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Watford 3 (Pudil 11, Abdi 53,pen, Geijo 68) Charlton 4 (Hoban 34 o.g. Kermorgant 37,70), Jackson 78).

Kevin Nolan reports from Vicarage Road.

This riotous assembly of a football match packed incident on top of incident in giddying sequence while a bemused crowd struggled to keep up. One found oneself checking the score at times as if one was at a basketball game (my thanks to Sir Barney White-Spunner – Spunners to his chums – of the Countryside Alliance for opening one’s eyes to alternative English). Along the way, it featured the curious combination of an own goal (with another one the subject of dispute), a penalty, some marvellous goalkeeping, one or two outstanding goals, occasional outbreaks of violence and, most vital of all as far as Charlton were concerned, their fifth away win of the season.

It didn’t start too promisingly for the visitors. There only 11 minutes on the clock when creative midfielder Alex Geijo was allowed to move into shooting range by a retreating defence before letting fly on the run. His low drive was turned away from goal at full length by Ben Hamer but Daniel Pudil chased down the rebound and fired it across the keeper into the far bottom corner.

There was a faint air of cockiness about the Hornets at the time but their complacency might have been their undoing. After Fernando Forestieri and Johnnie Jackson were both booked for deliberate handball, the Addicks equalised a trifle luckily just past the half hour.

As persistent as ever, Chris Solly won a right wing corner, which Jackson swung in and Tommie Hoban sliced into his own net. The Hornets had been served notice that this was to no easy stroll. Indeed, while they were still absorbing the blow, they promptly fell behind to a second goal of far superior quality.

A breath of fresh air at The Valley since making the step up from non-league Hayes and Yeading, Bradley Pritchard shows respect but no undue awe in his elevated surroundings. Ludicrously dismissed by some as too lightweight for this standard, he can look after himself, as central defender Joel Ekstrand discovered on the end of a foul, for which the slim midfielder deserved but escaped a booking. The more acceptable side of Pritchard’s talent was evidenced not only by the clever, overlapping run he made to collect excellent left back Cedric Evina’s intelligently reversed pass but also the perfect cross he stood up to the far post. Presented by such a tasty morsel, Yann Kermorgant tucked in with obvious relish to head Charlton in front.

Though Ricardo Fuller might have increased the lead with an angled shot into the sidenet before the interval, Gianfranco Zola’s conglomeration of foreign loanees were clearly far from beaten. Forestieri was his usual mixture of irritating gamesmanship and delightful trickery, first being magnificently thwarted by Hamer in one-on-one confrontation, then breaking clear to be blatantly brought down by Dorian Dervite as he bore down on Hamer again. Almen Abdi coolly converted the indisputable penalty and it was Charlton’s turn to wilt.

Another fine save from Hamer tipped Geijo’s deflected effort over the bar before Forestieri demonstrated his mercurial nature by contributing both the miss and the pass of the game in quick succession. The unchallenged mess he made of blasting Pudil’s low cross high, wide and anything but handsome from point blank range faded into insignificance alongside the deliciously chipped delivery that sent Geijo clear to slot calmly past Hamer (3-2, do keep up).

Watford’s second lead lasted just two minutes, the time it took Fuller to bamboozle a posse of bewitched defenders on the right byline, cut in and cross low and hard to the near post, where Kermorgant bundled the Addicks level. Then again, it might have been Nathaniel Chalobah’s final touch but the young Chelsea loanee probably won’t dispute ownership so we’ll stick it down to big Yann’s account. It was a goal and it was dubious but there’s no committee to worry about anyway.

Having drawn level again, the next logical step for the cockahoop South East Londoners was to polish off their stunned hosts. A right wing corner, taken by Dale Stephens instead of Jackson as expected, might have discombulated the Hornets because Jackson was helpfully unmarked as he rose majestically to head the outswinger into the top right corner.

The arrival of Matej Vydra and Troy Deeney, both mysteriously left on the bench, was too late to save Watford, though Vydra netted from an offside position and Hamer was required to produce one final, terrific save to conjure Forestieri’s wickedly deflected effort over the top. But the Addicks deservedly held on for a famous victory in shires not a million miles distant from where the Heythrop Hunt, led selflessly by Sir Barney Spunners, were in pursuit of their own excellence. Great result for Charlton, exhilirating stuff for those other red-clad heroes. Not so rewarding for Watford FC, of course, and a bit of a nuisance for any fox looking forward to a lie-in but there you go, omelettes and eggs, that sort of stuff. Happy New Year to one and all!

Kevin Nolan’s Match Report is brought to you in association with , 294 Burnt Ash Hill, London, SE12 0QD.

Watford: Almunia, Hoban, Neuton, Ekstrand, Murray (Deeney 82), Cassetti, Abdi (Yeates 62), Chalobah, Geijo, Pudil (Vydra 79), Forestieri. Not used: Bond, Anya, Nosworthy, Battochio. Booked: Forestieri, Neuton, Ekstrand.

Charlton: Hamer, Solly, Cort (Taylor 86), Dervite, Evina, Wilson (Cook 79), Pritchard, Stephens, Jackson, Kermorgant, Fuller (Hulse 90). Not used: Button, Wright-Phillips, Kerkar, Seaborne. Booked: Jackson, Wilson, Cook.

Referee: Trevor Kettle. Att: 14,221.

Charlton 1 (Haynes 20) Derby County 1 (Ward 71,pen).

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.

When famously complaining that “everyone talks about the weather but nobody does anything about it”, Mark Twain was only kidding.
The great American humourist might have thought twice anyway if he’d been at The Valley, where predictions of a biblical deluge were largely unrealised. Before a miserably damp kick-off, a magnificent corps of fork-wielding volunteers certainly did something about it; their horticultural skills rescued a riproaringly exciting game which pitted adversaries who, as Derby boss Nigel Clough put it, “did their honest best to play football and score goals.” His opposite number, Chris Powell, nodded approval of Clough’s refreshingly balanced summation.

