About Kevin Nolan

Huddersfield Town 0 Charlton 1 (Church 54).

Kevin Nolan reports from the John Smith Stadium.

With two mighty leaps, gutsy Charlton threw off their FA Cup shackles and, with this second victory in four days, vaulted from the third to the fifth round in easy stages. Say what you like about their ability but leave their spirit out of it. Despite regular setbacks, that burns brightly.

In wet, windy West Yorkshire, where the rain was siling down as they say hereabouts, they were up against the usual handicaps. For different reasons, their outstanding full back partnership of Chris Solly and Rhoys Wiggins was unavailable, while talisman Yann Kermorgant was rested with Tuesday’s critical assignment at Doncaster Rovers considered a more pressing priority. With his dwindling resources showing signs of being reduced rather than augmented before the transfer window closes, Chris Powell performed his customary sleight-of-hand and sent out a side dedicated to disputing every inch of territory with the locals.

Ace midfielder Dale Stephens possibly took the Henry V exhortations a little too literally with an unnecessarily robust 28th minute tackle on Adam Hamill, which triggered an unseemly outbreak of the usual “you and whose army?” pseudo-aggression between the opposing bands of brothers. Stephens escaped with a caution, Michael Morrison and Anthony Gerrard joined him in referee Attwell’s notebook for disagreeing about the colour of the card, Danny Ward’s nasty lunge took out Town’s resentment on innocent Cedric Evina before Stephens pushed his luck with a fair but borderline challenge on Oliver Norwood. Both Hamill and Evina limped off later but this wasn’t rugby where stamping has apparently succeeded eye-gouging as the evil deed de nos jours and peace eventually broke out again.

Pre-hostilities, the Addicks had been indebted to keeper Ben Alnwick for staying on terms. His sturdy reliability had already been demonstrated with a competent gathering of Norwood’s snapshot before a marvellous save denied Ward. Played through by Paul Dixon’s measured pass, Ward shot firmly on the run but Alnwick somersaulted to his left to parry, then recovered the rebound as James Vaughan closed in for the kill.

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Replacing Kermorgant, Marvin Sordell had come closest for the visitors when blasting Simon Church’s cutback narrowly over the angle of post and crossbar, Johnnie Jackson nodded Stephens’ free kick wide but it was Town who called the first half tune and the Addicks who were more grateful for the break.

Nine minutes after resumption, all that changed as willing workhorse Church shot Charlton into the lead. Full debutant Astrit Ajdarevic (Ad-ar-evitch) played his part by picking out Lawrie Wilson, whose darting infield run and clever reverse pass dovetailed with Church’s intelligent off-the-ball running. Turning sharply, the Welsh international beat Alex Smithies with a low, scuffed crosshot which found the net off the far post.

Town boss Mark Robins had seen enough. Possibly regretting that he hadn’t started Sean Scannell, he sent on the tricky right winger to turn the tide. A one-man army, Scannell began to run at the visitors’ rearguard, where 19 year-old Harry Lennon had relieved Evina to make his first team debut. The latest in an encouraging supply line of Academy talent, the tall, well-built kid, normally a centre back, acquitted himself nobly but Scannell was a different proposition. His direct running and unselfishness caused chaos and created a flood of chances.

The newcomer began by bamboozling Callum Harriott on the right byline before cutting back for Ward to blast wildly into the crowd. Hungry for the ball, he set up Ward again but a weak shot scudded wide. Taking the bull by the horns, Scannell eluded Lennon and crashed in a fiercely angled drive which was sneaking inside the right post until Alnwick dived to beat it clear. Charlton’s in-form goalie also plunged bravely into flying feet to claim a dangerous low cross from second sub Duane Holmes, who stood out for the Terriers last Spring in an U-21 play-off semi-final at Sparrows Lane.

Scannell had one last shot in his locker. Embarking on a determined solo run, he made it into the penalty area where he was surrounded by a wall of pursuing defenders. Sapped by his unremitting effort, he managed only an inconclusive effort which dribbled harmlessly wide.

The wise word, meanwhile, is that this Cup run diverts attention from the bread-and-butter priority of staying in the Championship. It’s hard to refute that assertion but Charlton are damned if they do and damned if they don’t. A less than enthusiastic attitude to Cup commitments has outraged supporters in the recent past and no doubt persuaded Powell, a natural competitor, to have a genuine go at progressing. Added to which, the club has already made about a quarter million in prize money, which will cheer Roland up. Success breeds success anyway, so it’s onward to the Keepmoat Stadium for the fourth of five successive away games on Tuesday evening. We’ll talk again on Wednesday morning.

Huddersfield: Smithies, Smith, Gerrard, Wallace, Dixon, Hamill (Sinott 35, Scannell 55), Gobern (Holmes 64), Norwood, Clayton, Ward, Vaughan. Not used: Bennett, Woods, Stead, Bunn. Booked: Gerrard.

Charlton: Alnwick, Wilson, Morrison, Dervite, Evina (Lennon 35), Adjarevic (Cousins 69), Stephens, Jackson, Harriott, Sordell (Green 69), Church. Not used: Thuram-Ulien, Wood, Cook, Pigott. Booked: Stephens, Morrison.

Referee: Stuart Attwell. Att: 10,102 (382 visiting).

NB  …. And Charlton’s reward for the heroics described above? An away tie at Hillsborough against fellow Championship strugglers Sheffield Wednesday, that’s what!  No disrespect to an historic old club but how’s that for a kick in the nuts?  Mind you, the winner will be one game away from Wembley.  I’m starting to warm to it.

Oxford United 0 Charlton 3 (Kermorgant 35, 59), Green 38.

Kevin Nolan reports from the Kassam Stadium.

Having spent a wretched half hour demonstrating an apparent lack of interest in the FA Cup, an almost full strength Charlton pulled themselves together and efficiently disposed of Oxford United in this 3rd round replay. A two-goal salvo dented local hopes in the first half, a third on the hour saw them off. The questionable fruits of the Addicks’ labours is a 4th round trip on Saturday to Huddersfield Town, where they have lost twice already this season. Not the best of draws but to win it, you have to be in it.

