Portsmouth 1 (Ogilvie 45+3) Charlton 3 (Rak Sakyi 23, Fraser 49, Dale o.g. 90+4).

With his feet up at home, Kevin Nolan watched Charlton start as they mean to go on in 2023.

It’s part of human nature to turn to what we know and trust in times of trouble. A sympathetic ear and a helping hand are never more appreciated than during dark times.

It got pretty dark for Charlton during a gruesome, grisly first half at Oxford last Thursday. An experimental, spiritless side performed as though strangers to each other, their body language evoking those 19th century wretches heading for Botany Bay. New manager Dean Holden had got his selection horribly wrong but, to his credit, reacted promptly to restore order. His interval adjustments changed the dynamic and the Addicks emerged from the debacle with a few, tattered vestiges of pride.

The fact remained, however, that defeat at the Kassam Stadium made it eight league games without a win since Shrewsbury Town were beaten on October 22nd. Charlton had slipped down the table and a once unthinkable relegation battle loomed before them. They badly needed a break and the fixture list was about to hand them one. Next up, on New Years Day, were Portsmouth, and more understanding, empathetic opposition was impossible to imagine.

Pompey are Charlton’s most frequently faced opponents and over many years gave as good as they got. But their recent record, particularly at Fratton Park, is the stuff of nightmares. Seven consecutive defeats, eight in the last nine encounters, make the Addicks as welcome as foxes in a hen coop. Added to which, their televised visit to The Valley back in October inspired a 3-0 drubbing in one of Charlton’s brightest performances of the season.

With a wary eye on the law of averages, Holden took his men down to the South Coast and could hardly have hoped for a warmer reception from their hosts, who almost fell over themselves to make them welcome. Midfield hard man Marlon Pack even repeated the personal contribution he made at The Valley and, with a pair of quickfire bookings, got himself sent off again. His altruism must not go unmentioned.

Holden’s starting line-up, meanwhile, gave Pompey more than they could handle. A buccaneering front three which featured wingers Jesurun Rak-Sakyi and Corey Blackett-Taylor flanking muscular, mobile centre forward Miles Leaburn, tore into them from the start. They were provided with a secure platform from which to attack by sound midfielders George Dobson and Scott Fraser, both of whom, along with Albie Morgan, were outstanding.

After an even opening, during which Ronan Curtis’ long range effort was spectacularly saved by Ashley Maynard-Brewer, the visitors took the lead midway through the first half. A move started by one of Dobson’s many interceptions was continued by Leaburn, who fed Rak-Sakyi to his right. The sprightly Crystal Palace loanee feinted to move outside but switched the ball to his favoured left foot before nonchalantly slotting it past Joshua Griffiths into the far bottom corner.

Smart saves by Maynard-Brewer at Dane Scarlett’s feet and from the same player’s firm drive protected Charlton’s lead until three minutes into first half added time, when a lapse in concentration while defending a left wing corner undid all their good work. Skipper Sean Raggett returned Scarlett’s inswinger from the far post to Connor Ogilvie, who was given enough space by Sean Clare’s momentary switch-off to hook a neat finish into the right corner.

Irritating though it was at the time, Pompey’s equaliser turned out to be a blip in Charlton’s otherwise solid defensive performance. And four minutes after the break, they were back in front through Fraser, whose fourth goal of the season crowned a virtuoso performance. Using the momentum provided by Dobson’s pass, he glided past three defenders, delayed his shot until his target became clear, then finished coolly inside the bottom right post.

Protecting the lead Fraser’s tour-de-force had given them proved surprisingly easy. Charlton’s second half game management, with Lucas Ness and Steven Sessegnon in no-nonsense mood, was pragmatic, unemotional and incident-free. Ryan Inniss, too, mercifully relieved of the burden of building from the back, was a defensive rock. The Addicks had already sealed the issue by the time a third goal gilded their lily. Blackett-Taylor began the process by combining with lively substitute Jack Payne, who quickly passed inside to Dobson. A rare goal for the inspirational captain was foiled by Griffiths but the keeper’s parry rebounded off Owen Dale into the net behind him.

“The supporters needed to see that type of performance”, commented Holden, who went on to confirm that members of his own family had watched the game from the away end. Too true they did, boss. They paid plenty of dues before you arrived. In fact, they’ve made suffering an art form this season. Shame we can’t play Portsmouth every week, really, but there you go…

Portsmouth: Griffiths, Swanson (Koroma 80), Morrison (Mingi 78), Raggett, Ogilvie, Dale, Morell, Pack, Curtis (Hackett 46), Pigott (Jacobs 46), Scarlett (Bishop 46). Not used: Oluwayemi, Hume. Booked: Hackett, Pack (2) sent off.

Charlton: Maynard-Brewer, Clare, Inniss, Ness, Sessegnon, Morgan (Payne 73), Dobson, Fraser (Henry 88), Rak-Sakyi, Leaburn Stockley 78), Blackett-Taylor. Not used: McGillivray, Lavelle, Campbell, Kirk. Booked: Dobson.

Referee: Tom Reeves. Att: 18,468 (1,380 visiting).

Oxford United 3 (Bodin 20, Taylor 24, O’Donkor 82) Charlton 1 (Leaburn 67).

Recently appointed Dean Holden was made painfully aware of the task confronting him in a first half horror show, which was suffered by nearly 1,000 eyewitnesses and an untold number of Livestream viewers. We latter at least had the option of switching off and putting a premature end to our agony. With nowhere to hide, the new boss had his card clearly marked for him.

Winners just five times in twenty three league games, the most recent of which was on October 22nd, Charlton are knee deep in a struggle to avoid the unspeakable prospect of relegation to League Two. Holden’s simple brief is to keep them above the trapdoor; any nonsense being spouted about the possibility of joining the promotion battle must be dismissed as the deranged ravings of lunatics.