Though his side had led for over 50 minutes before the Rams drew level, Powell was clearly pleased with the point wrested in adverse circumstances. Reduced to 10 men after Michael Morrison received a second yellow card while conceding County’s equalising penalty, the Addicks weathered a storm of intense pressure, as the clouds opened in earnest and the rampant visitors forced no fewer than thirteen second half corners. They hung on thanks to Ben Hamer’s inspired goalkeeping, some desperate last-ditch defending and the slice of luck they were handed when Richard Keogh headed Paul Coutts late corner against the foot of a post. For sheer guts alone, they deserved to share the points.

Chastened by the error-strewn capitulation to Ipswich, Powell had taken a scalpel to the Boxing Day starting line-up. Out went the disappointing Dan Seaborne, Emmanuel Frimpong and Danny Green, not one of whom even featured on the bench. In came Cedric Evina, Bradley Pritchard and Lawrie Wilson, with skipper Johnnie Jackson recalled and Rob Hulse replaced by Yann Kermorgant. No loan signings featured among the old guard who, with the exception of the admirable Wilson, made mincemeat of League One last season.

Confined to their own half for the opening 20 minutes by their slick-passing, confident visitors, Charlton were living dangerously when County were victimised against the run of play by a stunning goal from Danny Haynes. Exchanging routine passes with Kermorgant on the left, Haynes dropped a shoulder to shake off a posse of defenders barring his way, cut in sharply and from 25 angled yards unleashed an unstoppable right-footed drive into the far top corner. A previously subdued Valley was suddenly electrified.

Out of match practice, meanwhile, Evina was struggling and his mistake allowed Coutts to set up Theo Robinson’s close range effort, which an off balance Hamer saved superbly. The keeper’s great work continued with a key block to deny Nathan Tyson in one-to-one confrontation before a tearful Haynes limped off with a recurrence of hamstring trouble. Chances at both ends saw Hughes’ dipping volley shave the bar, Morrison glance Kermorgant’s clever chip wastefully wide and substitute Wright-Phillips, instantly lively in place of Haynes, denied by Adam Legzdins when sent through by Jackson. Of more ominous significance, however, was the lengthy lecture, but no accompanying card, meted out by referee Boyeson to Morrison for blatantly tripping Tyson.

Evina’s confidence had grown enough to shoot first-time from long range, with Legzdins expertly tipping the effort over the bar before Keogh, already booked for a first half foul on Kermorgant, repeated the crime but escaped, like Morrison, with a wordy telling-off.  Boyeson’s patience was, unhappily for Morrison, wearing thin. It might have been a good idea to replace the big centre back with capable Dorian Dervite but too late was the cry…
Midway through the second period, the hardgrafting Pritchard missed a golden opportunity to put daylight between the sides. Carefully set up by Kermorgant after Wright-Phillips had wriggled free on the right byline to cross, Pritchard took a steadying touch but prodded an unconvincing shot against the underside of the bar from 10 yards. His glaring miss patently tipped the balance in County’s favour.

With 20 minutes remaining, the Addicks finally buckled. The latest in the stream of corners fired in by Coutts was disputed by Morrison and John Brayford, with Morrison possibly managing a touch but violently bringing down his rival in the process. Substitute Jamie Ward calmly dispatched the penalty, Morrison trudged off and, with the rain by now sheeting down, the 10-man Addicks endured ordeal by deluge.

Magnificent throughout the bombardment, Hamer distinguished himself by parrying Robinson’s point-blank shot, then reacting instinctively to keep out Conor Sammon’s follow-up header. The defiant keeper deserved the break he received while helplessly watching Keogh’s header rebound off an upright. Among Charlton’s drenched heroes, Hamer stood firm, putting his body where his mouth was- the very mouth that got him booked for cheeking a linesman. Perhaps unwisely he talked about it. But he definitely did some thing about it.

Kevin Nolan’s Match Report is brought to you in association with , 294 Burnt Ash Hill, London, SE12 0QD.

Charlton: Hamer, Solly, Cort, Morrison, Evina, Wilson, Stephens (Dervite 73), Pritchard, Jackson, Haynes (Wright-Phillips 36), Kermorgant (Fuller 85). Not used: Sullivan, Wagstaff, Kerkar, Hulse. Sent off: Morrison. Booked: Morrison, Hamer.

Derby: Legzdins, Brayford, Keogh, O’Connor, Roberts, Coutts, Hughes ( Ward 69), (Jacobs 84), Hendrick, Davies, Tyson (Sammon 65), Robinson. Not used: Fielding, Doyle, O’Brien, Freeman. Booked: Hughes, Keogh, O’Connor.

Referee: Carl Boyeson. Att: 17,761. 

Kevin Nolan’s Match Report is brought to you in association with , 294 Burnt Ash Hill, London, SE12 0QD.

Charlton 1 (Haynes 73, pen) Ipswich Town 2 (Campbell 35, Murphy 45).

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.

Charlton’s nosedive into the bottom half of the Championship table continued with this dispiriting defeat by Ipswich Town at a soggy Valley on Boxing Day. Unrecognisable as the shambolic side beaten comfortably by the Addicks in September at Portman Road, the Tractor Boys could afford to miss a first half penalty on their way to securing three precious points. Under new boss Mick McCarthy’s old school eye, they are a vastly different proposition to the demoralised crew former manager Paul Jewell left in his wake when fired recently.

Having brought this latest setback on themselves with chaotic defending, it’s also difficult to see where Charlton’s next goal from open play, much less a badly needed victory, will come from. A second half penalty efficiently converted by Danny Haynes ended their recent scoring drought, gave them brief hope but merely papered over cracks in their finishing. Not that the problems lie exclusively with the strikers.