Before Yann Kermorgant scored the first of two excellent goals, the Championship strugglers seemed at pains to descend to United’s lower level, colluding with them in a dreadful mishmash of misplaced passes, carelessness in possession and mutual inefficiency. An assignment in West Yorkshire was clearly a poisoned chalice to be passed on at all costs. Then, to general surprise, the visitors scored and discovered, in the process, that they had little to beat. The opener itself was well worked and clinically converted.

A familiar mixture of promise and frustration, left winger Callum Harriott shook off the lethargy to loft a pass to Simon Church, back to goal and shadowed by Jake Wright. Expertly shielding the ball, Church laid off to Kermorgant, whose vicious 15-yard drive exploded into the net off Ryan Clarke’s vainly groping right hand.

The process was so simple that the Addicks wasted little time in doubling their advantage. Tactically switching wings with Danny Green, Harriott eluded left back Tom Newey before sending Church sprinting through the U’s dishevelled defence. While Green kept pace with him to his left, the busy forward bore down on Clarke, then chose the precise moment to square generously for his colleague to walk the gift over the line. Church’s unselfishness in sacrificing his own need to score in his team’s interest will not have gone unnoticed by his appreciative manager.

Possibly relieved that a Cup odyssey which began with a 1st round trek to Gateshead on November 9th was finally over, outclassed Oxford offered little in reply. A crisp drive from James Constable, their solitary effort on target, was collected without fuss by Ben Alnwick, while Josh Ruffels headed David Hunt’s cross narrowly wide. But there was nothing much else to trouble the Addicks as they coasted serenely into the next round.

There were, of course, motions to be gone through and respect owed to honourable losers. On the hour, Kermorgant added a final flourish to Charlton’s comfortable victory after Johnny Mullins’ irritable challenge on the rampant forward, for which he became the game’s only booking, briefly soured the benign mood.
Picking himself up from the turf, Kermorgant sized up a 30-yard free kick, slightly to the right of centre. His left-footed skipper Johnnie Jackson showed an interest in having a go from a more advantageous angle but his burly teammate was having none of it. A textbook strike soared into the top right corner with Clarke a helpless witness to its deadly accuracy. And apart from the aforementioned motions, that was all she wrote. Or nearly all.

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For revelling in the unaccustomed absence of pressure, Chris Powell duly indulged in a small helping of cup romance. With eight minutes remaining, the game’s most accomplished player, Dale Stephens, gave way to 18-year old Diego Poyet, son of Gus, the former Chelsea and Uruguay star. The small pocket of musical, travelling fans promptly confided in us that the son was better than the father. Actually, if he’s half as good, he’ll be useful but during his brief debut cameo, he showed skill, guts and a hint of acceptable cockiness, masquerading as confidence.

There were other plus points for Powell. Jackson sailed through 90 committed minutes, Alnwick’s return to rude health proved beyond reasonable doubt that he is currently Charlton’s best goalkeeper and Green, along with Harriott, provided ressurance that the squad has depth. It’s also worth mentioning the surprising return from injury of Marvin Sordell, an overlooked striker with plenty to prove.

On the negative side, it might be time for the club to show transparency in clearing up the doubt surrounding Chris Solly’s absence. Football is a constantly turning rumour mill, the latest of which suggests that the outstanding right back faces further surgery following a recovery setback. If true – and it remains no more than a rumour – the news underlines the continuing problems faced by Powell, who also temporarily lost Rhoys Wiggins, his other full back star, to suspension last weekend.

The beleaguered boss, like the Victorian poor, has nothing…and is expected to make it go a long way. It would help his cause if fans were told the truth. After all, they march arm-in-arm, shoulder-to-shoulder, with the team they and deserve no less. To be honest – and I’m nothing if not honest – I wouldn’t mind knowing myself. Not that I’m nosy or anything but….well, y’know.

Oxford: Clarke, Hunt, Raynes, Wright, Newey, Rigg (O’Dowda 79), Davies, Mullins, Ruffels, Smalley, Constable (Marsh 79). Not used:Rose, Long, Lynn, Shama, Bevans. Booked: Mullins.

Charlton: Alnwick, Wilson, Morrison, Dervite, Evina, Green, Stephens (Poyet 82), Jackson, Harriott (Pritchard 68), Church, Kermorgant (Sordell 76). Not used: Phillips, Wood, Lennon, Pigott.

Referee: David Coote. Att: 3,225.

Middlesbrough 1 (Ledesma 16) Charlton 0.

Kevin Nolan reports from the Riverside Stadium.

As Charlton begin to fray around the edges, with injury, illness and the occasional suspension biting into their meagre resources, the abrupt decline in health of regular goalkeepers Ben Hamer and Ben Alnwick caused raised eyebrows among the more sceptical of 258 fans who rallied to their cause on chilly Teesside.

With third choice Nick Pope loaned out to York City and 18-year old rookie Dillon Phillips on the bench, the decks were conveniently cleared for brand-new loan signing Yohann Thuram-Ulien to rocket up the ranks from obscurity to first line goalkeeper, within mere days of his arrival in South East London. The big stopper stepped up for his debut in English football and proved to be the difference between these mediocre sides. He is ineligible for Tuesday’s Cup replay at Oxford which means that the return to blooming health of either Hamer or Alnwick will be monitored anxiously between now and then. A curious business and it promises to get curiouser. Though there’s not an evidential leg to stand on, you may feel inclined, meanwhile, to “pull the other one.”

While finding his debut feet, Thuram-Ulien negotiated an awkward opening, during which he was reprieved by Curtis Main sidefooting wastefully wide before Marvin Emnes drove a clear chance into the sidenetting. In the 16th minute, however, his luck ran out.

Picking up a loose ball in an innocuous position, Emmanuel Ledesma was possibly following instructions to test the newcomer’s ability as he moved forward to potshot from long range. He speculated to accumulate as a diving Thuram-Ulien allowed the crisply driven low shot to bounce up and over his left arm on its way inside the right post.

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It was a catastrophic start for Charlton’s embryonic keeper but, to his credit, his subsequent performance made a sound case to be considered their man-of-the-match in the face, admittedly, of indifferent competition. Several outstanding saves included an unorthodox effort to keep out Mustapha Caryol’s fierce drive with an outthrust foot, followed by a quick adjustment to neatly field Emnes’ deflected effort to convert the rebound. In the second half, Thuram-Ulien reacted nimbly to prevent Caryol from crowning a brilliant solo run with a cleverly curled decider, then saved his best for last in bravely foiling Dean Whitehead in one-on-one confrontation at close range. But he never altogether convinced.