Making four changes from the side which went close to beating Peterborough three days previously, Holden surprisingly benched goalscorer Miles Leaburn, main playmaker Scott Fraser and defensive pragmatist Ryan Inniss; Steven Sessegnon’s absence was no doubt due to injury. Leaburn replaced a down-on-his-luck Jayden Stockley and duly scored again. Inniss relieved a vulnerable Terell Thomas at half-time, at which time the mercurial, wide threats of Jesurun Rak-Sakyi and Corey Blackett-Taylor were also unleashed. Charlton’s improvement was immediate but already too late. So expect more tinkering at Portsmouth on New Years Day, which is mercifully still two days away. Meanwhile, a disgraceful first half at the Kassam Stadium needs to be looked at first.

For 45 minutes, the Addicks were a corporate mess. Not one among them emerged with individual credit, not even skipper George Dobson, whose performance fell woefully short of the wholehearted, effective contribution we’ve come to expect as normal. Without his restless ball-winning influence, Charlton visibly sagged. Devoid of fight, passion or even a semblance of commitment, they were second to everything, lost every tackle, showed no appetite and, to be brutally frank, “bottled it”. Their lack of backbone was an embarrassment and made for a stormy ride in the interval dressing room and no doubt at Sparrows Lane during the week.

Oxford’s opening goal, which the visitors somehow staved off for 20 minutes, was a microcosm of the general malaise. Thomas’ efforts to stop Cameron Brannagan’s progress down the right wing were feeble but the low cross was crisp and accurate. A ball watching trio comprising Lucas Ness, Sam Lavelle and Sean Clare showed only academic interest as Billy Bodin arrived at the far post and sidefooted into Ashley Maynard-Brewer’s gaping net. From United’s point of view, it was a goal of outstanding quality. Holden might have a different take on its component parts.

It took Karl Robinson’s blokes only three more minutes to double their lead with the help, to be fair, of huge dollop of luck. Bodin experienced little hardship in stepping inside Ness on the left before trying his luck with a drive intended for the far corner. More by luck than any judgement on his part, Matty Taylor diverted the ball past a wrongfooted Maynard-Brewer and, quite rightly, claimed credit for the goal. Not that any of the demoralised visitors were in a mood to dispute its ownership.

Holden’s comments on the debacle were predictably pithy. “It’s a first half to address, not forget”, he declared. “We need to do that quickly before the Portsmouth game. It was unacceptable. The players were made well aware of that at half-time. No doubt we saw a reaction in the second half. Jes, Corey and Miles, in particular, came on and really took the game to the U’s backline.”

Holden’s summing-up, while accurate, raises questions. Why was Leaburn, Charlton’s rare handful up front, not started against Oxford? He’s full of running and equally full of himself. And surely the pace and power of Rak-Sakyi and Blackett-Taylor should have been deployed alongside him. Both of them created clearcut chances for the hungry youngster, one of which he converted to put the Addicks briefly back in with a chance.

Blackett-Taylor’s contribution to Leaburn’s goal was starkly simple. Knocking the ball past Elliott Moore, he challenged the defender to a one-on-one foot race, left him wheezing in his wake and crossed accurately from the left byline. Timing his movement expertly, Leaburn minor headed emphatically home. He then had an almost immediate chance to equalise when Rak Sakyi eluded Marcus Browne, faked to move inside but instead played Leaburn through to his right. Aiming for the far corner, the teenage striker was denied by the faintest of touches from McGinty.

Leaburn’s near thing was Charlton’s final, desperate fling. A game kid but a little out of his depth, Richard Chin had been replaced at left wingback by even less experienced Tyreece Campbell. The new boy failed to stop substitute Wildschut’s angled shot, which Maynard-Brewer fumbled and O’Donkor prodded home on the goalline. United’s scruffy clincher was an apt footnote to a game which, contrary to Holden’s advice “not to forget”, should be promptly airbrushed from the memory and, far from “addressed”, might more profitably dismissed as never having happened. Ostriches have been getting away with it for years. It works for me.

Oxford: McGinty, Long, Moore, Bodin (Seddon 90), Brannagan (Goodham 90), Taylor (O’Donkor 81), Bate, Browne, McGuane, Murphy (Wildschut 46), Anderson (Findlay 71). Not used: Plumley, Jones.

Charlton: Maynard-Brewer, Ness, Lavelle (Rak-Sakyi 46), Thomas (Inniss 46), Clare, Payne, Dobson, Henry, Chin (Campbell 72), Stockley (Leaburn 60), Kanu (Blackett-Taylor 46). Not used: Harness, Fraser. Booked: Chin, Leaburn, Payne.

Referee: B. Toner. Att: 8,889 (991 visiting).

Charlton 1 (Leaburn ) Peterborough 1 (Clarke-Harris)

Five days after abjectly surrendering to Bristol Rovers, Charlton challenged logic by dumping Brighton out of the Carabao Cup. Making the most of 22% possession, they defended heroically, soaked up what the Seagulls had to offer and edged a chaotic penalty shoot-out. Caretaker boss Anthony Hayes could look incoming manager Dean Holden squarely in the eye as he handed over a spirited squad. At least he could until Peterborough United had been and gone from The Valley on Boxing Day.

Play-off contenders Peterborough arrived with a curious record of ten games won, ten lost and only one drawn. They stood eighth in League One, just three points outside the play-offs group, their promising position vindication of the decision made years ago to increase from two to three points the reward for winning a game. Draws were effectively de-valued but let’s not knock them out of hand – they could be the saving of Charlton at the end of this difficult season.

Holden might not have known what to make of an awkward first half, which Posh largely controlled without tangible reward. The few chances on offer were created by the visitors, the first of them a rasping drive by diminutive Jeando Fuchs, which cannoned off Lucas Ness’s head to Jonson Clarke Harris. From a tight angle, United’s prolific captain blasted the rebound into the sidenet.

As the Addicks struggled to gain a foothold, Ephron Mason-Clark’s pinpoint pass sent Kwame Poku clear, with Ness in urgent pursuit. Holding off Charlton’s straining defender, Poku closed in but was defied at close range by Ashley Maynard-Brewer’s brave block. Scrambling to his feet, the young Aussie threw himself in the way of Joe Ward’s point-blank attempt to convert the rebound. His superb double save was the fillip the Addicks needed to force their way into a game which was threatening to inch out of their control.