A midfield ostensibly strengthened by the return from suspension of Dale Stephens and boasting the Premier League pedigree of Emmanuel Frimpong gave Charlton an edge, on paper at least, over the more workaday names opposing them. Switching flanks regularly, Haynes’ pace was expected to cause trouble, while recalled winger Danny Green would supply forwards Rob Hulse and Ricardo Fuller with the ammunition of quality crosses. That was presumably the thinking but unfortunately practice failed to live up to theory.

Arsenal loanee Frimpong is a multi-gifted individual, with more strings to his bow than an undoubted talent for football. Only 20 years old, he dabbles in rap and fashion, preening sidelines hardly likely to endear him to Arsene Wenger; neither would they enchant the spade-is-a-spade sensibilities of McCarthy. But it’s a different world and they don’t make footballers like they used to.

Frimpong began his afternoon’s contribution with a perfectly judged but risky tackle on DJ Campbell inside the penalty area, which caused a quick intake of local breath, and was duly encouraged to repeat the feat moments later as Lee Martin was moving innocuously away from goal near the 18-yard line. This time his timing was awry, down tumbled Martin and the penalty was inevitable. Campbell blasted his spotkick woefully wide and the Addicks had been handed a massive confidence booster, one which they seemed at pains to squander.

Campbell wasted little time in making up for his miss. A move involving Martin’s graceful run and sharp low centre was briefly ruined by Carlos Edwards’ clumsiness but was retrieved beyond the far post by Daryl Murphy, whose ball back into the middle left Campbell the easy task of scoring Town’s opener.

Consistently prone to lapses of concentration on the ball, the elegant Stephens carries casualness to dangerous extremes on occasion as he did in first half added time, when carelessly conceding possession to Martin. Never exactly a hit while on loan to Charlton a couple of seasons ago, Martin capped an impressively downmarket impersonation of Cristiano Ronaldo by darting quickly forward to bring Ben Hamer sprawling full length to save his strongly hit drive. The convenient rebound was neatly clipped into the roof of the net by unmarked Daryl Murphy.

Stephens’ best moment was the expertly struck free kick, after Fuller was fouled by Aaron Cresswell, which beat goalkeeper Stephen Henderson but rebounded off the left post and frustratingly out of the onrushing Haynes’ reach. His undeniable promise helped him survive the half-time midfield cull which saw Frimpong give way to Johnnie Jackson and the anonymous Green, having squandered another opportunity to stake a claim to first team permanence, replaced by the more committed Bradley Pritchard.

Improvement was immediate and the visitors wavered. Fuller disastrously stole Hulse’s cross away from the better placed Jackson, before Hulse headed Chris Solly’s centre too close to Henderson. In reply, Martin’s clever chip drifted beyond Hamer but harmlessly cleared the bar but the Addicks had the wind in their sails. Henderson saved again from Hulse but the goal Charlton so desperately needed wasn’t long delayed.

Following orders to track an increasingly aggressive Solly, Martin pursued his quarry into Town’s penalty area, where the typically cavalier tackle of a forward upended the rampaging right back. Assuming penalty duties from an acquiescent Jackson, Haynes made uncomplicated work of converting the spotkick.

With sufficient time remaining, Charlton were able to create only one clearcut chance, which Hulse, turning on a loose ball, fired into the falling body of Henderson. Stephens volleyed a last gasp effort wide but the Suffolk deservedly men held out. And that safety margin of 50 points is suddenly not the easy task it seemed a few weeks ago. Don’t panic yet, though. We’ll let you know when.

Charlton: Hamer, Solly, Cort, Morrison, Seaborne, Green (Pritchard 46), Stephens, Frimpong (Jackson 46), Haynes, Hulse, Fuller (Kermorgant 82). Not used: Sullivan, Evina, Harriott, Dervite. Booked: Morrison.

Ipswich: Henderson, Chambers, Edwards, Drury (Reo-Coker 61), Orr, Martin, N’Daw, Cresswell, Smith, Murphy (Emmanuel-Thomas 90), Campbell (Hyam 87). Not used: Loach, Higginbotham, Chopra, Scotland.

Referee: Mick Russell. Att: 18,380.

Charlton fans united in an impeccably observed minute’s applause for club historian Colin Cameron before kick-off. Colin died on Christmas Eve after a blessedly brief illness. To say he will be missed is to risk grievous understatement. He had time for everyone and was loved by everyone, not least my wife Hazel and myself. I’m left with the teamsheets I fetched him from the recent Bolton Wanderers and Sheffield Wednesday games, neither of which dear old Colin needs now. I’ll hang on to them for old time’s sake. Just in case.
First John Yarnton, now Colin Cameron. The press room just ain’t the laugh it used to be. And, God knows, they were both a laugh. So long, fellas, it’s been good to know you.

Updated:

In the interests of accuracy, something dear to Colin’s heart, it is recorded that the great man died in the early hours of Christmas morning and not on Christmas Eve as previously reported. Sorry for the misinformation.

 

Sheffield Wednesday 2 (McCabe 20, Helan 90).

Kevin Nolan reports from Hillsborough.

The bad news is that Charlton lost 2-0 for the second successive week on their Northern travels. The even worse news is that they lost to one of the weakest teams in the Championship and risk being sucked back among a relegation mob showing ominous signs of mutiny beneath them. Just when they think they’re out, they get dragged back in. Their Boxing Day engagement with struggling Ipswich Town is suddenly critical.

A lively start, during which Danny Haynes left Miguel Llera gasping in his slipstream and crossed agonisingly out of Salim Kerkar’s reach, soon subsided. Apart from one or two credible complaints about dubious refereeing, the Addicks laboured vainly to breach a defence which had managed only two clean sheets in 22 previous league games. A constantly re-jigged strike force of five recognised forwards has amassed 13 goals between them, a total matched individually for example, by Blackpool wide man Thomas Ince. And it’s always goals that count.

