated manager Mick McCarthy’s shrewd eye for a short-term stopgap. With Igor Vetokele struggling for support up front for the Addicks, an excursion into the loan market might similarly benefit Charlton boss Bob Peeters. His striker certainly needs help.

Hardbitten McCarthy more often than not calls things as most other people, with the treacherous exception of serial quitter Roy Keane, see them. A genuine Mick in more than name, he speaks his mind without descending into the stone age grunting of Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble up at Bedrock Athletic, the club formerly known as Wigan. He also avoids the verbal excesses of roly-poly Steve Evans, Rotherham United’s choleric Fat Controller. So he was worth listening to as he claimed credit for the 83rd minute introduction of Hunt Jr. in place of Paul Anderson and the replacement seven minutes earlier of Hunt Sr. by another loanee in Derby County’s Connor Sammon. When you can call on subs like Hunt the Younger and Sammon, he observed, you have a chance. And when that chance arrived, the former was equal to it.

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Feeling the strain of injury absentees, Charlton rose to the occasion with admirable spirit, with that alarming early season tendency to play Russian Roulette across the back four sensibly modified and Callum Harriott a particular revelation. Filling in for playmaker Yoni Buyens in the hole behind Vetokele, Harriott responded encouragingly, shaking off his deficiencies to pepper the visiting goal with a barrage of accurate efforts. Unfortunately, when his side’s best chance was laid on a plate for him by Vetokele, his dreadful 70th miskick squirted the Angolan’s adroit cutback horribly wide. It was almost -but not quite – possible to forgive his miss because his improvement gathers pace. But a goal now and then wouldn’t half accelerate the process.

A game fit for its Sky audience swept from end to end during an entertaining first half. As early as the first minute, defender Luke Chambers headed Anderson’s corner narrowly wide; Harriott began his busy contribution by setting up Johann Berg Gudmundsson to scoop wastefully over the bar; Anderson’s blistering drive was well saved by Nick Pope; the impressive Francis Coquelin’s chest pass was fired just off target by Harriott, who proceeded to test Bartosz Bialkowski after Jordan Cousins’ effort rebounded to him, then accepted Chris Solly’s pass before cutting in to shoot inches wide again. New Irish international recruit David McGoldrick used a training ground free kick routine to shoot unopposed but wide from 20 yards and concluded a rollicking first period by heading Jonathan Parr’s cross towards the bottom left corner but was foiled by Pope’s scrambling save at his right post.

The all-out action resumed after the break. Hot left back prospect Tyrone Mings embarked on a meandering solo run, with home hearts in home mouths as he drove dangerously wide. Vetokele, meanwhile, worked hard but is possibly feeling the pressure of carrying the fight single-handedly up front. Sent through superbly by Harriott, then later by Lawrie Wilson, his poor control let him down and both acceptable chances were squandered. When Vetokele broke clear to repay the compliment, as already documented, Harriott’s nerve and finishing betrayed him.

So a point apiece seemed fair until Morgan Fox made a hash of clearing McGoldrick’s ordinary low cross directly to Noel Hunt, who made short work of threading a low drive through a crowd and past a despairing Pope into the bottom left corner. Seconds later, referee Bond completed the count and the groggy Addicks were helped back to their corner, their resistance and unbeaten home record at an end.

Beaten fairly and squarely by one of the Championship’s better sides, Charlton would be wise to put this reverse down to experience. They’re a solid, stubborn team capable of mixing it with any side in the division. They’ll come again. Unless they’re traumatised by this sickening knockout. We’ve been here before.

Charlton: Pope, Solly, Ben Haim, Bikey, Fox, Gudmundsson (Bulot 92), Coquelin, Jackson (Wilson 76), Cousins, Harriott (Tucudean 86), Vetokele. Not used: Etheridge, Gomez, Onyewu, Ahearne-Grant.

Ipswich: Bialkowski, Parr, Chambers, Smith, Parr, Anderson (Noel Hunt 83), Skuse, Tabb, Stephen Hunt (Sammon 76), McGoldrick, Murphy. Not used: Gerken, Bajner, Henshall, St. Ledger, Clarke.