Reaching the interval still level was an achievement for Holden’s men. Shortly after resumption, they went one better by taking the lead with a goal conceived and executed by two irrepressible graduates of the Sparrows Lane assembly line.

Spinning clear of Frankie Kent’s impetuous challenge on the left, starting debutant Daniel Kanu pinpointed a fine cross which picked out his comparatively experienced colleague Miles Leaburn. Making light of Ronnie Edwards’ touch-tight pressure, Leaburn Jr. planted a delicate, glancing header into the far right-hand corner. A delighted Valley joined the exuberant teenagers in saluting a goal with special significance; it was Leaburn’s sixth of an injury-hit campaign and makes him Charlton’s leading scorer. Kanu ‘s first goal for the senior side is an inevitable breakthrough hopefully not delayed for long.

Buoyed by success, the newly uninhibited Addicks went for the jugular. Breaking from his own half as a Posh corner foundered, Sean Clare set off on a lung-bursting run and was well served by Jack Payne’s perceptive pass. Staying ahead of a pursuing posse, the surprisingly swift wingback picked his moment to shoot, beat the advancing Will Blackmore but hit the inside of the post. It was an escape which the reprieved visitors celebrated by grabbing a scruffy but not altogether unexpected equaliser.

Apart from his earlier chance, not much had been seen of Clarke-Harris, but that was to change midway through the second session. Meeting Joe Ward’s inswinging left wing corner at the far post, the burly striker’s downward header had crossed the goalline before Ness desperately hacked it clear. Posh were back level and instantly went looking for more.

Deflated by the setback, Charlton were briefly vulnerable. First Kelland Watts, then Poku, hit the bar as Posh threatened to run riot. But the Addicks weathered the brief storm and Jesurun Rak-Sakyi squandered the clearest opportunity of an entertaining game. Set up by Leaburn’s cushioned square pass, the unmarked Crystal Palace loanee drew a careful bead on a yawning goal, selected its left corner and… sidefooted weakly wide. It was a miss of jawdropping profligacy and, under different circumstances, might have unnerved the Addicks. But under George Dobson’s indefatigable leadership and with centre backs Sam Lavelle and Ryan Inniss in unbreakable form, they dug in for a non-committal but useful draw -their tenth of the season – and a point which halted a run of three league defeats. And when you can win only five of twenty two games, you need to at least avoid defeat as often as possible.

In a campaign which could be justifiably likened to trudging through treacle, our heroes are making painstaking progress in their crablike “march” to safety from relegation. But there’s a bright spot… and that’s an unexpected chance of Cup glory at Old Trafford in the New Year. You can’t say fairer than that. Or more poignantly optimistic.

Charlton: Maynard-Brewer, Sessegnon, Lavelle, Inniss, Clare, Fraser (Henry 75), Payne (Rak-Sakyi 75), Dobson, Ness, Kanu (Stockley 75), Leaburn (Kirk 82). Not used: McGillivray, Blackett-Taylor, Mitchell. Booked: Dobson.

Peterborough: Blackmore, Watts, Edwards, Kent, Fuchs (Kyprianou 72), Taylor , Clarke-Harris, Mason-Clark (Jones 72), Poku (Taylor 89), Burrows, Ward. Not used: Bergstrom, Butler, Knight, Thompson.

Referee: Darren Drysdale. Att: 13,816 (385 visiting).

Stockport County 3 (Collar 25, 73, 80 pen) Charlton 1 (Wright 6 o.g.)

By Kevin Nolan, mercifully far from Edgeley Park.

Spiritlessly, noiselessly and unlamented, Charlton disappeared from this season’s FA Cup competition at the hands of Stockport County, who sportingly staked them to an early own-goal lead before coldly and efficiently putting them in their place with a three-goal salvo of their own.

Any mention of this result as a “shock” should be stifled at source. There was not even a vestige of surprise, much less shock, in Charlton’s shambolic surrender to their League Two hosts. County were by far the better side and strolled into the third round, where they will face Walsall at home. It’s a shame they couldn’t have finished the job at The Valley last month and spared us this embarrassment of a replay. But there are motions to be gone through and under caretaker manager Anthony Hayes, the Addicks “turned up” to take their lumps. Or didn’t turn up, as
the saying goes.

The deeper implications of this grisly evening remain to be seen. It came on the back of the failure to beat Cheltenham four days earlier, a result which accelerated Charlton’s fall from grace and cost Ben Garner his job. Thomas Sandgaard’s decision to sack yet another manager -this one after just twenty league games in charge – is another of his impatient, panic-driven impulses. You “don’t need the weatherman to know which way the wind blows” -no need, either, for Sandgaard or his Director of Analytics to confirm that Charlton Athletic are a club on the brink of freefall. There’s an air of despondency around The Valley on matchdays, which no amount of forced cheeriness dispels. We’ve seen it all before, of course, but you can push your luck only so far.

At Stockport, Charlton were hosted by a club, 22 years older than themselves, whose recent experience of ten seasons spent outside the league pyramid should serve as a bleak reminder that football is an unforgiving, merciless business which deals in facts and figures, punishes complacency and has no truck with reputation or past glories. The weak go to the wall as the Hatters, like Jacob Marley, are in the perfect position to confirm. Whether Sandgaard reacts to the warning like Scrooge, opens his wallet during the upcoming January transfer window and takes care of his underfunded clerk Hayes remains to be seen. As the titular head of what we’re constantly reminded is one big family, it’s time the owner put his money where his mouth is.

Back at Edgeley Park, meanwhile, there’s a cup replay to report. We’ll hustle through the details, if you don’t mind, because most of you were horrified witnesses to what happened and don’t need me reminding you just how useless Charlton were.

As they had been in the original tie, the Addicks were gifted a goal to help their cause. This one arrived nice and early when goalkeeper Ben Hinchliffe made a dog’s dinner of dealing with Charlie Kirk’s inswinging left wing corner, pawing it against Akil Wright and into the net behind him. It was an encouraging start and Charlton were briefly inspired to build on it. First bright young thing Richard Chin fired over the bar from a promising angle, then Chuks Aneke, making a rare start, broke clear but on his less favoured left foot, was unable to apply the required finish. And that was the end of Charlton as an attacking force as County took charge and put them -and us – out of our mutual misery.