There had been times during Charlton’s long unbeaten run on the road when sheer bloodyminded refusal to lose sustained them. Key blocks and tackles were made by a side, for whom stubborn defence in depth became a watchword. And when they fell behind, as they did at Leeds and Wolves, there was just enough attacking quality about them to find equalisers. They became damned hard to beat. Now with half the season stretching before them, Chris Powell’s men are feeling the strain. Injuries and suspensions (right midfielder Lawrie Wilson picked up his fifth yellow card here and will miss the Ipswich game) have depleted them. It’s become a slog.

You could argue that the visitors lost this game in midfield, where possession was too freely surrendered and where the important second balls were regularly picked up by Wednesday’s more urgent battlers. Lacking the calming influence of suspended Dale Stephens, they looked in vain for the Arsenal pedigree of Emmanuel Frimpong to assert itself. Content with playing safe, square passes, Frimpong was neat but ineffectual; Salim Kerkar, meanwhile, replaced Stephens without making any impact; willing skipper Johnnie Jackson toiled fruitlessly; only Wilson spasmodically troubled the South Yorkshiremen. This engine room lacked fuel.

As the Owls overcame their early nerves, they grew in confidence. In a hectic sequence, Ben Hamer’s smart save kept out David Prutton’s rasper, with Leon Cort performing heroics on the goalline to clear Gary Madine’s rebounded effort. Anthony Gardner skied the loose ball but Charlton enjoyed only brief respite. Ex-Addick Llera’s educated left foot swung in a corner from the right, Cort and Gardner clashed in aerial combat with the ball squirting out to Rhys McCabe, unmarked on the edge of the penalty area. The 20 year-old former Glasgow Ranger uncorked a resounding left-footed volley which zipped irresistibly past Ben Hamer and Wednesday were in front. They stayed there with a little help from a friend -namely referee Gary Sutton.

Before the interval, a sharp exchanges of passes between Kerkar and Haynes set up Yann Kermorgant with a near post chance. Having stolen a yard from the towering centre back, the big Breton seemed certain to score until Gardner’s blatantly illegal challenge hauled him down. In a perfect position to judge, Sutton saw no trips and was equally lenient to the locals in supporting his linesman’s boss-eyed opinion that Haynes, though no worse than level, was offside when converting Kermorgant’s pass. A sense of double injustice overwhelmed Powell, whose vehement protests at the half-time whistle saw him banished to the stands, leaving Alex Dyer to suffer alone.

On the hour, a dreadful miss by Haynes sealed Charlton’s fate. Chris Solly’s accurate cross was headed down to him by Kermorgant but the speedster got his feet horribly tangled and air-kicked from five yards. Hardly the clinical finishing recently demanded by his boss.

Some encouragement was derived from the eagerly awaited return to action of 63rd minute substitute Ricardo Fuller in place of Kerkar. A typically uninhibited snapshot resulting from fellow sub Rob Hulse’s persistence was blocked but it was the brief cameo supplied by Danny Green which inspired hope. His usual mixture of genuine quality and frustrating inconsistency featured an inviting cross sidefooted narrowly wide by Michael Morrison, quickly followed by an infield dart to win a free kick from Jeremy Helan (scorer of a skilful added time coup-de-grace) that Jackson curled dangerously over the bar. Green’s hastly delivered centre when a steadying touch was advised showed the other, careless side of his coin but he must surely start on Boxing Day when changes might be rung. It’s the the time of year for them.

Kevin Nolan’s Match Report is brought to you in association with, 294 Burnt Ash Hill, London, SE12 0QD.

Wednesday: Kirkland, Buxton, Gardner, Llera, Reda Johnson, Antonio, McCabe, Prutton (Lines 67), Helan, Madine (Sidibe 87), O’Grady (Lee 74). Not used: Bywater, Taylor, Maguire, Jermaine Johnson. Booked: Reda Johnson.

Charlton: Hamer, Solly, Cort, Morrison, Seaborne, Wilson, Frimpong (Green 78), Jackson, Kerkar (Fuller 63), Haynes (Hulse 78), Kermorgant. Not used: Sullivan, Wright-Phillips, Pritchard, Dervite. Booked: Wilson.

Referee: Gary Sutton. Att: 20,517.

Dedicated to John Yarnton, a dear Charlton friend and colleague who is missed every day we’re without him. Rest easy, John.

Bolton Wanderers 2 (N’Gog 73, 80) Charlton 0.

Kevin Nolan reports from the Reebok Stadium.

With a little less than a half hour left in this uninspiring game, Charlton seemed capable of taking away at least a useful scoreless draw from chilly Lancashire. They had coped comfortably with Bolton’s puny attacking threat, spearheaded as it was by annoying old sweat Kevin Davies, with loanee Jacob Butterfield innocuous alongside him. In his career dotage, Davies’ main contribution to games is a steady diet of borderline fouls designed to upset the opposition while, at the same time, treading a precarious path along the perimeters of the law; without a goal this season, Butterfield had posed few problems.

Calm and untroubled, the Addicks were even casting covetous eyes on three valuable points. The best second half chances had fallen their way and there were grounds for supposing that a fifth away win of the season was within reach. But they reckoned without the impact that 63rd minute Bolton substitute David N’Gog was about to make.

Having tried the patience of successive management teams at Liverpool, N’Gog’s once promising career has dwindled into inactivity, punctuated by periodic loan spells. Only two goals in twelve starts (plus three sub appearances) at the Reebok this season had hardly set local pulses racing. Unfortunately for the Addicks, the erratic Frenchman was in the mood to double his tally at their expense.