Referee: D. Bond. Att: 16,613.

Charlton 0 Millwall 0.

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.

Forced to settle for yet another goalless draw, Charlton’s much-trumpeted quest for their first victory over Millwall since March 1996 drags on. It will be Good Friday 2015 before another opportunity presents itself at the Den. Nineteen winless years make grim reading, of course, but the figures are just a little deceptive. After all, the Addicks spent nearly half that time in the Premiership, an experience which continues to elude the Lions.

It might have been special -glamorous even – to share an anniversary on November 22nd, a date forever linked with the infamy of President Jack Kennedy’s assassination, but Charlton deserved no more than the point they took from this fairly contested clash. Their near neighbours gave as good as they got and given their dangerous position just above the relegation dogfight, were understandably more pleased with the outcome.

As injuries begin to bite, Bob Peeters could have done without the loss, due to a training ground injury, of experienced goalkeeper Stephen Henderson. Fans arriving at The Valley to the news that Henderson would be replaced by Nick Pope were allowed a groan of apprehension that the 22 year-old deputy would be up to the task of stepping up in such daunting circumstances. They had no need to worry. Although the visitors were largely toothless up front, Pope performed flawlessly in silencing not only the doubting Thomases in the home stands but also the toilet-mouthed abusers doing their best to distract the young, athletic keeper from the away end. With excellent old hand David Forde again blanking Charlton, it became clear that this local derby would not be decided by goalkeeping deficiency.

Already without outstanding left back Rhoys Wiggins, Peeters was chagrined to lose influential playmaker Yoni Buyens after only 27 minutes due to a hopefully mild hamstring strain. Replacing the Belgian midfielder, left-sided programme poster boy Callum Harriott pushed up behind Igor Vetokele to offer his usual mixture of off-the-cuff brilliance and infuriating ineptitude. Jordan Cousins moved infield to join the stylish Francis Coquelin and insatiably busy Johann Berg Gudmundsson as the depleted Addicks almost seamlessly re-grouped. Peeters has an impressively resilient group on his hands.

In a game of few chances, danger man Vetokele managed a first half header which sent Cousins’ left wing cross whistling wide and a skilfully improvised volley near the end saved capably by Forde. Though he worked willingly throughout, Charlton’s sharpshooter was kept quiet by the firm, fair handling of Mark Beevers and Byron Webster. The word is out on the razor-sharp striker. And when he fails to score, as Ian Holloway presciently pointed out during the midweek build-up, Charlton struggle.

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Solid across the back, Millwall were also well served by veteran right back Alan Dunne. Holloway might have overegged it a bit in fulsome praise of his skipper but he had a point. The desperate goalline clearance, in partnership with Webster, which denied substitute George Tucudean a last gasp winner, was typical of the Dubliner’s all-out commitment. It would have been churlish to alert the discursive Holloway (there was probably a thrust to his rambling Charlie and the Chocolate Factory story but it eluded me) to the fact that his skipper wasn’t actually the better right back on show. Not while Chris Solly was around to stick tricky former Addick Lee Martin in his pocket and demonstrate, not for the first time, that he has no peer in the Championship. Funny how the diminutive defender goes under the radar of rival managers. Until, needless to say, Huddersfield arrive at The Valley in February when the visiting manager, for whom he was once the first name on his teamsheet, will have few illusions about his quality.

Pope, meanwhile, stayed impressively focussed. An early save from Ed Upson, whose header met Lee Gregory’s cross, was relatively routine but as the Lions began to edge the closing stages, he came into his own. In the 81st minute, Martin set up Jermaine Easter for a crisp, low crosshot which was bound for the bottom left corner until Pope, at full stretch, fingertipped it to safety. If that save owed everything to agility, his nimble adjustment of feet to smother a treacherous deflection off Easter’s artful fellow substitute Ricardo Fuller was all about instinct and concentration.

After Pope’s competence had kept his side level, there was still time for Tucudean to come within a whisker of stealing the points for the Addicks. Vetokele’s persistence and Harriott’s chipped pass enabled the ballplaying Rumanian to elude Forde but a backtracking defiance of Webster and Dunne denied him the touch he needed to force the ball over the goalline.