Thuram-Ulien’s defiance kept the Addicks in hopeful pursuit of a useful point until the dying moments when Dale Stephens’ last gasp blockbuster was brilliantly saved by the artful old stager in Boro’s goal. Shay Given had been given little to do until his late call to action but he predictably was equal to the task. Mind, you, he had been given the benefit of considerable doubt minutes earlier when substitute Simon Church beat him to Yann Kermorgant’s far post header to bundle in what appeared to be a perfectly legal equaliser. It was no surprise, of course, that referee Stroud disallowed the “goal.” After all, when was the last penalty awarded against a goalkeeper for physical excess under a high ball? Everyone knows that they are paragons of virtue in such circumstances.

News that all of their relegation rivals had won (except for Sheffield Wednesday whose 1-1 draw at Burnley was probably the most impressive result) piled on the agony for the visitors. A late red card issued to Rhoys Wiggins for a reckless challenge on Whitehead had capped a dispiriting afternoon and there were few bright spots to highlight. Young Jordan Cousins is wilting under undue pressure while Callum Harriott’s promising career is treading water; Jordan Cook was largely anonymous, valiant skipper Johnnie Jackson’s willing legs are feeling the pace.

Godd news is thin but still visible on the ground. Charlton’s spirit, that intangible quality on which their Championship survival will depend, emerged almost intact. After a shaky start, they grew into this game, more than matched Boro and finished more strongly than their conquerors. But they need urgent help. A second Standard Liege loanee -Astrit Ajdarevic – showed neat touches in an 18-minute cameo but midfield, while obviously important, is not the pressing priority. Nor is the dubious fast-tracking of a new goalkeeper. What the Addicks urgently require is a goalscorer and the search for one should occupy managerial hearts and minds. Not to hold the ball up, bring colleagues into play, run the channels, operate with his back to goal, track back to do his share of defensive work, do all the donkey work recommended by the coaching manuals, none of that sophisticated stuff. Just an uncomplicated goalhanger who puts the bloody ball in the opposition’s net on a regular basis. It’s why forwards are paid more than defenders. So find one and stump up the dough to pay him. Or we’ll be recruiting for League One next season.

Boro: Given, Varga, Williams, Ayala, Friend, Ledesma, Leadbitter, Whitehead, Carayol (Kamara 88), Main (Smallwood 79), Emnes (Jutkiewicz 57). Not used: Konstantopoulos, Butterfield, Gibson, Woodgate. Booked: Whitehead, Ledesma, Ayala.

Charlton: Thuram-Ulien, Wilson, Morrison, Wood, Wiggins, Cousins (Ajdarevic 77), Stephens, Jackson (Green 67), Harriott, Cook (Church 67), Kermorgant. Not used: Phillips Hughes, Evina, Dervite. Sent off: Wiggins.

Referee: Keith Stroud. Att: 14,548 (258 visiting).

Charlton 2 (Morrison 53, Kermorgant 82) Oxford United 2 (Mullins 13, Davies 24).

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.

Under normal circumstances, a 3rd Round FA Cup tie involving Charlton and Oxford United would make little impact outside their own parochial boundaries. In fact, this reasonably entertaining game would have slipped by unnoticed had the public not been diverted by lurid details of broken drains, immobile water tables, protective domes and two previous postponements in conditions which the rest of the country was finding surprisingly clement at this time of year.

So with the er, shall we say carrot, of a 4th Round journey to Huddersfield beguiling them, these sides finally closed in combat. Well, one-sided combat anyway because for 45 minutes, the Addicks performed as if still waterlogged. According to Chris Powell, his chaps contributed their worst half of football so far this season; as one who has witnessed all the others, he’ll get no argument from me.

Charlton were dreadful. Sluggish, unco-ordinated, apparently still marooned in their dressing room, they couldn’t put a foot right. Which is not to rob their League Two visitors of credit for exploiting the situation. United sensed an opportunity, worked tirelessly to press home their unexpected advantage and ran their hosts ragged on their way to a 2-0 interval lead. An unpromising assignment in West Yorkshire clearly held more attraction for them.

Dozy Charlton were still sleepwalking when they fell behind. A right wing corner from Scott Davies was returned to him by Richard Wood’s powerful but misdirected header. The midfielder’s second delivery caused penalty area chaos, during which Johnny Mullins’ bobbled shot found a berth inside the left post, with help from two deflections. A lucky goal but hardly against the run of play.

Ten minutes later, Oxford doubled their lead. Young Jordan Cousins, in the throes of a rare off-day, was caught dawdling in possession by Mullins, who fed top scorer James Constable. The centre forward’s feint to shoot instead made space for a precise pass which allowed Davies to run through to beat Ben Hamer with a firm crosshot. The natives, such as they were, had become decidedly restless. Had the impressive Sean Riggs’ crisp half-volley, from Tom Newey’s precise cross, not cleared the bar by inches to make it three, outright mutiny might have erupted.

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As it was, the Addicks departed at half-time to a heartfelt chorus of disapproval. One florid faced bloke dismissed it all as “rubbish” another irate citizen confessed to being “embarrassed.” Not a word was said in Charlton’s defence but this game wasn’t over. Not while Powell had anything to do with it.

No doubt encouraged by a few well chosen managerial words, the Addicks set about restoring order upon resumption. The early goal they needed arrived just eight minutes into the second period, with Jordan Cook delivering a peach of an inswinging corner, which Michael Morrison’s emphatic header dispatched into the top left corner.

Their confidence might have been shaken but the U’s spiritedly hit back. A clever diving header from Constable re-directed Riggs’ cross inside the left post but Hamer managed a low scrambling save at his right post. Not much else was heard from the visitors up front but they still had their valuable lead to protect.

Midway through the second period, Danny Green replaced the struggling Bradley Pritchard and it was the often frustrating newcomer who made the difference. Green began to torment left back Tom Newey with pace and trickery and sensibly saw plenty of the ball. With time beginning to run out, he nutmegged Newey along the right byline, glanced up to weigh his options, then picked out Yann Kermorgant with an astute cutback. Keeling over in text book style, the Frenchman applied just enough mustard on his sideways-on volley to leave Ryan Clarke helpless.