A lack of ability has been the least of N’Gog’s problems. Liverpool had nurtured his talent until, they hoped, it would blossom to mutual benefit. Their long wait went largely unrewarded and their patience eventually ran out. But there will always be those days when the gifted striker puts it all together and vents his frustration on unwary opposition. Charlton were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.

N’Gog’s first goal was pure poetry in motion. Shielding Jay Spearing’s pass into his feet from Dorian Dervite, his clever shuffle disposed of his fellow Frenchman’s close marking and made room for the ice-cool shot he rolled beyond Ben Hamer into the bottom left corner. Amid the dross surrounding it, his skill was a pearl cast before swine. No offence should be taken by the swine.

Shortly afterwards, N’gog added a second goal of similar quality. Spinning instinctively into space to accept Martin Petrov’s sharp pass, he found the same corner of the net with a firmly struck drive. His finishing in both cases was coldly clinical.

Charlton will have found defeat a bitter pill to swallow. They had squandered chances of their own, most notably the first half header sent wide by Danny Haynes, after Yann Kermorgant’s incisive pass and Lawrie Wilson’s carefully aimed cross had opened up the struggling Trotters. Kermorgant himself blew a golden opportunity early in the second period by misdirecting his header from Chris Solly’s centre wide of the post. Though charitably deemed offside, Wilson later completed a hat-trick of headed misses with similarly cock-eyed finishing.

Sparked by creative wide man Chris Eagles, the Trotters were themselves occasionally threatening. In the opening minutes, Eagles cushioned Chung-Yong Lee’s diagonal pass near the left byline before setting up the South Korean with an astute cutback. The less said about Lee’s disastrously screwed effort the better; ditto the weak shot Davies directed straight at Hamer after beating off Michael Morrison’s challenge. Eagles stung Hamer’s hands with a ferocious volley on the turn but there was little to concern the visitors

Midway through the second half, Bolton manager Dougie Freedman played his trump, or rather trumps. N’Gog replaced Butterfield and Martin Petrov, to surprising disapproval, took over from the hardworking Lee. Genuine, if somewhat shopworn, Premier League pedigree had been brought to bear and how handsomely it paid off for another of the Championship’s up-and-coming young managers. N’Gog’s dimly remembered quality destroyed the shellshocked Addicks. And the irony is that once he goes back almost inevitably into his protective shell, N’Gog probably won’t score again this season. Except, of course, when Bolton visit The Valley on March 30th next year.

Kevin Nolan’s Match Report is brought to you in association with, 294 Burnt Ash Hill, London, SE12 0QD.

Bolton: Bogdan, Mears, Ricketts, Knight, Warnock, Lee (Petrov 63), Andrews, Spearing, Eagles, Butterfield (N’Gog 63), Davies. Not used: Lonergan, Alonso, Ream, Afobe, Pratley. Booked: Warnock.

Charlton: Hamer, Solly, Morrison, Dervite, Seaborne, Wilson, Stephens, Frimpong, Jackson, Haynes (Wright-Phillips 83), Kermorgant. Not used: Button, Kerkar, Pritchard, Cook, Cort, Hulse. Booked: Stephens, Wilson.

Referee: Kevin Wright. Att: 15,991.

Charlton 2 (Wilson 9, Pritchard 70) Brighton 2 (Mackail-Smith 28, Lua Lua 75).

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.

On an afternoon of high drama, during which the celebration of Charlton’s emotional return to The Valley in December 1992 dominated the early agenda, Chris Powell’s Class of 2012-1 concentrated responsibly on the most immediate challenge facing the club – namely the visit of Gus Poyet’s talented Brighton. Arguably the best footballing side in the Championship, the South Coasters clearly had no intention of following any script calling for them to play plucky but inevitable losers. They were a skilful, well motivated handful.

This was Albion’s second visit to South East London on successive weekends. Their controversial loss at Crystal Palace saw an avian clash of Eagles and Seagulls which generated a hotly disputed cleaning bill for the disposal of huge mounds of guano deposits. Lawyers representing both bitter rivals are expected to produce samples in High Court to resolve responsibility. It promises to get messy.

Closer to home, Chris Powell was confronted with his customary selection dilemmas by the withdrawal of tonsillitis victim Dan Seaborne and the excellence last week at The Den of Dorian Dervite. No doubt reluctantly, the gaffer solved the first problem by switching the ever-willing Chris Solly to cover Seaborne’s absence at left back and recalled fit-again Lawrie Wilson at right back. Emmanuel Frimpong replaced Salim Kerkar in midfield, with Johnnie Jackson moving wider left. Danny Haynes was preferred to Yann Kermorgant in a 4-5-1 formation but the real surprise was the choice of Dervite over Leon Cort to partner back-from-suspension Morrison at centre back.

While Morrison made an uncharacteristically shaky contribution, Dervite vindicated Powell’s faith in him with an outstanding performance. His timing, heading and distribution were superb as he held the Addicks together under Albion’s naggingly persistent attacks. The big, dominant Frenchman will be hard to drop following this confident display.

A little left out by the pre-match histrionics, some 3,400 twittering Seagulls in the away end were further mystified by the spontaneous applause which broke out in the seventh minute to salute Colin Walsh’s timeless goal at the same time on December 5th 1992. Only two more minutes were required for the Addicks to almost uncannily mark the occasion with a somewhat lucky opener.

After Haynes had forced a left wing corner off Gordon Greer, a short-passing routine between Jackson and Dale Stephens created a more favourable angle for the latter to swing over a right footed cross which skidded through a congested penalty area before Wilson’s faint touch carried it beyond Tomascz Kuszczak into the far corner.

With the visitors still stung by the reverse, Rob Hulse’s header from Jackson’s centre was smartly tipped over the bar by Kuszczak, who was then left standing as Morrison’s free header sent Stephens’ cross harmlessly off target. Charlton’s opening bolt had been shot.