Craig McGillivray delayed the inevitable with a remarkable, instinctive save to repel Paddy Madden’s point-blank header but the Hatters were not kept waiting long to equalise. A crisp, low drive from Ryan Rydel thudded against the woodwork before rebounding conveniently for Will Collar to tap home the leveller.

It took Stockport a further 48 minutes to seal the deal, which you could say was careless of them, since there was little to beat before them. It was Collar who drilled home a crisp finish after Rydel cushioned Kyle Wootton’s cross into his path and, with the issue already settled, who converted the penalty awarded when George Dobson brought down Ollie Crankshaw. So 3-1 it was and 3-1 it stayed until the bitter end.

Just how bitter that end turns out to be we’re about to discover, most immediately at Morecambe on Saturday, where the serious business of staying in League One resumes. Without intending to sound too dramatic, it’s a six-pointer and based on Charlton’s performance at Stockport, it’s hard to fancy the Addicks. Then Bristol Rovers, with baleful Joey Barton adding to the relentless fun, are due at The Valley. It’s become a slog but then again, the Crossbar Challenge never fails to cheer me up…

Stockport: Hinchliffe, Southam-Hales (Crankshaw 67), Wright, Horsfall (Brown 82), Collar (Camps 90+1), R. Johnson, Rydel, Croasdale
(C. Johnson 90), Wootton, Hippolyte (McDonald 90), Madden.
Charlton: McGillivray, Clare, Mitchell, Lavelle, Chin, Morgan (Rak-Sakyi 64), Forster-Caskey (Fraser 82), Campbell (Blackett-Taylor73),
Payne, Aneke (Dobson 46), Kirk (Jaiyesimi 64).
Referee: Scott Oldham. Att: 6,242 (345 visiting).

Plymouth 3 Charlton 2 – Papa John Trophy

Dwarfed by the World Cup and metaphorically millions of miles away in deep, dark Devon, Charlton made their exit from the Papa John Trophy, beaten 3-2 by Plymouth Argyle. A young side, bolstered by the experience of Jake Forster-Caskey and Jack Payne, played some good stuff, scored two excellent goals but were ultimately undone by two other goals which were, quite literally, donated to their conquerors.

With the score 1-1 (and Argyle’s goal looked suspiciously offside), Charlton’s robotic adherence to the philosophy of “playing out from the back” persuaded Zach Mitchell, a blossoming, ball-playing centre back, to almost absentmindedly roll the ball no more than six yards to a startled but grateful opponent, who wasted little time in slipping it past Nathan Harness.

Two minutes later, Harness himself repeated the process to another green-clad predator and Charlton were abruptly 3-1 down. Both Mitchell and Harness had the option of clearing their lines by more basic methods but seemed brainwashed to choose the riskier way out of minimal danger. Neither of them was under any pressure. But enough about Papa John. He won’t mind us using him to make a point. The malady runs through all age groups.

At senior level, it makes sense to get the ball quickly out to speedsters Corey Blackett-Taylor or Jesurun Rak-Sakyi so they can start their runs at defences before they have time to organise and double-team them. And it makes just as much sense that the ball is safer in the possession of George Dobson or Scott Fraser than it is in the reluctant care of Ryan Inniss or Sam Lavelle. During the Addicks’ recent defeat at Port Vale, transition (that’s the latest buzz word, right?) was painstaking and laborious and frequently ground to a halt before retreat was beaten back to Ashley Maynard-Brewer. Vale picked them off with ease and neither Blackett-Taylor nor Rak-Sakyi got a look-in. There was no tempo and even less momentum.

The alternative, of course, is not to boot everything pointlessly forward but surely must lie somewhere in healthy compromise. The ball over the top to Charlton’s wide greyhounds is a nightmare for defenders forced to turn and deal with the threat while facing their own goal. The much-reviled “long ball” can be a lethal tool when adapted to your strengths. No apology is due anyone for its sensible use. Short or long – they both have their place.

So here’s my cri-de-coeur to Ben Garner and his coaching staff. Spare us our frequent, sharp intakes of breath as Charlton play Russian Roulette inside their penalty area. The rewards are significantly fewer than the risks unless, of course, you are Manchester City. And even City have been known to screw up. Could we go back to a healthy blend of styles best suited to our personnel? And trust them to make up their own minds. It’s making some of us old before our time.

Charlton: Harness, Asiimwe, Mitchell, Elerewe, Chin, Morgan, Henry (Anderson 75), Forster-Caskey (Rylah 46), Payne, Kanu, Campbell. Not used: Kone, Oguntayo, Kedwell, Casey.

Port Vale 1 (Butterworth 57) Charlton 0

Kevin Nolan watched the livestream and squirmed through two hours of unrelenting drudgery. Had Charlton emerged with three points, he would have forgiven them everything. But at least he wasn’t faced with the same daunting journey home as the unhappy pilgrims who paid to get in.

From his seat in the stands, suspended Charlton manager Ben Garner was ideally placed to see what the rest of us saw and was in no mood to sugercoat what he had just witnessed. His summation of this dire, drab, dreadful game was unusually blunt.

“A horrible pitch. A horrible performance. A very disappointing afternoon,” he moaned, before expressing an unapologetically bitter opinion on his side’s spineless contribution to the grisly proceedings. “We weren’t good enough with the ball. We didn’t fight enough without it. We gave a horrendous goal away. Port Vale just want to stop you. That gave them something to hold on to and they can kill the game.”

Nothing much to disagree with there, except to point out that Charlton’s slavish adherence to “playing out from the back” made it laughably easy for Vale to “stop” them with a well organised press and an energetic willingness to close down defenders as they struggled to cross their 18-yard line. With depressing regularity, the Addicks’ risky passing began and ended at debut goalkeeper Ashley Maynard’s feet, before the laborious process was repeated. Momentum was non-existent, with passes of even modest distance actively discouraged. It’s all very avant garde but it doesn’t work at League One level where ball retention is, shall we say, a somewhat hit-or-miss proposition.