Kermorgant’s timely equaliser had turned the tie on its head and, in added time, the Addicks came close to sparing themselves an unwanted replay in Berkshire. Lawrie Wilson’s deflected centre looped up to substitute Callum Harriott at the far post, was headed purposefully goalwards but flicked off David Hunt’s head to safety. Seconds later, the whistle blew…and it began gently to rain.

Charlton: Hamer, Wilson, Morrison, Wood, Wiggins, Pritchard (Green 66), Cousins, Jackson, Cook (Harriott 78), Church (Pigott 78), Kermorgant. Not used: Pope, Hughes, Evina, Dervite.

Oxford: Clarke, Raynes, Wright, Hunt, Newey, Rigg, Marsh (Smalley 53), Mullins, Ruffels, Davies (Williams 87), Constable (Kitson 78). Not used: Rose, Long, Bevans, O’Dowda.

Referee: S. Martin. Att: 5,566 (870 Oxford).

Ipswich Town 1 (Wood o.g. 23) Charlton 1 (Jackson 90).

Kevin Nolan reports from Portman Road.

Thirty one year old Nuneaton referee Stuart Attwell was a bit of a prodigy when he broke through to league football in 2009. He briefly made it to the Premier League but, following numerous controversies, was demoted to the Championship, much to the Championship’s dismay.

At braw, brich’t Portman Road, Attwell ushered in the New Year, hopefully not as he means to go on, by getting nearly every key decision wrong. His piece de resistance was in refusing Cameron Stewart an obvious penalty on the stroke of half-time, then adding insult to the Charlton winger’s injury by booking him for simulation. But let’s be fair, his incompetence was evenly distributed.

Battling bravely back from behind when Stewart was doubly insulted, the Addicks might well have been two down at the time. As early as the second minute, Attwell had taken a surprisingly lenient view of the clumsy challenge by Richard Wood which checked Daryl Murphy’s penalty area progress as they disputed a long ball over the top. Had he deemed Wood guilty of fouling Murphy, the defender might have faced dismissal. So a large round of applause came his way from 780 admirably impartial observers of the incident. Not that he didn’t make it up to the Tractor Boys later on.

After the dust and debris of controversy had settled over this eventful game, Charlton could be proud of the precious point they earned against considerable odds. To their credit, they kept the faith, soldiered on and were rewarded by an equaliser in the last knockings of normal time. Their goalscoring saviour was, almost inevitably, late substitute Johnnie Jackson but even the inimitable skipper would concede that, but for Ben Alnwick’s heroics shortly beforehand, his characteristically plundered strike would have been no more than a late consolation.

Alnwick had performed solidly, was given no chance of saving Town’s opener and had just kept his side in with a chance by diving to save Murphy’s cornerbound snapshot. On his shoulders rested the visitors’ dwindling hopes when Attwell made his third, critical penalty call and finally got one right.

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In attempting to clear Aaron Cresswell’s left wing corner, Jordan Cousins swung lustily at the ball but failed to notice Paul Anderson coming up on his blind side. The youngster’s boot caught player not ball, leaving Attwell to briefly consider his options before pointing to the spot.

Having rested prolific scorer David McGoldrick until bringing him on in the 68th minute, Mick McCarthy was entitled to congratulate himself on impressive foresight as his regular penalty-taker stepped up to double his Ipswich’s lead. McGoldrick’s shot was struck firmly but Alnwick launched himself to his left to pull off a magnificent save. His defiance practically demanded reward and, in Jackson, the right man was in the right spot to deliver it. Finding instinctive space as Kermorgant headed down for Simon Church to cushion a shooting chance for him, his improvised right-footed volley caught a useful deflection off Christophe Berra and nestled neatly in the top right corner. There was instant pandemonium in the away section and – it must be confessed- in a long suffering corner of the press box.

Until the late denouement, not much else had gone right for the battling Londoners. Following a bright opening, during which Alnwick’s plunging save from Murphy had been matched by Dean Gerken’s similar alertness in keeping out Kermorgant’s low snapshot, they fell behind in desperately unlucky circumstances. Played through on the left by Jay Tabb, the dangerous Murphy drilled a hard, low centre across a heavily populated goal area, where Michael Morrison’s failure to intercept at the near post distracted Wood into inadvertently turning the ball into his own net.

Before the interval, things got worse. Doubly worse as it turned out. Sent sprinting clear of  Luke Chambers by Kermorgant’s fine pass, Stewart was sent sprawling as the right back made awkward contact with his trailing leg. Clearly sinned against rather than sinning, Stewart was not only denied a clear penalty but was booked for his impertinence in expecting one.

The Addicks were still fuming when a further hammer blow was inflicted. Having been handed a rare start at Church’s expense, Marvin Sordell had given a promising account of himself, with one drive fizzing dangerously wide before disaster struck. While chasing down a lost cause, the out-of-luck striker pulled up with what the watchers of Casualty or Holby City among us instantly diagnosed as hamstring trouble. No blame attached to Attwell in this instance, though it’s tempting to implicate him. Without wishing to tempt providence, meanwhile, his replacement Jordan Cook belied understandable ringrust with a useful contribution as the plucky Addicks refused to surrender.

The last word belongs to -or, more accurately – is about Stuart Attwell, boy arbiter. They say that the best refs pass unnoticed under a game’s radar and there’s something in the the theory. After this game, on the other hand, Attwell’s fingerprints and footfalls were found in every corner of a battered pitch. Ponderous, pedantic, prosaic, he was football’s version of Inspector Lestrade. Arriving late, jumping to incorrect conclusions, arresting the wrong suspect, he piled error on error. When you can’t find anything good to say about someone, sometimes it’s as well to say something bad. So consider it said.

Ipswich: Gerken, Chambers, Smith, Berra, Cresswell, Anderson, Skuse, Tabb (Hyams 68), Taylor (McGoldrick 68), Tunnicliffe, Murphy (Nouble 82). Not used: Loach, Edwards, Wordsworth, Mings. Booked: Berra, Nouble.