Pulling themselves together, Albion hit back. Greer lifted a sitter over the bar before an incredible point blank save from Ben Hamer defied Stephen Dobbie. But for all of Brighton’s artistry, their increasingly inevitable equaliser resulted from a combination of route one tactics and a defensive howler. Not that the finish was less than clinical.

Struggling under an agricultural clearance, Morrison could manage no better than a weak, sideways header that the alert Mackail-Smith eagerly pounced on. Moving away from the stricken centre back, Brighton’s sureshot drilled a low drive unerringly inside the right post.

Before the break, as the visitors cooled off, Haynes drove Wilson’s astute cutback into the sidenet and Frimpong blasted Stephens square pass into the crowd behind Kuszczak’s net. Immediately following resumption, Hamer added another fine save from Will Buckley’s angled effort and Dobbie’s wildly sliced shot wasted Mackail-Smith’s cleverly chested pass. Mackail-Smith himself made a mess of converting Buckley’s low delivery at the near post, then saw his close range blast brilliantly blocked by Wilson.

On 70 minutes of this rousing game, Bradley Pritchard put Charlton ahead again with one of The Valley’s especially popular goals. The early running was made by Stephens’ pass to Hulse, who accurately picked out Jackson moving wide on the left flank; the skipper’s first-time low cross was squeezed past Kuszczak at the second attempt by Pritchard to spark euphoria among the crowd and his teammates. It’s impossible not to like the kid.

Unfortunately, the Addicks lead was again shortlived. And again Morrison carried the can. His despairing challenge from behind on lively Ashley Barnes illegally halted the substitute’s determined run on the very edge of the penalty area, a position from which Kazenga Lua Lua had little choice but to chance his arm with a free kick directly into the wall. It turned out to be his lucky day because a wicked deflection sent Hamer the wrong way and trickled past the hopelessly wrongfooted keeper’s left hand.

Unbeaten now in six games, Charlton are coping well in a tough league. They have inched into the top half of the table and the confidence grows. Powell’s battling side are worthy heirs to those marvellous men who began the new era at The Valley almost exactly twenty years ago. And the firm but fair manager personifies what the club is all about. In that dopey modern speak, they are in a good place.

Kevin Nolan’s Match Report is brought to you in association with , 294 Burnt Ash Hill, London, SE12 0QD.

Charlton: Hamer, Wilson, Morrison, Dervite, Solly, Haynes (Kermorgant 74), Stephens, Frimpong, Pritchard, Jackson (Kerkar 80), Hulse. Not used: Button, Taylor, Green, Wright-Phillips, Cort. Booked: Wilson.

Brighton: Kuszczak, Saltor (Calderon 75) Greer, El-Abd, Hammond, Bridcutt, Dobbie (Barnes 62), Bridge, Buckley, Hoskins (Lua Lua 68), Mackail-Smith. Not used: Brezovan, Crofts, Harley, Lopez. Booked: Hammond.

Referee: Darren Sheldrake. Att: 19,080.

Millwall 0 Charlton 0

Kevin Nolan reports from The Den.

Backs-to-the-wall defiance was the order of the day for gutsy Charlton at The Den on Saturday. Roared on by over 3,500 supporters, many of them still emotionally scarred by the 4-0 capitulation in March 2010, the Addicks fought ferociously -like Lions, you could say- to resist a wave of attacks launched by bang-in-form Millwall. Under Chris Powell’s leadership, there was little prospect of that fiasco being repeated. Another surrender wasn’t an option. Like Nelson’s tars, his players had been left in no doubt about what was expected of them.

Unbeaten now in seven away games since their defeat at Derby County on September 18th, Charlton hung on grimly for this point. One of the surprise packets in the Championship, Millwall subjected them to a relentless battering but couldn’t break them down. A wall of defensive bodies, behind which goalkeeper Ben Hamer coolly kept his nerve, defied them during overwhelmingly one-way traffic. At the other end, untroubled David Forde could have slipped away for a quiet weekend in his native Galway without being missed.

Realistic as ever, Powell admitted disappointment in his side’s inability to create more offensively but sought encouragement in the one-for-all, all-for-one spirit shown by his men. Though reluctant to pick out individuals in a keenly contested but never violent encounter (at least on the pitch), he did make special mention of deputy centre back Dorian Dervite, who stepped in for suspended powerhouse Michael Morrison and stood up manfully to a daunting task. He might have added that Dervite’s tower block of a partner, Leon Cort, was equally magnificent and that new superlatives are needed to describe the massive talent that is Chris Solly. Must keep that last bit quiet until the January sales are history.

Cataloguing the chances created -and missed – in this pulsating atmosphere, makes for unbalanced reading. One side of the ledger records that the besieged visitors managed one shot on target and two shots off target. My notes remind me that Rob Hulse broke clear briefly in the first half before dragging his shot across Forde but wide. For the life of me, I can’t track down the other two efforts but I’m willing to be convinced they occurred. Kenny Jackett’s talented Lions, on the other hand, form a lengthy entry in the opposite column. In chronological order, they blew two points as follows.

Liam Feeney and Chris Taylor began the onslaught by cutting in from each flank to both fire wide of Hamer’s goal; Andy Keogh then stepped inside to curl in a dipping cross which narrowly eluded Chris Wood before Feeney arrived on the blindside to slide a shot harmlessly back across goal; Adam Smith centred, Taylor applied a faint touch but Wood’s weak prod barely reached Hamer; ex-Addick Josh Wright sent a soaring volley narrowly over the bar; Jimmy Abdou finished a determined run by shooting dangerously off target.

Bright and inventive in their approach play, Millwall resumed where they had left off after the break. A superb block by Solly foiled Taylor at close range; Keogh’s awkwardly bouncing cross was cleared by Cort, with confident appeals for handball turned down by scrupulously impartial referee Dean Whitestone; on a quick break following a rare Charlton attack, Keogh used intelligent runs on either side of him to make space for a powerful drive, which Hamer athletically touched over his bar. There were countless other skirmishes and scrambles.