The Valiants were hardly an irresistible force themselves but they were the better side and, despite Garner’s dismissive comments, got their tactics spot-on. Clearly they had done their homework and had answers for everything, including the threats posed by Charlton’s normally menacing wide men Corey Blackett-Taylor and Jesurun Rak-Sakyi. Neither speedster was allowed to turn and run at the home defence as they relish doing but encountered stifling pressure as the ball painstakingly reached them. Neither of them made an impact and faded from view.

Not that Blackett-Taylor or Rak Sakyi should be scapegoats for Charlton’s sorry contribution to this grisly nightmare of a game. Apart from the blameless Maynard-Brewer, who actually had little to do, not a single Addick distinguished himself. A case could possibly be made for Steven Sessegnon but the bar was set miserably low. Even George Dobson was off-colour and was at least partly culpable for Daniel Butterworth’s winning goal. Alongside him, Scott Fraser hardly put a foot right while Charlie Kirk’s input, following his two-goal burst at Burton, went un-noticed. Up front, the sadly out-of-form Jayden Stockley lumbered around fruitlessly and accomplished nothing.

But it was in front of Maynard-Brewer that Charlton’s shortcomings were alarmingly obvious. Neither Sam Lavelle nor Ryan Inniss would claim to be other than sturdy stoppers and neither of them is relaxed with the ball at his feet inside his own penalty area, where they are unreasonably expected to double as playmakers. Inniss’ booking for a late lunge was uncomfortably typical and might have earned him a red, rather the yellow card he received. Right back Sean Clare is prone to the same rashness.

Charlton’s second half substitutions brought faint improvement but by the time the first of them, Chuks Aneke for Stockley as usual, arrived, the Addicks were already trailing. A trio of defensive Addicks tracked Daniel Butterworth as he moved on to Nathan Smith’s pass, with Dobson leading the posse but failing to prevent his quarry from directing a low drive which beat Maynard-Brewer’s full-length dive on its way inside the keeper’s right hand post.

Aneke wasn’t his customary galvanic force but was still impossible to overlook. Turning sharply on to Dobson’s pass into feet, his left footed drive skimmed the bar. He threatened again when a rare incursion Rak-Sakyi set up a fleeting sight of goal but was brilliantly blocked by Connor Hall. It was fellow substitute Jack Payne, however, who came closest to salvaging a point from the wreckage with a venomous shot which was brilliantly tipped over the bar by Jack Stevens.

With an unwanted trip to Plymouth on Tuesday in the lightly regarded Papa John Trophy, followed by a more serious FA Cup tie at The Valley against Stockport County on Saturday, Garner has his hands full with an awkward fixture list. The plan was clearly to tackle the knockout commitments on the back of success in the Potteries but Port Vale had other ideas. An irritated Garner was disingenuous in implying that there was something faintly illegal in their tactical approach.

Vale made no bones about their intention to “win ugly” by choking the life out of Charlton. They worked feverishly to deny their visitors either space or time and put in the effort needed to achieve their ends. They had just enough about them to find the one goal which would settle this scruffy, scrappy encounter and sent the home fans away happy with exactly that outcome. Almost 900 travelling Addicks, an intensely loyal number in support of a team with just one victory in eight away games, would gladly have traded places. There’s only one way to mitigate a game of this wretchedness and that is to win the bloody thing. Everything else can be dismissed as red and white noise.

Port Vale: Stevens, Hall, Jones, Smith, Worrall (Robinson 67), Garrity, Wilson (Odubeko), Conlon, Benning, Massey, Butterworth (Politic 78). Not used: Stone, Cass, Charsley, Pett. Booked: Benning.

Charlton: Maynard-Brewer, Clare, Inniss, Lavelle (Morgan 83), Sessegnon, Rak-Sakyi, Dobson, Fraser (Forster-Caskey 77), Blackett-Taylor (Campbell 77), Stockley (Aneke 58), Kirk (Payne 77). Not used: Harness, Elewere. Booked: Aneke, Inniss.

Referee: S, Barratt. Att 7,604 (867 visiting).

Burton Albion 3 (Oshilaja 38, Hamer 45, Adeboyejo 58) Charlton 3 (Kirk 26, 36, Rak-Sakyi 76).

Kevin Nolan put his feet up and as a non-combatant watched Charlton delight and disappoint
in almost equal measure in far-off Staffordshire.

As an exercise in fist-chewing frustration, watching Charlton’s performance in Staffordshire takes some beating. Confronted for the second time in three weeks with bottom-of-the-table opposition, they were ultimately relieved to have wrested a point from struggling Burton Albion. Admittedly, that’s one notch up from losing abjectly at home to MK Dons but it’s hardly the stuff of ambition. Factor in September’s 1-1 stalemate with Forest Green, currently at the foot of League One, and a puzzling pattern of compassion for the underdog begins to emerge.

Charlton’s eighth draw of the season seemed unlikely when they emerged from a limp, passion-less opening to move into an unlikely two-goal lead. It was even more surprising that the scorer of both goals was Charlie Kirk, an enigmatic under-achiever since joining the club from Crewe Alexandra. On each occasion, his finishing was sublime.

Curiously flat and forced on to the back foot, the Addicks were being pushed around by their hosts and were grateful to deputy goalkeeper Craig McGillivray for a couple of smart saves, especially his airborne tip-over of Sam Hughes’ header. Then up stepped Kirk, not once but twice, to confound a buoyant Albion.

Improbable creator of Kirk’s first strike was towering centre back Ryan Inniss, who made his purposeful way over the halfway line and deep into home territory. A cutely disguised reverse pass sent Kirk sprinting clear with Tom Hamer in hot pursuit. Cleverly shielding the ball on his left foot, Charlton’s newly deployed forward chose his moment carefully to clip a precise shot past Viljami Sinisalo and neatly into the bottom right corner.

Ten minutes later, Kirk doubled the Addicks’ lead in completely different style and circumstances. Correctly reading Jayden Stockley’s faint touch-on of a huge delivery from McGillivray, he glided between two static Brewers, appraised Sinilaso’s position and lofted a precise lob over the keeper’s desperately groping reach. His surprisingly cool execution of two difficult chances vindicated Ben Garner’s decision to re-deploy Kirk in partnership with Stockley. Unfortunately, Charlton seemed almost at pains to squander their advantage before the break.