Holloway was again right on the money in describing this spirited, no-quarter given, no-quarter asked game as a splendid advertisement for the Championship. What it lacked in quality it made up in honest commitment and uncomplicated endeavour. Now it’s down to Charlton to crank it up a notch, score a long overdue goal and remove an irritating monkey from their back next April. Good Friday – let’s face it, they won’t get to co-opt a more significant anniversary than that.

Charlton: Pope, Solly, Ben Haim, Bikey, Fox, Coquelin, Gudmundsson (Wilson 88), Buyens (Harriott 27), Jackson (Tucudean 83), Cousins, Vetokele. Not used: Phillips, Gomez, Bulot, Onyewu. Booked: Bikey.

Millwall: Forde, Dunne, Beevers, Webster, Malone, Williams, Upson (Easter 63), Martin, NcDonald, Woolford (Gueye 85), Gregory (Fuller 66). Booked: Beevers, Gregory.

Referee: Graham Scott.
Att: 19,189 (3,125 visiting).

Reading 0 Charlton 1 (Vetokele 38).

Kevin Nolan reports from the Madejski Stadium.

A stubborn, brave rearguard action, punctuated by intelligent counter-attacking, provided the perfect formula for Charlton’s magnificent victory in Royal Berkshire. A wonderful winning goal in the first half proved enough to do the trick and though there were rough spots along the way, Bob Peeters’s remarkably resilient team were good value for their second away win of the season.

The goal itself was a beauty, fashioned and completed by two players on top of their game. The spade work was done by Chris Solly, the surgical finish applied by Igor Vetokele, a striker who needed just one chance to settle the issue.

A third contributor, Callum Harriott, played his part initially by resolutely retaining possession under pressure before working the ball out to Solly, seemingly trapped on the right touchline by Jonatha Obita. Nimbly stepping inside the winger on to his left foot, the peerless full back whipped in a deliciously flighted cross. Timing his leap to perfection, Vetokele did his bit by bulleting an unstoppable header across Adam Federici into the top left corner to notch up his eighth goal in just fifteen starts.

While an overwhelming 12-0 corner count implies intense one-way traffic towards Stephen Henderson’s goal, there was more than meets the eye about the Addicks’ resistance. The Royals enjoyed a decisive edge in possession but a defensive shield restricted them to scuffed chances, bits and pieces, odds and ends. Until Jamie Mackie’s ferocious angled drive was brilliantly tipped over the bar by Henderson, there was little else to directly trouble the calm keeper -and that blockbuster arrived as late as the 80th minute. Before then, a series of blocks and interceptions, most of them orchestrated by intimidating roadblocks Tal Ben Haim and Andre Bikey, kept the strikes on goal to a minimum. With the majority of those12 corners disappearing into the faultless hands of Henderson, it became clear that for all their swarming aggression, Reading were delivering rather less than they promised.

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Most of the home side’s hopes were apparently based on the belief that Obita’s left wing trickery held the key to breaking down Charlton’s defensive organisation. On any normal afternoon, the simple tactic might have worked but, in the imperturbable Solly, Obita more than met his match. He was the unwilling foil in a masterclass of the full back arts, channelled exactly where his tormentor wanted him, encouraged in the forlorn hope that he had the beating of his immaculate marker. And when Solly turned the tables to lay on Vetokele’s winner, there was something of the matador’s satisfaction in a clean kill.

Buoyed by their 3-0 midweek demolition of Rotherham United, the Royals began confidently and Glenn Murray should have made more of Chris Gunter’s inviting cross than the mess he made of glancing it wide of the left post. Ben Haim made a key intervention to deal with Obita’s cutback, then Oliver Norwood’s inswinging corner flicked to safety off an involuntary foot.

In response, Johann Berg Gudmundsson’s crisp drive popped harmlessly out of Federici’s hands and Harriott lamely prodded Vetokele’s clever pass wide. The Addicks were improving but their goal, when it arrived, came as a mild surprise. Central defender Michael Hector helped them stay in front when he headed Obita’s corner off target.

