Charlton 2 (Kashi 63, Magennis 78) Oxford United 3 (Henry 76, Kane 88, Ledson 90).

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.

It’s no surprise that Charlton are not among those clubs who refer to their ground -often on the thinnest of evidence – as a fortress. If they did stoop to such posturing, the building codes bureaucrats would split their sides laughing.

They don’t go in for any of that “This is Anfield” or “Run for your Lives, you’re at Millwall” intimidation at The Valley. It’s a cuddly, cosy place where visiting teams are encouraged to think they’re in with a chance. So as mildly shocked Oxford United made off gleefully with all three points on Saturday, they departed to the cheery Cockney strains of “Call round any old time, make yourself at home, put your feet on the mantelshelf, open the cupboard and help yourself.” Or less lyrically, the door’s unlocked so spit on the floor and use the last of the milk because our casa is your casa. Thanks for coming, we’ll clean up after you.

Charlton fans know the sickening drill all too well. They’ve grown wearily used to scenes of wild rejoicing in the Jimmy Seed stand as the travelling fans celebrate late equalisers or winners scored conveniently in front of them thanks to Charlton’s set-in-stone, presumably pre-arranged habit of attacking the covered end in the second half. It might be time to switch that around because it’s no secret that the worst disasters occur at the away end. When you’re in a rut, it makes sense to step out of it.

This latest collapse almost defies description but we’ll give it a shot. With two minutes of normal time remaining, the Addicks were still pouring forward in undisciplined search of a clinching goal to make it 3-1. Caught on the break as John Mousinho got behind them on the left, they were wrongfooted by the Oxford skipper’s precise cutback and helpless to prevent United debutant Todd Kane from ramming a second equaliser past Ben Amos.

The announcement of five added minutes brought a roar of local anticipation but instead served as a clarion call for the buoyant visitors. A disorderly rabble by now, Charlton were rabbits mesmerised by headlights as Isaac Buckley-Ricketts eluded Jay DaSilva on the right and set up Ryan Ledson to crash home an increasingly inevitable winner inside the right hand post. In retrospect, the low shot directed by Buckley-Ricketts against the woodwork shortly before Kane scored, seems less like a lucky escape than an unheeded warning.

Nothing in an orderly, routine first half hinted at the mayhem in store. Charlton began brightly and had marginally the better of things, with Tarique Fosu’s rasper stinging Simon Eastwood’s hands and Mark Marshall directing a free header wastefully wide. For the visitors, Jon Obika, a pre-kick-off replacement for Wes Thomas, turned brilliantly to smash a looping volley harmlessly off the right-hand post. The near thing was Obika’s last, meaningful contribution as he limped off later to make way for Malachi Napa. To be fair, Oxford coped manfully with the disruption.

A persistent, skilful thorn in United’s side, Josh Magennis opened the second period by moving on to Fosu’s pass and shooting ferociously on the run. Eastwood saved smartly, as did Amos from Napa’s accurate low drive. But just past the hour mark, Karl Robinson’s newly gung-ho side broke through. Fosu made the initial breach, through which Magennis and Ahmed Kashi poured. Magennis’ effort was blocked but Kashi picked up the pieces, moved away from the goalmouth carnage and shot home off Eastwood’s right hand.

The breakthrough brought with it the usual nervousness both on and off the field. Chronically uncertain when protecting a lead, the Addicks faltered and it was less than surprising when substitute James Henry fastened on to Napa’s pass before, with cool detachment, driving precisely into the lower left corner.
It was then Oxford’s turn to be rudely jolted when their hosts reclaimed the lead two minutes later. Caught dawdling near the left byline, Kane was neatly pickpocketed by Dasilva, who closed in and picked out Magennis’ shrewdly timed charge into the six-yard area. From two yards, the Northern Irishman’s sixth goal of the season was mere formality.

Making sense of this debacle is down to Robinson, who levelled charges of selfishness at his side and confessed he had drawn no positives from the miserable experience “We beat ourselves through our lack of discipline”, he declared, “it became I want to score rather than we need to score.”

The manager might need to justify the puzzling benching of in-form Joe Aribo and his reluctance to start an apparently fit Patrick Bauer at centre back. Ezri Konsa is a stylish but weak link in that position though it was Harry Lennon, the current “fans” scapegoat, who came in for the lion’s share of badmouthing. While less than outstanding, Lennon won his fair share in the air and delivered a succession of raking passes on which Magennis fed. He was part of Charlton’s total collapse, but far from the sole cause of it. If heads are to roll his might deserve to be spared. Meanwhile, Bauer must play at Doncaster. So must Aribo.

Charlton: Amos, Solly, Konsa, Lennon, Dasilva, Kashi, Marshall (Zyro 70), Forster-Caskey, Mavididi (Kaikai 70), Fosu (Aribo 87), Magennis. Not used: Phillips, Jackson, Bauer, Reeves. Booked: Lennon.