A contentious foul on Hamer just outside the penalty area on the right began the visitors’ downfall. Terry Taylor’s free kick was swung in wickedly and bulleted home by ex-Addick Deji Oshilaja, no doubt launching a training ground inquiry as to how and why George Dobson was assigned the task of policing the muscular Oshilaja in such circumstances. Dobson’s no faintheart but was overpowered by an opponent with a personal point to make. Stockley was surely a better bet to continue his prickly relationship with Deji but, of course, that’s a layman talking.

Any thought the Addicks entertained of taking a lead into their interval dressing room disappeared in the last minute of the half. A scruffy scramble was resolved by the untidy pass from Tyler Onyango, which was chest controlled by Hamer inside the penalty area, then volleyed emphatically past McGillivray. Crucially, there was no attempt to charge Hamer or block his shot. He was allowed to prepare and fire off his effort without interference.

Shortly after resumption, the situation got worse. Victor Adeboyejo had been a simmering threat before, taking matters into his own hands, he picked up a loose ball, moved unopposed into range and thundered an unstoppable drive into the top left corner. Like Hamer, he was untroubled by a defence which backed off and allowed him space to do what he wanted.

With his side shell-shocked and reeling, McGillivray’s fine save from Smith averted collapse and Oshilaja did his bit by inexplicably heading an apparently unmissable chance wide. Then, just past the hour, the arrival of Chuks Aneke off the bench changed the dynamic, as it so often does for Charlton.

A force of nature, Aneke was joined by fellow substitute Jake Forster-Caskey in winning a touchline skirmish before measuring a skilfully flighted pass which sent Jesurun Rak-Sakyi through the middle of Albion’s spreadeagled central defence. His mind made up by Sinilaso’s momentary hesitation, Rak-Sakyi emulated Kirk in deftly lifting a precise lob over the advancing keeper and, on one bounce, into his vacated net. Charlton needed one final save from McGillivray, this time from Sam Winnall, before their point was safe. Whether this result meant one point was made or two dropped will become clear later on. In the short term, this draw felt like a defeat…but then again, it beat losing.

Burton: Sinilaso, Hamer, Hughes, Oshilaja, Borthwick-Jackson, Taylor, Gilligan (Winnall 81), Onyango, Smith (Carayol 90), Adeboyejo (Dodoo 68), Powell. Not used: Garratt, Keillor-Dunn, Mancienne, Karawa.

Charlton: McGillivray, Chin, Lavelle, Inniss, Sessegnon, Rak-Sakyi, Dobson (Forster-Caskey 75), Fraser (Morgan 89), Campbell (Blackett-Taylor 63), Kirk (Payne 75), Stockley (Aneke 63). Not used: Elerewe.

Referee: Will Finnie. Att: 3,084.

Charlton 2 (Lavelle (45), (Payne 90+2) Brighton u-21 1 (Miller 54).

A tiny, storm-tossed gathering -more quorum than crowd – braved treacherous elements to watch Charlton progress to the next stages of the Papa John Trophy after further added time drama. It was impossible, of course, to reach the same delirious heights of last Saturday but precisely 609 soggy patrons made their way home happy with what they’d seen. Exactly what the 53 Seagulls in the Jimmy Seed Stand made of it is unknown but at least the conditions were more familiar to them.

We were two minutes into the four added to this lively clash when indefatigable Jack Payne smashed home the winner and delivered us from a penalty shoot-out. It turned out that under the complicated rules of this ersatz competition only victory, or in the event of a draw, success in a spotkick showdown would be enough to send the Addicks through. And even then, only in second place, which guaranteed an away tie in the next round. Brighton were already eliminated. Try to keep up -it’s really perfectly clear.

Anyway, no doubt first team coach Anthony Hayes was turning his attention to the order of his penalty takers when Conor McGrandles picked up possession in Brighton’s half and exchanged passes with substitute Albie Morgan. His heads-up ball out to Payne on the right was taken in stride by the skipper, who stepped inside on to his favoured left foot and hammered an unstoppable drive inside the near post. Ex-Addick James Beadle managed a touch but was beaten by the sheer velocity of the strike.

McGrandles hadn’t stood out during normal time but occasional flashes of quality suggested there’s more to him than meets the untrained eye. He certainly doesn’t deserve the abuse he receives on the various chatlines, often from anonymous snipers unfit to lace his boots. Cut the bloke some slack – he might surprise us.

As the weather deteriorated, Charlton’s record low attendance for a first team match were compensated by an entertaining encounter, with chances at both ends. The first of them fell to Aaron Henry, whose free kick flashed inches wide, with Beadle scrambling hopefully across his goal. The young keeper then saved smartly from Jake Forster-Caskey before his scuffed clearance gave Henry clear sight of goal from over 40 yards. The midfielder’s instant return was heading into the bottom right corner before Beadle, hustling back with all the desperate urgency of Wily Coyote, scraped it off the line.

Neat and constructive, the well coached visitors had moments of their own, with Jack Hinshelwood setting up Cam Peupion to force an alert save from Craig McGillivray. The tricky Peupion was then unlucky to see his goalbound drive unwittingly deflected over the bar with McGillivray left standing. It was shaping up to be all square at the break when the Addicks scored.

A last gasp right wing corner brought the breakthrough, with Forster-Caskey’s wicked inswinger glanced neatly past Beadle by Sam Lavelle. While injuries and suspension bite into Ben Garner’s central defence options, Lavelle will feature importantly in Charlton’s upcoming commitments; he was partnered here by 18 year-old debutant Zach Mitchell, who acquitted himself well. But the most encouraging contribution was made by young Richard Chin, outstanding up and down the left flank. The kids are alright at The Valley, with Daniel Kanu and Tyreece Campbell both nagging handfuls for the youthful Seagulls.