Charlton: Alnwick, Solly, Morrison, Wood, Wiggins, Wilson (Church 71), Stephens, Cousins, Stewart (Jackson 81), Sordell (Cook 45), Kermorgant. Not used: Hamer, Evina, Dervite, Pritchard. Booked: Cook, Kermorgant.

Referee: Stuart Attwell. Att: 18,371 (780 visiting).

Charlton 1 (Stephens 47) 1 Sheffield Wednesday 1 (Wickham 59).

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.

It turned out there was a double dose of bad news awaiting Charlton fans at The Valley on Sunday. Following the splendid victory over Brighton on Boxing Day, they had anticipated an unchanged team but instead found it disrupted by the absence of outstanding full backs Rhoys Wiggins and Chris Solly.

Imminent father Wiggins had been given compassionate leave to handle gas and air for the expectant mother, while Solly was prudently rested after returning recently from a four-month lay-off. To lose one full back, it must be said, may be regarded as misfortune; to lose both looks like carelessness. I mean, I’m as new a man as the next bloke but there’s a limit. Of course there are more important things than football but be fair… name one!

To a lesser degree of impact, the recovery from hamstring trouble of Connor Wickham was glad tidings for visitors Sheffield Wednesday. Wickham was inevitably on hand to score Wednesday’s equaliser from a position only marginally more onside than the fans behind the goal. Which is an artistic way of saying he was miles offside.

Played on a dreadful pitch, this was an equally dreadful game, one which will slip readily from the memory of everyone unfortunate enough to witness it. Everyone, that is, except Wednesday’s caretaker boss Stuart Gray, who found it beguiling and enthusiastically shared his pleasure with the press afterwards.

It might help to explain that post-match questioning traditionally vacillates between anodyne and asinine, the answer to each question implicit in the question itself. For instance, “You must be pleased by your team’s performance etc, etc” or “Are you disappointed not to have come away with more than a point etc, etc ?” Repetitive waffle most of the time but it stops fights breaking out.

Anyway, Gray went on and on about his team’s total domination, superior mastery of the difficult conditions, better posture and teeth, so forth and so on. He was in full flow until he overstepped the mark in describing Charlton’s goal as ” stupid.” Whoa there, I thought, he’s rubbished the solitary moment of quality on show. I’m not having that. The goal was bloody brilliant so I helpfully reminded him of it. Here’s what happened.

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Wednesday hadn’t switched on following the interval when Lawrie Wilson’s quickwitted throw picked out Dale Stephens, who materialised in the penalty area, kidded Roger Johnson out of his jockstrap by feinting to shoot rightfooted, shimmied to his left and casually flicked the ball over Chris Kirkland’s advancing shoulder with the outside of his right boot. Imaginatively conceived, brilliantly executed, lots of things but not stupid. Just love those quick throws. Should use them more often, as I tried politely to point out for the future benefit of the Owls’ bristling guvnor but he had, by then, moved on to a far more searching question. Honestly, it’s hard to help some people when they take everything so personally.

By contrast, Wickham’s equaliser was scruffy, unlovely and plain illegal. Standing almost under the crossbar as Kieran Lee bundled Chris Maguire’s low cross goalward, the big striker correctly concluded it wouldn’t reach its target and applied a hurrying touch, at which critical point he was blatantly offside. Even Gray admitted that an anxious glance at the linesman was his first port of call before celebrating. Don’t blame him for celebrating, of course.

Though Gray was typically one-eyed, as caretakers often are, it was hard to disagree that Wednesday had been the better of two beleaguered sides who created, between them, less than a handful of chances. For the visitors, Glen Loovens hooked Jeremy Helan’s partially cleared corner on to the bar, Wickham almost embarrassed Ben Alnwick with an accurate 30-yard free kick and Reda Johnson’s point blank second half header was stopped by Alnwick’s feet. Hardly a siege but it shaded the Addicks’ feeble efforts, the best of which have already faded into insignificance.

During an uncomfortable closing quarter hour, in fact, the Owls looked far likelier to snatch a winner, as they did in the corresponding game last season. They were still hopeful of a late winner when, with unexpected drama, Simon Church missed a golden opportunity to claim all three points in added time.

Hardworking as usual, Church managed to get the better of Loovens as they toiled under an awkwardly dropping ball near the 18-yard line. Using a touch to elude the struggling centre back’s attentions, he drew a bead on Kirkland’s goal but blasted harmlessly over the bar. So a draw it was and a draw it remained. And now on to Ipswich on New Years Day, by which time, it’s hoped, Wiggins has mastered fatherhood and Solly has had plenty of rest. We don’t need any more selection shocks.

Charlton: Alnwick, Wilson, Morrison, Wood, Evina, Stewart (Dervite 73), Stephens, Cousins, Jackson (Green 73), Church, Kermorgant. Not used: Pope, Hughes, Sordell, Lennon, Pigott.

Wednesday: Kirkland, Palmer, Roger Johnson, Loovens, Reda Johnson, Maguire, McPhail (Maghoma 54), Semedo, Helan (Nuihu 54), Lee, Wickham. Not used: Martinez, McCabe, Mattock, Llera. Booked: Palmer, McPhail.

Referee: F. Graham. Att: 16,377.

Charlton 3 (Wilson 32,58) Brighton 2 (Ulloa 22,90).

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.

Putting their fans through an emotional wringer as usual, on-fire Charlton bravely got the job done on St. Stephen’s Day. It wasn’t always crisp or even but with results elsewhere favouring them, this precious victory went about as deep as victories go. And, boy, was it exciting!? After spotting promotion hopefuls Brighton an ominous lead, they reeled them in through two strikes from unlikely marksman Lawrie Wilson, before apparently finishing them off with Yann Kermorgant’s superb free kick.

The word “apparently” is wisely chosen because that wasn’t quite all she wrote. It never is. It wouldn’t be daffy Charlton if torture wasn’t part of the deal and Leonardo Ulloa’s second goal in added time duly reduced The Valley to a familiar mess of molten nerves. It’s the suffering, though, not always the pleasure, that makes winning worthwhile and the roar which hailed the final whistle was one of unapologetic release. This patient crowd has been here many times before and they know an especially vital result when they see one.