Still a threat as the years advance, Murray cut in after the break but his shot deflected off Bikey’s head for yet another fruitless corner. On 56 minutes, Norwood came closest so far to opening his side’s account with a low drive which beat Henderson but rebounded off the base of an upright. Roared on by a studiously polite crowd – none of that incestuous Addams family rudeness in these posh shires – Reading continued their increasingly desperate search for an equaliser but it was their beleaguered visitors who broke clear in a bid for a decisive second goal.

Played through by Gudmundsson’s devastating through pass, substitute George Tucudean closed in on Federici but shot against the advancing keeper’s body. Seizing on the rebound, Tucudean tried again but was again thwarted by Federici’s mastery of the angle. His misses might have proved costly had referee Neil Swarbrick agreed with Murray’s claim that Ben Haim’s clumsy challenge on him inside the penalty area was a foul. Ben Haim breathed again, as did skipper Johnnie Jackson who cynically took a booking for the team when hauling back an escaping Norwood.
And so Peeters’ underestimated side marches on, upsetting the odds as they go. They kicked off this match quoted disrespectfully at 5-2 against a team three points worse off and owners of a comical 22-26 goal difference. Needless to say, I wasn’t on them.

Reading: Federici, Gunter, Pearce, Hector, Kelly (Blackman 77), Williams, Norwood, Mackie (Pogrebnyak 86), Cox (Robson-Kanu 76), Obita, Murray. Not used: Akpan, Taylor, Andersen, Cooper.

Charlton: Henderson, Solly, Ben Haim, Bikey, Fox, Cousins, Gudmundsson (Bulot 87), Buyens, Jackson, Harriott (Tucudean 80), Vetokele (Coquelin 63), Not used: Pope, Wilson, Gomez, Onyewu.

Referee: Neil Swarbrick. Att: 16,989 (1449 visiting).

Leeds United 2 (Mowatt 49, 67) Charlton 2 (Gudmundsson 62, 81 pen)

Kevin NOLan reports from Elland Road.

Charlton did it the hard way at Elland Road last night. Behind twice in the second half following superb strikes by young Leeds midfielder Alex Mowatt, they found a way back, survived the damaging loss of key defender Rhoys Wiggins and eked out their ninth draw of the season with ten men. It’s onwards but not so much upwards as sideways for this obstinate team.
A riproaring second half turned this game on its head. The first period had been spent in what can be described as a state of armed neutrality. The 2014-15 Championship is made up of twenty four roughly well-matched sides, with no runaway candidate for the title and only Blackpool dangerously adrift at the bottom. This sleeping giant of a game made that point eloquently.

Back briefly to that first half dross, which featured only one real chance apiece, neither of which exactly stirred the blood. At least, United’s effort alerted the visitors to the potential of Mowatt’s lethal left foot. Just past the half hour, he received from Adryan, let fly from 25 yards and forced a spectacular flying save from Stephen Henderson. At the other end, Johnnie Jackson’s outswinging corner was nudged past Marco Silvestri by Andre Bikey but easily cleared off the line by Stephen Warnock. At least, Jordan Cousins’ vital interception of Marco Antenucci’s byline cutback provides an opportunity to mention the often unglamorous hard work Charlton’s irrepressible 19 year-old gets through.

Before moving on, though, let’s deal with the typo that is Adryan. In my innocence, I’d assumed that the printers had run into a bit of trouble involving their “Caps Lock” key because both programme and team sheet listed him as “ADRYAN”. Happens to me all the time. You can’t imagine how often I end up with names like JORdan Cousins. But no, turns out the twerp thinks of himself in capital letters. Shame he wasn’t born into a family of Pratts. As it was, he was eventually substituted by Casper Sloth. Honestly, I’m not smart enough to make this stuff up.

The second half was four minutes old when Mowatt struck first. A foul on Warnock by Cousins was yellow-carded and conceded a free kick which was taken short by the ex-England left back and reached Mowatt via Pratt. Erm, perhaps best to make that ADRYan. Uncomfortable on his right foot, the teenaged prospect switched the ball to his favoured side before curling it splendidly into the top left corner.