The second half, contested in driving rain, started with Brighton in complete control. Peupion came within straining inches of reaching Luca Barrington’s teasing cross before the South Coasters deservedly equalised. It was the irrepressible Peupion whose spadework created the chance which Todd Miller flicked wide of McGillvray. Well on top now, Albion should have forged ahead but Antef Tsoungui clipped a post when converting Samy Chouchane’s perfect cross seemed an easier option.

With nothing but pride to play for, Brighton’s youngsters showed their professional pedigree but succumbed to Payne’s late strike. So Hayes takes his survivors into the next round, with the Papa John dream still alive. It’s Coalville Town next Saturday in the world’s oldest cup competition, then a midweek trip to Stevenage in the Carabao Cup. It’s to be hoped that Charlton take their responsibilities seriously, something the sodden Addicks who represented the club on Tuesday clearly did. On three fronts, Wembley is still in their sights.

Charlton: McGillivray. Clare, Lavelle, Mitchell (Thomas 65), Chin, Forster-Caskey, McGrandles, Payne, Henry (Morgan 64), Kanu, Campbell (Rylah 81). Not used: Kone, Dench, Anderson, Casey. Booked: Chin.

Brighton: Beadle, Ferguson (Nilsson 46), Spong. Tsoungui, Furlong, Packham (Ifill 65), Peupion, Miller, Samuels (Baker-Boaitey 78), Barrington (Chouchane 65), Hinshelwood. Not used: Cahill, Wilson, Everitt. Booked: Hinshelwood.

Referee: Paul Howard. Att: 662 (53 visiting).

Charlton 3 (Inniss 17, Blackett-Taylor 31, O’Connell 67) Portsmouth 0.

A temporarily indisposed Kevin Nolan watched the rout of Portsmouth on the telly at home. Here’s his version of events.

An evening that began unpromisingly as Portsmouth bossed the initial quarter hour turned unexpectedly into an explosion of joy, both at The Valley and in a living room in Grove Park. Clinical and ruthless, Charlton subdued a sizeable away support with two first half goals at the Jimmy Seed end, applied the coup-de-grace midway through the second period, then cruised to victory with something to spare. In doing so, they left the impression that they have more about them than their frequently witless performances have implied so far this season.

On Monday evening before the Sky cameras, manager Ben Garner absorbed the wretchedly ill-timed loss of teenage sensation Miles Leaburn who, after opening the scoring in the 4-2 thrashing of Exeter City, sustained ligament damage which will sideline him for several weeks, and made intelligent use of his resources. Corey Blackett-Taylor came in for Leaburn and rose superbly to the occasion while a rejuvenated Charlie Kirk pushed up in support of Jayden Stockley and, in addition to supplying a sublime pass for Blackett-Taylor’s goal, reminded us why Charlton were so keen to recruit him. There is, hopefully, much more to come from the elegant wide man.

While acknowledging the excellence of Blackett-Taylor and Kirk, this game was decided in central midfield where the formidable duo of George Dobson and Scott Fraser were in commanding form. It almost goes without saying that Dobson did more than his fair share of the nuts-and-bolts toil in Charlton’s engine room. He was overshadowed, however, by the supremely talented Fraser, who added bite to the repertoire of passes, both short and long, which stretched the visitors often to breaking point. Two setpiece assists crowned the matchwinning contribution of the Scottish midfield general.

Portsmouth were businesslike but punchless during their brief period of domination. Colby Bishop’s routine effort had hardly troubled Joe Wollacott before they were put in their place just past the quarter hour. Kirk’s short corner on the right set up an improved angle for Fraser to cross into the penalty area congestion, where towering Ryan Inniss overpowered ex-Addick Michael Morrison and headed down past Josh Griffiths. It was, as pointed out by our TV commentator, Charlton’s first goal of the season from a corner. With Inniss and Eoghan O’Connell joining Stockley to add muscle and aggression to the penalty area maelstrom, it shouldn’t be the last.

Pressing energetically and enthusiastically when out of possession, the Addicks snapped into tackles, hounded the South Coasters into errors and , frankly, drove them to distraction. Wingbacks Steven Sessegnon and Mandela Egbo were unrelenting in turning defence into attack, Blackett-Taylor’s pace was all but unplayable, but Jesurun Rak-Sakyi on the opposite flank too often spoiled promising solo runs by taking on one too many defenders and disappearing into cul-de-sacs of his own making. The kid’s a luminous talent and he’ll learn. Facing a tide of red, Pompey buckled under the pressure for a second time.

It was a sign of the visitors’ growing agitation that Josh Koroma’s careless ball in midfield bounced off Fraser and was pounced on by Kirk. Without hesitation, Kirk measured a raking pass inside an outwitted Connor Ogilvie for Blackett-Taylor to bear down on goal. With Ogilvie a rank outsider in the foot race, Blackett-Taylor’s marginally heavy touch offered Griffiths a fleeting invitation to leave his line, which the keeper declined, before the speedster slipped the ball through his legs to double a lead Charlton never looked likely to relinquish.

Comfortably in control, the Addicks game-managed the second half without feeling it necessary to resort to irritating time-wasting. They were clearly enjoying when the visitors imploded and gifted their tormentors a third goal which finished them off.

Combative and influential in Danny Cowley’s midfield, Marlon Pack represented his side’s best chance of an unlikely recovery. Already booked, however, the 31-year old academy graduate’s pointlessly violent challenge on Fraser left referee Dean Whitestone no alternative but to issue a second yellow card and send him off. Pack was no longer around to watch his victim flight the resultant free kick precisely on O’Connell’s head, leaving the big Irishman to finish in text-book style back across Griffiths into the opposite corner. There was clearly to be none of the customary anxiety associated with a Charlton victory, which didn’t stop your reporter from worrying anyway. It goes with the territory.

With two emphatic home wins sending them on their way, Garner’s rejuvenated men must now address their discouraging form on the road, starting with next Saturday’s tricky trip to Shrewsbury. Four points from seven away games is a miserable return and needs immediate redress. But the seeds of improvement have been planted at the Valley. It’s time they were sown elsewhere.