With a quarter hour remaining, the Lions’ best chance fell to substitute Dany N’Guessan, unhindered as he met Wright’s outswinging corner at point blank range. His downward header was sneaking inside the left post until Solly, sensibly positioned on the line, cleared the danger.

A barrage of late corners, punctuated by Smith’s despairing off-target effort, was the last throw of Jackett’s dice, with Millwall’s admirable manager showing his usual fair-minded restraint in refusing to make much of Millwall’s penalty claim but possibly missing the point in lamenting that the Lions sorely missed absentees James Henry, Darius Henderson and Liam Trotter. Consistently prevented from naming an unchanged side, Powell could host a seminar in the skills of gap-plugging and cloth-cutting. He has made an art form of it.

Powell had the final say in this duel of bright young managers. His 81st minute introduction of Bradley Wright-Phillips for Yann Kermorgant brought last season’s discarded top scorer back into action and was rewarded by a lively cameo which suggests that the last hasn’t been heard from Charlton’s slim sharpshooter. They say you don’t miss what you’ve got till it’s gone. Let’s not test the theory.

Millwall: Forde, Adam Smith, Shittu, Beevers, Lowry, Feeney (N’Guessan 67), Abdou, Wright, Chris Taylor, Keogh, Wood. Not used: Maik Taylor, Racon, Batt, Jack Smith, Osborne, Malone.

Charlton: Hamer, Solly, Cort, Dervite, Seaborne, Pritchard, Stephens, Jackson, Kerkar (Green 73), Kermorgant (Wright-Phillips 81). Hulse. Not used: Button, Taylor, Frimpong, Haynes, Jonsson.

Referee: Dean Whitestone. Att: 18,013.

 

Kevin Nolan’s Match Report is brought to you in association with , 294 Burnt Ash Hill, London, SE12 0QD.

Charlton 2 (Fuller 77, Kermorgant 85) Peterborough United 0.

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.

Disgruntled and disconsolate, Peterborough manager Darren Ferguson made no secret of his feelings in the press room after this harsh defeat. He was still struggling to accept that his attractive, if vulnerable, side had lost. And he wasn’t alone in his disbelief.

Encouraged by holding relegation rivals Ipswich Town to a draw at Portman Road three days previously, United had shown impressive style in dominating large chunks of this absorbing game but came up empty-handed. During an extended siege of the home goal after the interval, they had their increasingly desperate hosts on an uncomfortable rack but a glaring lack of strike power to put the necessary seal on their neat approach play proved their undoing. Then, with 12 minutes left, a cruel lesson in uncomplicated goalscoring reminded Posh that if you can’t win, the thing is not to lose. Even a useful, richly merited goalless draw was snatched from their grasp.

Having returned from a six-week injury lay-off at the weekend, Ricardo Fuller had played reasonably well without making a huge impression. The highlight of his evening was the sinuous solo dribble through a startled defence, followed by a quickwitted toepoke, which keeper Bobby Olijnak resourcefully kept out with his feet. There would, however, be one more chance for Fuller much later on and the patient, streetwise veteran made the most of it.

There was no apparent threat to the visitors as Fuller accepted Yann Kermorgant’s routine pass some 25 yards from goal. Until, that is, with minimal backlift but surprising power, a bombshell of a shot left Olijnak helpless on its fizzing, dipping way into the left corner of the net. As last hurrahs go, this one was special because Fuller promptly collapsed collapsed with a recurrence of the hamstring trouble which has dogged him throughout his brief Charlton career. Damaged hamstrings are, as it happens, all the go around Sparrows Lane.

Five minutes from time, Kermorgant sealed his own return from A&E with a reassuring second goal. Having announced himself after just 90 seconds with a thunderous drive, which Olijnak saved spectacularly, the clearly onside Breton was on hand near the far post to tap in the crisply driven low cross from substitute Danny Green, with which Rob Hulse had already made faint contact. From a press box vantage point, Hulse’s effort was bobbling wide until Kermorgant alertly arrived to make sure.

And there, in two nutshells, was the message that Ferguson Jr. needs to take on board. In football, it’s not so much how elegantly you set out as how pristinely you arrive. Peterborough looked proper Posh for much of Tuesday evening’s excursion before degenerating into travel-stained passengers; Charlton, on the other hand, roughed it in third class but turned up in immaculate shape to enjoy the last laugh at journey’s end.

Pleasing on the eye much of the time, United had chances to take the lead before their hosts broke through, none better than the artfully clipped effort on the run from George Boyd, which had a startled Ben Hamer scrambling to turn over his bar. Soon after the break, lively debutant Dwight Gayle should have improved on the drive he buried into Hamer’s midriff after George Thorne’s perfect pass picked him out, while clever midfielder Lee Tomlin knew little about the shot from George Boyd that he inadvertently deflected against the base of the left post. Tomlin’s vicious low drive brought Hamer down at full length to save before skipper Michael Bostwick, with another crisp daisycutter, tested the in-form Hamer as Posh rode the crest of an attacking wave. A confident but abortive penalty claim when Kerkar clumsily upended Tomlin undoubtedly added to Ferguson’s sense of injustice. Seen ’em given; seen ’em turned down. That’s how it goes.

At the other end, Johnnie Jackson wastefully headed Salim Kerkar’s chipped cross over the bar but it was the early booking picked up by Michael Morrison, for scything down Tomlin, which plunged The Valley into gloom. Morrison’s fifth caution of the season means that he will miss Saturday’s daunting trip to Millwall. Manager Chris Powell has already shown impressive ability to improvise this season but Morrison’s absence at the Den is a handicap he could have done without. He can be trusted to solve this latest selection conundrum.