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Reacting promptly to the setback, Bob Peeters sent on Saturday’s saviour Igor Vetokele for ineffectual George Tucudean but possibly more significantly replaced an already booked Yoni Buyens with new Arsenal loanee Francis Coquelin. The 23 year old French midfielder immediately set about purging the depressing memory of Emmanuel Frimpong, another Gunner loanee apparently related to Judi Dench. Or did I get the wrong end of that particular stick? Anway, Coquelin looks like a good ‘un.

The changes instilled new heart and just past the hour, a helpful stroke of luck aided Johann Berg Gudmundsson’s first equaliser. Combining with Wiggins, he reached the left byline, from which vantage point his hopeful shot struck gold via two deflections, the right post and prone goalkeeper Silvestri. A bit messy but greeted deliriously by 313 noisy travelling fans undisposed to second guess its quality.

The persistent Mowatt wasted little time in restoring the Yorkshiremen’s lead. Moving on to Warnock’s pass, he made space for a marvellously curled drive into the same top left corner he had earlier in the half. Some left foot, this kid owns.

The Addicks -and Gudmundsson in particular – were down but not quite out yet. The increasingly rampant Wiggins surged forward to force another of Jackson’s outswinging corners which the skipper zeroed in among a mob of straining adversaries. Possibly panicked by Charlton’s man mountain defenders, whose bulk had been augmented by 6’4″ debutant Oguchi Onyewu’s 78th minute arrival, Guiseppe Bellusci overdid the rough stuff on Tal Ben Haim and was spotted by laser-eyed referee Graham Salisbury (no homer this lad). The gift penalty was efficiently converted by Gudmundsson, stepping up for the sidelined Buyens, and apparently doing what comes naturally to him in training. Silvestri was given no chance with the left-footed spotkick into the bottom right corner.

Charlton’s silver cloud came with an unfortunate black lining. In winning the critical corner off Sam Byram, Wiggins picked up what might be a recurrence of the metatarsal injury which sidelined him earlier in the season. From behind the goal, he was a biased witness to Bellusci’s foul on Ben Haim and also to Gudmundsson’s nerveless penalty before painfully limping off. An MRI scan will determine today how long the Addicks must cope without their outstanding left back. Morgan Fox will be confidently expected to plug the gap.

With all three substitutes used, the 10-man visitors had a daunting total of 15 minutes to manage without Wiggins. As United surged forward, Byram’s intended cross swirled treacherously over Henderson’s head was clawed to safety by the backpedalling keeper; Antenucci buried a drive into Henderson’s midriff; Lewis Cook skimmed a last gasp drive inches wide of the left post. The Addicks were clinging on but only the most curmudgeonly observer could begrudge them their hard earned point. Not even the all-singing, all-dancing, all-capitalised ADRYAN. See, I finally got there!

Leeds: Silvestri, Byram, Bellusci, Warnock, Bianchi (Montenegro 90), Cook, ADrYaN (Sloth 73), Mowatt, Cooper, Antenucci, Doukara. Not used: Stuart Taylor, Berardi, Tonge, Charlie Taylor, Dawson. Booked: Biachi, Bellusci.

Charlton: Henderson, Wilson, Ben Haim, Bikey, Wiggins, Cousins. Buyens (Coquelin 61), Gudmundsson, Jackson, Harriott (Onyewu 78), Tucudean (Vetokele 52). Not used: Pope, Moussa, Fox, Ahearne-Grant. Booked: Buyens, Cousins.

Referee: Graham Salisbury. Att: 18,698 (313 visiting).

Charlton 1 (Vetokele 65) Sheffield Wednesday 1 (Drenthe 27).

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.

With 25 minutes to go and with Charlton fighting back spiritedly from a 1-0 deficit, the replacement of Franck Moussa by Igor Vetokele hardly qualified as a last throw of Bob Peeters’ dice. His side had put a dismal first half performance behind them and had previously dominant Sheffield Wednesday on an uncomfortable rack. But that single goal and a dwindling clock were beginning to press down on the restless manager.

