Charlton 2 (Wright-Phillips 19, Kermorgant 33) Leicester City 1 (King 54).
Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.
With Charlton hanging on grimly to a narrow 2-1 lead, a collective groan greeted the announcement that four additional minutes would be played in this riproaring game. Football fans have notoriously retentive memories anyway but, in this case, only 72 hours had elapsed since the Addicks succumbed to an equaliser during four overtime minutes in Bimingham. The wounds were still raw, the hurt still palpable. It wouldn’t do – wouldn’t do at all – to cave in again. That could send shock waves rippling through this fledgling season. The harm could be incalculable.
Needless to say, the finish was fraught, never more so than when Jamie Vardy rose unchallenged to a right wing cross but, with the whole goal to aim at, headed straight at Ben Hamer. Even then Charlton weren’t home and hosed; Anthony Knockaert won a right corner off the redoubtable Leon Cort, visiting goalkeeper KasparSchmeichel complicated the penalty area throng, a bloodied Michael Morrison departed for treatment and anarchy ensued before the final whistle sent The Valley into ecstasy. And some people find football boring!
Exactly why Charlton found themseves in such a hair-raising predicament is difficult to explain. Heartened by their performance, if not the result at St. Andrews, they picked up where they left off and promised to handle fancied Leicester with ease. They didn’t start well, to be fair, with Cort’s key block denying Jermaine Beckford, before Lloyd Dyer ruined Beckford’s cute pass with cockeyed finishing. And they were still finding their feet when Danny Drinkwater exploited a rare slip by Rhoys Wiggins to play Vardy into one-on-one confrontation with Ben Hamer; the in-form keeper won the duel and the escape duly inspired his side into reprisal they capped with a 19th minute opener.
A revelation last season, rookie Bradley Pritchard continues to improve. His determined run was frankly petering out until the loose ball was snapped up by Bradley Wright-Phillips outside City’s penalty area. Without hesitation, Charlton’s sureshot opened his 2012-13 account by cracking a first-time, turf-trimming drive into the bottom left corner. Finishing of such quality is instinctive.
The lead filled the home side with confidence. Boosted by raucous support, they hunted the Foxes mercilessly and it was no surprise that they doubled their lead a quarter hour later through one of the most popular players on the field. Popular, that is, with all bar 1,628 fans who were mocking him in the away end.
Yann Kermorgant has issues with Leicester City since missing a play-off penalty, under extravagant circumstances, a couple of years ago. As previously mentioned, football fans never forget and the big Breton was practically hounded out of the Walkers Stadium as a direct result. On Tuesday evening, his name was booed, his every move barracked. And wouldn’t you just know that it was Kermorgant who stuffed the insults down his detractors’ throats with an expertly taken second goal? Keeling over sideways as Danny Hollands’ long throw from the right was partially cleared to him, his crisp volley nestled inside the left post with Schmeichel utterly beaten. Given the dog’s abuse he’d been receiving, his restraint was admirable. But his point had been made. And revenge was sweet.
Pulling themselves together before the break, City served notice that the second half might not prove as comfortable for the Addicks. Valley alumnus Paul Konchesky unnerved them with a hard, low cross that the luckless Vardy failed to contact at point blank range. Charlton had been warned.
Already booked, uncompromising centre back Wes Morgan conceded the second half’s first free kick by barging into Kermorgant’s back. Setpiece expert Johnnie Jackson flighted his delivery for the top right corner but Schmeichel took off spectacularly to save two-handed. City took instant heart.
Seven minutes after the break, the arrears were reduced by substitute Andy King. Right-sided midfielder Ben Marshall created the chance by eluding Wiggins to whip over a low cross which King confidently swept past Hamer. The pendulum had swung decisively and though Wright-Phillips went close with another of his low drives, David Nugent was even closer with an effort which whizzed harmlessly across goal. Vardy picked his way through but shot tamely at Hamer, as did Dyer who lost his nerve in front of an open goal and almost obliged the grateful keeper with the timidity of his effort.
It was essential that Charlton survived and survive they did, though haggard and haunted at the end of a torrid examination. They have stepped up in class; the division they left last May lags light years behind the company they’ll be keeping this season. They’ve already closed the gap but now the hard part begins. Don’t bet against this gritty side making the grade.
Charlton: Hamer, Solly, Cort, Morrison, Wiggins, Pritchard, Hollands, Stephens (Wilson 81), Jackson (Kerkar 87), Wright-Phillips (Cook 90), Kermorgant. Not used: Sullivan, Taylor, Green, Smith.
Leicester: Schmeichel, De Laet, Morgan, Moore, Konchesky, Marshall (Knockaert 64), James (King 46), Drinkwater, Dyer, Vardy, Beckford (Nugent 46). Not used: Logan, Danns, Waghorn, Schlupp.
Referee: F. Graham. Att: 16,658 (1,628 Leicester).
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