Staying sharp through most of the second period, Posh turned the screw as much of Charlton’s defending dissolved into emergency tactics. Renowned as a freescoring side, they have actually managed only nine goals in ten trips away from London Road. It was their lack of cutting edge, much more than a shortage of luck, that brought their downfall on Tuesday. Good side, though. Nice to watch.

Charlton: Hamer, Solly, Cort, Morrison, Seaborne, Pritchard, Frimpong (Green 75), Jackson, Kerkar, Kermorgant (Jonsson 90), Fuller (Hulse 78). Not used: Button, Stephens, Wright-Phillips, Dervite. Booked: Morrison, Frimpong.

Peterborough: Olejnik, Knight-Percival, Brisley (Swanson 84), Little, Bostwick, Newell, McCann, Boyd, Tomlin, Thorne, Gayle. Not used: Day, Alcock, Zakuani, Ferdinand, Clarke-Harris, Carthey.

Referee: Iain Williamson. Att: 17,377.

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Charlton 1 (Hulse 60) Huddersfield 1 (Clayton 88, pen).

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.

Once Charlton get the hang of winning on their own manor, their still shaky position in the Championship might start to look a little more secure. They could even find themselves looking up rather than down at the situation above and below them.

The Addicks’ failure to protect the 60th minute lead given them by Rob Hulse sent another excellent crowd home, struggling to understand their inability to see off 10-man Huddersfield. Beating numerically disadvantaged opposition is not always a formality, of course, and it won’t have escaped the frustrated fans’ notice that these talented, dogged Terriers were well worth their point. Doesn’t change the fact, though, that another golden opportunity was missed.

Before Keith Southern’s debatable dismissal, the visitors had already justified their impressive 10th position in the table. In a lively start, Charlton were relieved that Johnnie Jackson was perfectly placed to clear off the line after Adam Clayton drove Oliver Norwood’s poorly cleared corner goalward from 15 yards, with the inviting rebound awkwardly shovelled over the bar by Peter Clarke. By the time Simon Church ran on to Alex Smithies’ huge punt to test Ben Hamer and Leon Cort heroically blocked Lee Novak’s close range blast, Town had already shown their attacking teeth.

Making his debut in central midfield, meanwhile, loanee Emmanuel Frimpong settled down quickly to show his class. Strong and perceptive, his Arsenal pedigree was unmistakable until a lack of match practice caught up with him shortly after the hour mark. Already deprived of in-form striker Danny Haynes and stopgap left back Dan Seaborne, Chris Powell is by now well versed in the art of make do-and-mend. Much will be justifiably made of the Terriers’ grit in responding to adversity in this entertaining game. Not so much attention is focused on the disastrous luck with injuries and illness that have beset Charlton’s careworn manager. He’s doing fine under trying circumstances. So are Charlton.

On 34 minutes, shortly after Ricardo Fuller had burst clear to shoot narrowly wide and Lee Novak had replied with a low drive that had Hamer diving to save with Church closing on the rebound, referee Lee Collins’ contentious decision to send off Southern appeared to have tipped the balance in the Addicks’ favour.
As Michael Morrison carried the ball untypically over the halfway line, his momentary loss of control lured Southern into hefty 50-50 collision in the centre circle. From the bleachers, his challenge seemed fair but, no more than six yards from the action, Collins disagreed. For the second successive week, Charlton had been handed either a one-man advantage or an unsought liability, depending entirely on your point of view.

Far from daunted by the setback, Huddersfield opened the second half brightly, with Clayton’s drive deflected dangerously off target and a Danny Ward snapshot safely gathered by Hamer. At the other end, Chris Solly’s deceptive feint-and-acceleration set up Hulse to head over the bar. The Addicks were inching closer and a minute later a cleverly crafted goal put them ahead.

Picking up an innocuous ball, Jackson found Fuller, who astutely played Bradley Pritchard in behind left back Paul Dixon; from the right byline, the midfield workaholic cut back a measured pass for Hulse to sidefoot efficiently past Smithies. Simple. Effective. But not conclusive.

After Fuller had gone agonisingly close to applying a late coup-de-grace, the Addicks visibly lost confidence. Jackson’s key interception earned them the temporary respite of a right wing corner, swung in by Adam Hammill at the second attempt. Previously impeccable in his handling of high deliveries, Hamer flailed wildly, Clarke prepared to pounce at the far post but was flattened by Solly’s desperate intervention. The inevitable penalty was calmly converted by Clayton to earn the Yorkshiremen the point their pluck had earned them.

Charlton weren’t quite finished. In a final flourish, substitute Green crossed deliciously, Hulse headed firmly but Smithies saved brilliantly to his left. There was also a scare for the hosts but Solly whisked Church’s last gasp cross off Alan Lee’s toe.

So was this a point gained? Or two lost? Again, it depends entirely on how you look at it. But the pressure to straighten out this indifferent home form is mounting. We re-convene at The Valley on Tuesday evening for another stab at it. Bring along your half-full glasses.

Kevin Nolan’s Match Report is brought to you in association with , 294 Burnt Ash Hill, London, SE12 0QD.

Charlton: Hamer, Solly, Cort, Morrison, Kerkar, Pritchard, Stephens, Frimpong (Green 66), Jackson, Fuller (Kermorgant 84), Hulse. Not used: Button, Taylor, Wright-Phillips, Jonsson, Dervite. Booked: Pritchard.

Huddersfield: Smithies, Hunt, Clarke, Lynch, Dixon, Norwood (Arfield 71), Clayton, Southern (sent off 34), Ward (Hammill 84), Church, Novak (Lee 77). Not used: Bennett, Woods, Gerrard, Robinson. Booked: Dixon, Clayton.

Referee: Lee Collins. Att: 20,012.