Charlton: Wollacott, Egbo, Inniss, O’Connell, Sessegnon (Clare 77), Blackett-Taylor (Morgan 70), Rak-Sakyi (Payne 70), Fraser (McGrandles 79), Dobson, Kirk, Stockley (Aneke 77). Not used: McGillivray, Campbell. Booked: Sessegnon, Dobson, Morgan.

Portsmouth: Griffiths, Ogilvie, Morrison (Swanson 46), Raggett, Robertson, Dale (Mingi 68), Pack, Morell, Koroma (Jacobs 46, Curtis 63), Bishop, Scarlett (Hackett 68). Not used: Oluwayemi, Pigott. Booked: Pack(2) sent off: Morell.

Referee: Dean Whitestone. Att: 13,456 (2,374 visiting).

Charlton 4 (Leaburn 20, Hartridge o.g 25, Aneke 84, Payne 90+1) Exeter City 2 (Stansfield 37, Nombe pen 90+4).

To a side as jaded recently as Charlton, the 82nd minute return of Chuks Aneke to their ranks was nothing short of galvanic. The big man brings charisma and quality with him; he’s the nightmare a tiring defence sees bearing down on them. Most of his 22 goals have been scored from the substitutes’ bench with, to date, only 19 starts for the Addicks.

By the time Aneke arrived on the scene, a late equaliser for Exeter was beginning to seem, if not inevitable, then at least likely. Until that is, two minutes after he relieved willing workhorse Jayden Stockley, his streaky goal turned that scenario on its head. It was hardly an object of beauty but it knocked the stuffing out of the visitors and confirmed Charlton’s first league victory since they crushed Plymouth Argyle on August 16th. Last summer, in other words, if your mind goes back that far.

Not that Charlton’s super hero was finished for the evening. In added time, he contributed to fellow substitute Jack Payne’s superbly headed goal before conceding a hotly disputed penalty at the other end. A brief, busy stint was rounded off by his participation in the traditional tunnel jump (alongside the excellent Mandela Egbo) which salutes home victories – richly deserved, of course, but possibly the cause of some medical wincing behind the scenes. No sense looking for injury, something that happens organically to Chuks.

Aneke’s eagerly awaited return promises to be perfectly timed because, on 66 minutes, The Valley groaned at the sight of Miles Leaburn limping painfully to the sidelines, to be replaced by Albie Morgan. A potent mixture of skill and power, the teenager had already made his mark with a terrific first half opener and had, at times, proved almost unplayable. His improvement has been dramatic and he seems on his way to emulating, if not overshadowing, his dad’s cult status hereabouts. And that’s saying something. In Leaburn Jr’s possible absence, Aneke will be expected to plug a heavyweight hole, not necessarily from the bench.

With more than one point to prove, the Addicks started brightly with Jesurun Rak-Sakyi curling narrowly wide, Steven Sessegnon shooting straight at Jamal Blackman and Egbo’s enterprising run being blocked by skipper Pierce Sweeney. At which point, two of Charlton’s outstanding performers during Black September combined to fire them in front. The early work was provided by George Dobson, selfless cleaner-up of messes made by other people, whose chipped pass over the top was expertly controlled by Leaburn in the inside left channel. Stepping inside on to his right foot, the 18-year-old hot prospect’s fierce drive beat Blackman, with slightly deflected assistance off Alex Hartridge.

The second blow in Charlton’s one-two combination followed promptly, with a slice of luck again playing its part. Scott Fraser, looking more the business with each game, crossed from the left, Stockley managed a plunging header and the wretchedly unlucky Hartridge turned the ball beyond Blackman. Luck was certainly favouring Ben Garner’s men but luck in football is something you learn to live with. Boom or bust, you could say it’s cyclical. Your turn comes round eventually.

Two down and ready to be polished off, the Grecians instead found their feet, fought back and reduced their arrears in fine style before the break. Scorer of City’s goals in their impressive 2-0 win at Barnsley on Saturday, 19 year-old Jay Stansfield is a chip off an old Exeter block and plays without inhibition as his father did before him. There was nothing on as Charlie Kirk’s clearance from Charlton’s penalty area was instantly returned and bounced inconclusively between players before Stansfield took the initiative. Turning sharply outside the penalty area, he computed distance and target precisely before unleashing a sumptuous volley, which gave Joe Wollacott no chance on its way inside the keeper’s right-hand-post. Some goal, kid!

The second half of this entertaining scrap largely belong to the Devonians until, that is, Aneke entered the action. Sessegnon’s fine recovery tackle foiled Stansfield as he prepared to finish Rakeem Harper’s raking pass, then Jack Sparkes’ long range rocket crashed against the underside of Wollacott’s bar, with the bounce favouring Charlton’s suddenly overworked keeper. Aneke duly appeared and the momentum changed abruptly.

Given a gladiator’s welcome, the Addicks’ prodigal son rose immediately to the occasion. Predatory as always, he was on hand to convert the rebound as Dobson’s tame shot was blocked in his direction. His flick then sent substitute Corey Blackett-Taylor clear to deliver a tailor-made cross which Payne bulleted home in the first of six added minutes. His influence at both ends of Charlton’s heavily watered pitch also included a hefty challenge on Sam Nombe, which was deemed illegal by referee Craig Hicks. Nombe picked himself up to convert a spotkick which changed nothing but the scoreline.

Time – and next Monday’s televised encounter with Portsmouth – will tell whether Charlton are on the way to turning this miserable season around. A single swallow might not make a summer but one win over a decent side like Exeter already warms the cockles with winter on its way. Maybe this season has a more pleasant twist in its tail. Or maybe not…

Charlton: Wollacott, Sessegnon (Clare 66), O’Connell, Inniss, Egbo, Dobson, Rak-Sakyi (Payne 76), Fraser, Kirk (Blackett-Taylor 76), Leaburn (Morgan 66), Stockley (Aneke 82). Not used: McGillivray, McGrandles.

Exeter : Blackman, Caprice, Sparkes (Chauke 88), Hartridge, Harper (Kite 66), Collins, Stansfield, Nombe, Key, Brown, Sweeney. Not used: Brown, Smith, Cox, King, James.

Referee Craig Hicks. Att: 11,411 (833 visiting).