Top scorer Vetokele was being eased back from a brief injury absence, his match fitness still a matter for concern. Needs must as the devil drives, of course, and the Angolan international was sent off the bench to do a specific job. Namely to haul the Addicks level and salvage at least a point from unpromising circumstances. Three minutes after his introduction, he duly delivered in style.

Charlton’s important equaliser actually owed rather more to left back Rhoys Wiggins’ aggressive enterprise than Vetokele’s simple sidefooted finish from six yards. It was the latter’s name, though, which made the Sunday papers, with no corresponding record of Wiggins’s outstanding contribution. That’s because scoring still remains the hardest task in football, a fact that explains the fervour with which his disciples had welcomed their messiah on to the field.

But back briefly to Wiggins and the disorganised mess he made of Wednesday’s rearguard. The bewildered pair of Liam Palmer and Jose Semedo were statuesque onlookers as he accelerated smoothly between them before hammering over a hard-driven low cross. Knowing when to stand still, as born goalscorers invariably do, Vetokele was poised to stab home from what Wednesday manager Stuart Gray, without a shred of evidence to support him, described as an offside position. Yeah, right…

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Gray seemed on more solid ground shortly afterwards when Andre Bikey, caught for once on the wrong side of Atdhe Nuhiu, compensated by nudging the big forward to the ground. Gray’s understandable conviction that his side was denied a clear penalty was promptly undermined by his irrelevant assertion that “2,000 Wednesday fans behind the goal” were reliable witnesses of Bikey’s supposed villainy. Leads you to believe that some managers wouldn’t recognise objectivity if they tripped over it in a dictionary.

Totally outplayed during a first half of misplaced passes, defensive dithering and feeble attacking, Charlton struggled through almost half an hour before ex-Everton hotshot winger Royston Drenthe, accurately described by Gray as “unplayable” punished their ineptitude.

A series of purposeful runs had already persecuted Wiggins by the time Drenthe cut inside from the right, eluded a posse of panicky pursuers and shot precisely beyond a full length Stephen Henderson into the bottom right corner from outside the penalty area. It was no more than the Yorkshiremen deserved and they might have doubled the lead seconds before the break only for Chris Maguire, with the whole goal to aim at after being set up by Nuhiu, to shoot tamely wide. It was a bad miss that Wednesday would rue – though that looked unlikely at the time.

With the first half a painful experience, the Addicks showed admirable resolve in turning this one-sided game on its head. They closed down space, plugged escape routes and pinned their erstwhile tormentors back in their own half. There was probably no managerial genius involved, more a simple willingness to run faster, work and try harder, reach down for an extra inch or ounce. Football still boils down to such basics once all the systems, formations and sophisticated tactics have had their say. If Charlton had shown their positive second half attitude from the outset, Wednesday might have been blown away. As it was, they found themselves hanging on and grateful for a point they would have regarded as poor reward a bit earlier.

So rampant in the first half, Drenthe’s gradual disappearance from the action, which led to his withdrawal with a quarter hour left, was symptomatic of his team’s disintegration. Wiggins particularly enjoyed the switch in mastery, making his point perfectly with the buccaneering burst which laid on Vetokele’s equaliser. And Vetokele himself might have crowned the rally with a late winner. Running intelligently on to Jordan Cousins’ gloriously flighted through pass, he outpaced Glen Loovens but shot narrowly wide on the run. But this can be considered a point earned, rather than two lost. Now if Peeters can get them to start as they mean to go on, they might really be on to something.

Charlton: Henderson, Solly, Ben Haim, Bikey, Wiggins, Moussa (Vetokele 65), Buyens, Jackson (Wilson 81), Cousins, Tucudean, Ahearne-Grant (Gudmundsson 46). Not used: Pope, Harriott, Onyewu, Fox.

Wednesday: Westwood, Palmer, Loovens, Lees, Mattock (Dielna 34), Maguire, Semedo, Helan, Drenthe (Taylor-Fletcher 73), Maghoma (Coke 62), Nuhiu. Not used: Kirkland, May, McCabe, Lee.

Referee: Andy D’Urso.

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