It hadn’t been all that pleasant for the home fans in the early going, during which their team struggled to cope. Albion guarded the ball jealously, passed patiently and called the shots. The 22nd minute lead given them by Ulloa was no more than they deserved but these current Addicks are made of stern stuff. They stayed in the game, began hustling the visitors out of their comfort zone while seeking weaknesses to exploit. And weaknesses there were to exploit.

Ulloa’s first goal was scruffy. During a goalmouth scramble, a sly shove on Dale Stephens went unspotted, with several opportunities to clear spurned before the Argentinian threaded a low drive through a ruck of players. Charlton were in trouble but don’t believe that lazy canard that they lack fight. Pulling themselves together, they were level within ten more minutes.

There didn’t seem much menace in Cameron Stewart’s hopeful cross from the left but Kermorgant’s miscue wrongfooted the Seagulls (bit of a biological melange there, what with Kermorgant sounding like an oceangoing bird, but stay with me), leaving Wilson to rifle a rising shot into the roof of the net. Before the interval, Simon Church nodded Wilson’s cross wide at the near post as the momentum perceptibly shifted.

Albion were nearly scuppered, their earlier superiority by now drained away. The Addicks had secured a toehold in this pulsating game and were not about to have it kicked loose. Before the hour, Wilson doubled his (and his side’s) account. Popping up again at the far post, he hammered home another poorly defended cross from Stewart in a reasonable reprise of his first effort.

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Brighton weren’t quite sunk yet and came close to equalising as Ulloa headed Liam Bridcutt’s corner beyond Ben Alnwick but, to his chagrin, Richard Wood, for the second week running, cleared off the line.

Wood’s goalline heroics gained added importance seconds later after Rhoys Wiggins’ brilliant solo run was cynically halted by Keith Andrews’ brutal challenge five yards outside the penalty area. The combative midfielder’s punishment fitted his crime because Kermorgant left Peter Brezovan standing with a beautiful free kick curled neatly inside the left post. And that was that. Except, of course, it wasn’t.

Bewildered by the turn of events, the Seagulls hit back desperately only to find that fortune for once favoured Charlton. In breathtaking sequence, Ashley Barnes struck the bar, his fellow substitute Inigo Calderon smashed the rebound against the left post, Ulloa’s follow-up effort deflected agonisingly wide. They’ve been grousing around S.E.7 recently that the rub of the green hasn’t been going Charlton’s way. It might be an idea to keep a lid on any moaning for a while after they blissfully rode their luck on St. Stephen’s Day. Their amazing escape at 3-1 made Ulloa’s added time strike no more than a mere consolation.

Heroes were not hard to find among these red-shirted warriors though head and shoulders above them all was Kermorgant, a Breton juggernaut who proved unplayable at times. Peerless in the air, his touch with either foot is velvety, his perceptive picking of a pass all but perfect. As dominant an influence when defending in his own penalty area, his recent recovery from injury was particularly well timed.

Running Kermorgant close was Wilson whose goals, only his third and fourth for the club, crowned tireless spadework up and down the right flank. Wiggins was superb, Chris Solly’s excellence can be taken for granted, Church went through his customary wall for the cause while Stewart fused teammates and supporters together with one magnificently gallant block near the end. There was praise for all hands but that Jordan Cousins, what’s that all about? Not 20 until March, he’s supposed to be bowed by the pressure of relegation but this kid revels in it. Gifted and skilful, he’s not above putting his foot in, where the situation demands it. Nor is Stephens, come to think of it. He’s learning from the youngster every week.

Meanwhile, though we’re not quite at the halfway point yet, it’s time to pin colours to the mast so here goes. Charlton are not going down this season. Not this bonny band of battlers. You have my marker on it.

Charlton: Alnwick, Solly, Morrison, Wood, Wiggins, Wilson (Pritchard 90), Stephens, Cousins, Stewart (Evina 83), Church (Dervite 83), Kermorgant. Not used: Pope, Green, Sordell, Cook.

Brighton: Brezovan, Saltor (Calderon 46), Upson, El-Abd, Lopez (Barnes 63), Crofts, Andrews (Agustien 76), Bridcutt, Ward, Buckley, Ulloa. Not used: Kuszczak, Dunk, Orlandi, Ince. Booked: Saltor, El-Abd.

Referee: Mick Russell. Att: 17,404.

Bolton Wanderers 1 (McNaughton 45) Charlton 1 (Kermorgant 11).

Kevin Nolan reports from the Reebok Stadium.

Though still mired in all that unpleasant relegation stuff, the good news is that Charlton show no signs of meekly surrendering the Championship status they secured so spectacularly in 2012. Clearly determined to sell themselves dearly in the land of tripe and Trotters, the point they brought back down South with them could proved priceless when the final accounts are audited next Spring.

Certainly in the short term, the Addicks are entitled to be pleased with both performance and result at Bolton, though their future seemed a little tricky when Yann Kermorgant’s excellent opener was nullified in first half added time. Not only was the timing of Kevin McNaughton’s equaliser psychologically damaging but it arrived on the end of a worrying period of pressure by Dougie Freedman’s side. A second half battering loomed but that was to underestimate the visitors’ spirit. They had no plans to go under quietly.

Without a recognised forward on the bench, as consequences of Joe Pigott’s untimely injury and Marvin Sordell’s ineligibility, Chris Powell coped pragmatically. Happy to welcome back Chris Solly for his first start since August 24th, he pushed Lawrie Wilson into midfield at the expense of Danny Green, preferred Richard Wood to Dorian Dervite in central defence and named Simon Church instead of Bradley Pritchard alongside Kermorgant. With skipper Johnnie Jackson suspended, make do and mend was again the order of the day. It helped that Solly played as though he hadn’t missed a game.

The early running was made by Powell’s uninhibited men. Put through by Kermorgant, Wilson shot unconvincingly wide, before his enterprising run set up the charismatic Frenchman, whose snapshot brought Andy Lonergan tumbling down to save at his left post. One more minute and the confident Londoners took the lead with a goal of quality.

Picking up Dale Stephens’ inconclusively cleared corner, Rhoys Wiggins’ blistering turn of speed drove a coach-and-four between Chris Eagles and Andre Moritz on the left. A quick glance confirmed Kermorgant’s menacing position near the penalty spot before the aggressive full back’s low cutback was swept first time inside the right post.