Referee: Keith Stroud. Att: 11,747 (1,381 visiting).

Millwall 3 (O’Brien 40, Morison 42,60) Charlton 1 (Ajose 48).

Kevin Nolan reports from The Den.

It’s like picking at an open wound to rehash Charlton’s almost comical record against Millwall or to mention again that they haven’t beaten their “rivals” since the 20th century. It’s enough to say that this latest meek capitulation earned them more of the amused contempt in which they are held around SE 16. “You’ll never beat the Millwall” the fumbling visitors were reminded and rarely have truer words been sneered. Charlton have given this so-called local derby a bad name. And that name is walkover.

Bad news awaited the Addicks when they arrived at The Den. Powerful centre back Byron Webster had returned from a three-game absence, not to warm the bench but typically among the starters as befits a warrior. Webster won everything in the air and efficiently handled Josh Magennis. But it was even more disquieting to discover that old nemesis Steve Morison had clearly targetted this game for a full comeback following a two-month injury lay-off. Forty five useful minutes as a substitute in a losing cause at Scunthorpe had prepared him to exorcise his frustration on old victims.

Morison relishes his role as an old fashioned centre forward, though there’s more to his game than mere hustle and bustle. His clever movement and cool finishing proved as much, the second of his two goals being ideally timed to quash the briefly noisy neighbours’ second half revival.

For over 40 minutes, Charlton flattered to deceive and approached the interval in promising shape. They had been spared an early setback when Lee Gregory pounced on a slip by Patrick Bauer but messed up the routine pass which would have set up O’Brien for a simple tap-in. They lived dangerously again as Morison volleyed Gregory’s astute chip into the sidenet but had coped well until a familiar collapse destroyed them shortly before the interval.

Tight to the right touchline and hemmed in by two opponents, right back Shaun Cummings managed a speculative cross to the far post where an unmarked O’Brien, with only Gregory as company, headed simply past Dillon Phillips. Two minutes later, Shaun Williams produced a better delivery, again from the right, which Morison astutely read and expertly nodded volleyed home.

A fly on the wall of Charlton’s half-time dressing room would probably have bolted for cover as a clearly vexed Karl Robinson tore into his submissive troops. Whatever spleen he vented worked at least temporarily because the Addicks re-emerged in brisk, businesslike fashion. Within three minutes their arrears had been reduced and they were back in the game.

An accurate throw from Phillips found Andrew Crofts, a combative exception to the timidity around him, who picked out Magennis in front of him. The burly striker’s pass split the defence and played in Ademola Lookman, who was tempted to shoot but instead set up a better chance for Nicky Ajose. Taking a touch to compose himself, Ajose finished competently past Jordan Archer. Game on then but not for long.

The Lions were briefly inconvenienced and an emergency clearance by Webster was required when Lookman’s cross was headed dangerously back from the far post by Adam Chicksen. They soon re-asserted themselves, however, with Morison’s second strike on the hour putting the outcome beyond Charlton’s feeble reach

An incisive move developed through O’Brien to overlapping right back Tony Craig then inside to Fred Onyedinma, whose square pass picked out Morison near the penalty spot. Turning sharply, the veteran marksman beat Phillips’ right hand with a crisp drive into the bottom left corner. Hardly a defensive muscle had so much as twitched during the entire process.

Phillips’ fine one-on-one save denied Onyedinma later but the damage had been done, another miserable chapter written in the embarrassingly one-sided history of this fixture. Yet again, Charlton talked it while Millwall walked it. The “bitter enemies” do it again at The Valley in three weeks time, where cockeyed optimists will touchingly build a case for a home win while flint-eyed realists meet the truth head-on. All Charlton can rely on these days is the law of averages. And by the law of averages they’re already long overdue to beat Millwall again. So that’s about as reliable as a plasticine crutch.

Millwall: Archer, Cummings, Hutchinson, Webster, Craig, Onyedinma (Butcher 90), Williams, Thompson, O’Brien (Worrall 88), Gregory (Ferguson 75), Morison. Not used: King, Romeo, Abdou, Smith.

Charlton: Phillips, Konsa, Texeira, Bauer, Fox, Lookman, Crofts, Jackson (Ahearne-Grant 86), Chicksen (Botaka 70), Ajose, Magennis. Not used: Mitov, Johnson, Ulvestad, Aribo. Booked: Texeira.

Referee: Christopher Kavanagh. Att: 14,395 (2,186 visiting).

Chaps, mea culpa, but something crept into the Millwall report which gives me chills of horror. Steve Morison (bad cess to him as My Mum would say) of course volleyed not nodded his first goal home. Sorry about that, I dozed off at the keyboard and upon coming to, suffered a bout of word association and wrongly used “nodded.”
I’ve been given lines to be handed in before Christmas. Speaking of which, Merry Christmas to one and all. And just let me at Millwall next month. We’ll see who’s laughing then. I’ve been practising a guffaw for 21 years and I’m running out of time. Kev.