Charlton’s advantage should have been promptly doubled by Wilson, who lamely shovelled Cameron Stewart’s centre off target at the far post. Their dominance couldn’t last, of course, as the Trotters (that blissfully archaic nickname wouldn’t last long if either of those hair-dyed mugs at Cardiff or Hull got their moneyed mitts on it), gradually pulled themselves together.

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Under Freedman, Bolton play crisply to feet – on second thoughts, make that trotters while there’s still time – pass and move patiently and belie their humble position in the league. Eagles was a mobile handful, his dangerous progress into the box encouraged by momentary misunderstanding between Stephens and Wood but Ben Alnwick bailed out his colleagues by smartly saving the winger’s effort. As Wanderers improved, Chung-Yong Lee headed Eagles’ centre down and beyond Alnwick but Wood cleared alertly off the line, before Joe Mason’s clever backheel from Lee’s delivery was bravely stopped by Alnwick. Eventually, the mounting pressure told, with beleaguered Charlton mere moments away from the sanctuary of a welcome pie and mushy peas.

His goals as rare as an straight answer from Boris Johnson, McNaughton was Wanderers’ unlikely saviour. Latching on to Eagles’ square pass, he skilfully made space for a curling drive, which sailed into the top right corner. Rattling around in the cavernous reaches behind Alnwick’s goal, 327 doughty pilgrims from the Southland must have feared for their heroes’ fate in the second half. As it turned out, they had no cause for worry.

Any misgivings appeared justified, admittedly, when Mason glanced McNaughton’s cross towards the bottom left corner but Alnwick, plunging athletically to his right, saved magnificently. It was by no means one-way traffic and Lonergan responded to Alnwick’s heroics by straining to tip Kermorgant’s quickthinking volley over his bar, then saving bravely at Church’s feet as they disputed Jordan Cousins’ low delivery to the near post.

The last word(s) belonged to Bolton, with Matt Mills heading Moritz’s corner inches too high, then Spearing bringing 327 hearts into as many mouths with a last gasp volley, which dipped dangerously on its way to clearing the bar by inches. But this was a point richly deserved by Charlton, whose worried fans might see it as an early Christmas present. Who knows, there might be more to come on Boxing Day. You’re supposed to open ’em then, anyway. So come on, chaps, you know it’s better to give than receive. Meanwhile, Merry Christmas to one and all. Well, nearly all. There are limits.

Bolton: Lonergan, McNaughton, Mills, Ream, Baptiste, Eagles, Danns (Hall 83), Spearing, Lee (Davies 73), Moritz, Mason (Beckford 79). Not used: Lee-Barrett, Knight, Pratley, Kamara. Booked: Danns, Hall.

Charlton: Alnwick, Solly, Morrison, Wood, Wiggins, Wilson, Stephens, Cousins, Stewart (Dervite 90), Church (Evina 83), Kermorgant. Not used: Pope, Hughes, Green, Pritchard, Cook. Booked: Morrison, Wilson.

Referee: Philip Gibbs. Att: 14,923.

Charlton 0 Derby County 2 (Ward 32, Bryson 87).

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.

Yet another home defeat -their fifth of this arduous season- leaves Charlton teetering unsteadily on the brink of the Championships’s relegation trapdoor. Their already parlous plight was hardly eased by the success of their closest pursuers in closing the gap between them. As if in mitigation, though, the four teams immediately above them thoughtfully obliged by also losing.

Facing the division’s hottest in-form team, the Addicks acquitted themselves reasonably well without suggesting they had it in them to upset the odds. Their spirit was willing enough but their quality couldn’t match it. Once Derby moved into an admittedly fortunate lead just past the half hour, the destination of these three points was all but assured.

Without his suspended captain Johnnie Jackson, Chris Powell surprisingly handed forgotten man Danny Green his first league start of the campaign while, even more surprisingly, preferred Bradley Pritchard to Simon Church in a novel position behind lone forward Yann Kermorgant, which I believe might well be that mysterious “hole” the tactical experts waffle on about. The manager’s boldness went unrewarded by telling contributions from either newcomer, both of whom were quietly substituted midway through the second half. Kermorgant, meanwhile, was disturbingly colourless.

Currently in fourth place, Derby were no great shakes themselves but knew enough to record their seventh victory on the road. They impassively soaked up what their uninspired hosts had to offer, patiently bided their time and counterpunched them into submission. Hardly dynamic but highly effective, they followed to the letter the tried-and-true formula to beat Charlton.

Initially motivated and determined, the Addicks dictated the opening exchanges, with Michael Morrison burying a firm drive into Lee Grant’s midriff before Dale Stephens skied Cameron Stewart’s cross over the bar. Green’s unintentionally treacherous free kick sent Grant scrambling across his line to touch the ball over the bar but, with sickening inevitability, it was County who snatched an all-important lead against the run of play.

Frequently over-eager in putting his foot in where it doesn’t belong, Dorian Dervite was suckered by wily Ram Chris Martin into an unnecessarily physical challenge six yards outside Charlton’s penalty area. Making the most of his opportunity, Jamie Ward’s free kick caught a wicked deflection in an irresolute wall, wrongfooted Ben Alnwick and found the net. Funny, ain’t it, how the better a team is, the luckier it gets?

That familiar sinking feeling swept The Valley, fuelled by the knowledge that the Addicks had failed to score in five of their nine previous home games. Kermorgant’s improvised effort to surprise Grant from a prone position was unlikely to improve that grisly statistic and it was the Rams’ freescoring midfielder Craig Bryson who went somewhat closer to doubling his side’s lead before the interval. His blistering drive was bound for the top right corner until it was spectacularly saved at full length by Alnwick.

With the Midlanders content to protect their advantage, Charlton again set the second half pace. Stephens awkwardly stabbed Lawrie Wilson’s centre wide, while Kermorgant’s miscue became trapped between Morrison’s feet as he turned to shoot at close range.On the hour, Ward blasted Martin’s precise cutback against the bar when hitting the target seemed easier, his miss serving to prolong local agony.

The withdrawal of Green and Pritchard for Callum Harriott and Church respectively suggested the adjustment of an honest mistake and Charlton were briefly invigorated. Kermorgant’s precise cross from the left reached Morrison at the far post but was nodded wastefully wide, then Church broke clear to drive against the advancing Grant. Enough was enough, concluded the complacent visitors and Bryson’s elegantly dinked 87th minute coup-de-grace, after Ward and Conor Sammon combined to play him clear, belatedly settled the issue.

No doubt at his wits end, Powell has tried everything to turn the tide. All he-and his troubled charges- can do is to keep on keeping on. What you see is what you get, there’s nowhere else to turn. But they can do it, they can pull clear of the relegation dogfight under their manager’s decent, unhysterical stewardship. He needs the fans to close ranks behind him, even those who vocally question his every decision. He was obliged to watch helplessly as last season’s successful squad was weakened, not a penny was made available to him, the club’s invisible board seems to have cut him loose while they’re busy touting their wares. He’s still the man, though, truer and better than any of the fairground barkers being touted as possible replacements. Neil Warnock anyone? I don’t think so! Ian Holloway? Spare me!

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Charlton: Alnwick, Wilson (Sordell 85), Morrison, Dervite, Wiggins, Green (Harriott 65), Cousins, Pritchard (Church 65), Stephens, Stewart, Kermorgant. Not used: Pope, Evina, Wood, Solly. Booked: Stephens, Kermorgant.

Derby: Grant, Wisdom, Keogh, Buxton, Forsyth, Hendrick, Eustace, Bryson, Ward (Kean 88), Martin (Sammon 85), Dawkins (Russell 74). Not used: Legzdins, Davies, Bennett, Cisse. Booked: Keogh.

Referee: Andy Davies. Att: 16,871.

Yeovil Town 2 (Morrison o.g. 72, Miller pen 76) Charlton 2 (Stewart 37, Jackson 45).

Kevin Nolan reports from Huish Park

As usual in these fraught circumstances, there are conflicting ways of looking at the outcome of this critical relegation clash, one which leaves its contestants in exactly the same trouble at the foot of the Championship table as they found themselves prior to kick-off.

From Charlton’s perspective, a point gained on the ground of their closest pursuer seems, at casual glance, to be far from the shabbiest of results. If they hadn’t carelessly squandered a two-goal lead in the process, they might actually have allowed themselves a faint glow of satisfaction. Appearances are, of course, often deceptive.

It’s spirited Yeovil Town, who will draw greater encouragement from this stand-off. Facing comprehensive defeat after being outclassed for over 70 minutes, they had made no impression until, out of the blue, they luckily reduced their arrears. The effect was galvanic on both sides. The Glovers sensed they were still in with an unexpected chance, their visitors inexplicably panicked and this see-saw game flip-flopped on to its head. Within four more minutes, a penalty unnecessarily conceded by substitute Andy Hughes was converted by his victim, Ishmael Miller, and with shocking suddenness, the Addicks were reduced to clinging on desperately to salvage a point from the shambles. Their cause was hardly helped by the straight-red card dismissal of skipper Johnnie Jackson, of which more later.

It had promised to a be a pleasant stroll for Charlton before the interval. After the Westcountrymen had begun brightly enough, with John Lundstram skimming the bar from long range and Miller forcing a smart save from Ben Alnwick, the visitors took over. A series of fluent attacks, combining crisp passing and clever movement, tore Town to shreds; the handy lead they enjoyed at the interval seemed poor reward for their superiority.

Unpredictable left winger Cameron Stewart made all the difference. He started a brief dissection of Luke Ayling by cutting inside the right back before forcing Christopher Dunn into a flying save to keep out his dipping drive. Moments later, he improved on that effort by firing his side into an already overdue lead.

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Sent haring along the touchline by Alnwick’s laser-guided throw, Stewart used Yann Kermorgant’s shrewd running off the ball to make space for the uncomplicated shot he buried into the bottom right corner from 20 yards. This time Dunn stood no chance.

Having benefited from his goalkeeper’s imaginative distribution, the on-fire Stewart was intelligently prompted by centre back Dorian Dervite, who aggressively advanced into Yeovil’s half and sent him down the flank again. Rounding Ayling effortlessly, his precisely measured cross from the left byline left Jackson with the simple task of heading home at the far post. At which point, the Addicks were rampant, the Glovers a tattered mess.

Nothing in the second half’s opening exchanges altered the feeling that the issue was all but settled. In fact, had Dunn not reacted sharply to parry Simon Church’s enterprising overhead effort, Charlton would have moved out of sight of their struggling hosts. So it was a shock when their victims hit back.

Willowy wide man Joel Grant hadn’t made any inroads up against Lawrie Wilson but finally got the better of him and crossed instantly from the left touchline. Moving to the near post to deal with the danger, Michael Morrison succeeded only in turning the ball into his own goal. It was an unfortunate setback but it hardly explained how or why the erstwhile hunters became abruptly the hunted. Their transformation was absolute.

Four minutes after Morrison’s misfortune, substitute Andy Hughes clumsily tripped Miller a foot inside his penalty area. There seemed little need for such excess so far from goal but Miller was clearly not one to look a gift horse anywhere but squarely in the eye. He ruthlessly equalised from the spot.

There was even worse to come for the shellshocked Londoners. Impeded by Ed Upson as he burst into Town’s half, Jackson lost balance and lunged into Ayling as he sought to retain possession. Ayling did him no favours with his agonised reaction but there was no disputing the captain’s sending-off. As he departed, he almost crossed with substitute Chris Solly, whose return following four months of injury and rumour, would otherwise have stiffened his sinews.

So Charlton continue their long trudge to freedom through a minefield of pitfalls, many of their own making. It’s tough at the bottom. Well, fourth from bottom. And who knows, with a slice of luck from time to time, climbing to the security of mid-table. Nolan expects.

Yeovil: Dunn, Ayling, Webster, Duffy, Davis (McAllister 59), Edwards, Lundstram (Dawson 46), Upson, Grant, Morgan (Hayter 46), Miller. Not used: Foley, Stewart, Hoskins, Ralls. Booked: Ayling, Webster, Duffy.

Charlton: Alnwick, Wilson, Morrison, Dervite, Wiggins, Stephens, Cousins (Hughes 69), Stewart (Wood 90), Kermorgant, Church (Solly 82). Not used: Pope, Evina, Green, Sordell. Booked: Alnwick, Wilson, Kermorgant. Sent off: Jackson.

Referee: Craig Pawson.Att: 6,053.