Gillingham 1 (Purrington o.g 56) Charlton 1 (Lee 18).

Owners of a one-goal lead (and good value for it) at half-time on a gorgeous Kentish evening, Charlton seemed on course to stop the recent rot of disappointing results at Priestfield. Masters of midfield, where the canny nous of Ben Watson combined with the ceaseless industry of Elliot
Lee to control the key exchanges, they also had, in Corey Blackett-Taylor, a force of nature in unstoppable mood on either flank.

A blend of pace, power and skill, Blackett-Taylor’s treatment of left back Robbie McKenzie bordered on cruel and unusual punishment. He had already turned the defender inside out on the right wing before popping up on the other side to continue the process. McKenzie duly followed him but was beaten by the youngster’s stop-start acceleration which brought him into the space he needed to find Lee with a hard low cross. A firm finish from Lee put the Addicks into a deserved 18th minute lead which they seemed more than capable of increasing.

Blackett-Taylor had already provided an inviting chance for Conor Washington to volley wide, then was off target himself when set up by Ben Purrington. Charlton were briefly rampant and should have doubled their lead when Lee’s glorious pass sent Washington through; Jack Tucker’s last ditch tackle snuffed out the danger but a second goal seemed inevitable. “It’s just a shame we didn’t score a few more goals in that important time,” ruefully remarked Nigel Adkins, an understandable reaction if a trifle optimistic in regretting the lack of “a few more goals.” Blimey, steady on there, Nige. Your chaps would have been grateful for even one more.

It’s fair to say, though, that the Addicks had been as good in the first half here as they’d been embarrassingly bad during the same period at Adams Park three days previously. Their defence, organised by old soldier Jason Pearce and given muscle by Sam Lavelle, was sound while Albie Morgan responded to Lee’s reassuring presence with his best performance so far this season. Up front, Josh Davison protected the ball, fought for his rights, and was a busy handful. It was the perfect half but it couldn’t – and didn’t – last.

The interval replacement of McKenzie by Danny Lloyd was inevitable while Steve Evans’ introduction of Gerald Sithole for Charlie Kelman helped Gills to match up more effectively in the middle of the park. But it was the growing influence of skipper Kyle Dempsey which tipped the balance in Gillingham’s favour. Carrying the fight into the Addicks’ heartland, Dempsey demanded the ball and used it to devastating effect.

Adkins’ Addicks had already survived a raucous -and possibly justified – penalty appeal for handball and a warning shot across their bows when Craig McGillivray saved smartly from Lloyd before they conceded just 11 minutes after the break. It was Dempsey who did the damage by working a short corner on the left, where Lee was unsupported, cutting into the penalty area and shooting powerfully against the far post. Purrington was an innocent victim in turning the rebound into his own net. With over a half hour left on the clock, the visitors were in sudden danger of capsizing. But they weren’t entirely finished themselves. With cover doubled on him when in possession, Blackett-Taylor was quieter after the break but still had his moments. Bursting clear on the right, his firm, accurate cross was driven goalwards by Davison but saved magnificently by Cumming. The Chelsea loanee was even more impressive in making an instinctive one-handed stop to keep out Lavelle’s close range volley. At the other end, meanwhile, Lloyd took aim from long distance and almost uprooted the left upright with a venomous drive.

A late post-script to an evenly fought clash was almost supplied by Jayden Stockley, who headed Alex Gilbey’s outswinging corner narrowly over the bar but Charlton, by that time, were thankful for a point. It inched them above Crewe and Shrewsbury into 21st place in the League One table. Hardly cause for celebration but so much better than nothing. Because for the time being, the Addicks’ priority must be to climb out of the division’s relegation basement. Once that’s accomplished, the sky’s the limit -well mid-table anyway. One small step at a time and before you know it, you’re looking up not down.

Gillingham: Cumming, Ehmer, Tucker, MacDonald, Dempsey, Kelman (Sithole 46), Lee, McKenzie (Lloyd 46), Adshead, Bennett (Tutonda 74), Oliver. Not used: Chapman, Reeves, Akinde, Akehurst. Booked: Ehmer, Lee.

Charlton: McGillivray, Matthews, Pearce, Lavelle, Purrington, Watson, Lee (Gilbey 74), Morgan, Blackett-Taylor, Washington (Leko 46), Davison (Stockley 80). Not used: Harness, Famewo, Kirk, Clare.

Referee: Keith Stroud.

Wycombe Wanderers 2 (McCleary 43,71) Charlton 2 (Lavelle 90+2).

Kevin Nolan reports from Adams Park.

It’s five defeats in seven league games for Charlton after this craven surrender in leafy Buckinghamshire, where Wycombe Wanderers brushed them aside but came close to blowing a two-goal lead during five frantic added minutes.

Until Sam Lavelle powerfully headed home Elliott Lee’s outswinging corner in the second of those minutes, the visitors had hardly bothered David Stockdale. The centre back’s first goal for his new club, however, triggered mayhem around the startled goalkeeper, with substitute Josh Davison almost bundling an equaliser past him. Visiting supporters behind Stockdale’s goal recognised Wycombe’s mini-collapse. It’s familiar viewing at The Valley.

Charlton’s late flurry hardly wipes clean the memory of a performance which was beyond abject. Having deplored his side’s descent into “hoof ball” during their recent humiliation by Cheltenham Town, Nigel Adkins was treated to more of the same at Adams Park, where Jayden Stockley toiled fruitlessly to make something of an endless supply of lofted balls and lusty clearances. To be honest, the Chairboys weren’t a whole lot better but their own “hoof ball” had slightly more quality than Charlton’s. And, more significantly, they had 34 year-old Garath McCleary in their line-up. More about him a little later.

With six changes from the Cheltenham fiasco and set out in 3-4-3 formation, Adkins’ Addicks somehow survived until the 41st minute in a game which set uncharted levels of tedium, not to mention cluelessness. They were frankly awful, aimless, abysmal. In a more apposite word, they lacked gumption. A word or two, by the way, about “gumption” (gump-shun), “the ability to decide what is the best thing to do in a particular situation and to do it with energy and determination.” Lovely word – gumption – solidly old-school and resolutely uncompromising. Says what it means and means what it says. Clearly it doesn’t apply to Charlton right now so forget I mentioned it.

Not much happened, meanwhile, in a first half which featured one chance before McCleary stepped up to put Wanderers ahead. It was the veteran’s pass to Daryl Horgan which led to that chance for Curtis Thompson, who drilled a low drive against the left post.

Posing frequent problems along the left flank in partnership with Jordan Obita, McCleary took matters into his own hands -or more accurately his right foot – with four minutes of a dire first half remaining. Cutting inside from left to right, his crisp drive left Craig McGillivray helpless on its way into the bottom right corner. It was a fine goal, totally out of context in its scruffy surroundings and scored by the game’s best player.

So too was the home side’s clincher on 71 minutes, a goal I’ll try gamely to describe though the lay-out of Wycombe’s quaint ground make it a daunting task. Let me explain that the dug-outs completely obscure at least a third of the playing pitch, as seen from the press box. I gather, however, that a Wycombe player crossed from the right, another Wycombe player headed back from the far post and McCleary popped up at the opposite post to nod home what turned out to be the winning goal. As near as I could tell.

The premature withdrawals of McCleary, Horgan and Sam Vokes were a relief to Charlton and hardly among popular Chairboys boss Gareth Ainsworth’s shrewdest decisions. Even Charlton’s almost moribund side sniffed half a chance, especially after the youthful exuberance of Corey Blackett-Taylor joined what was passing as the fray.

Abruptly right back Jack Grimmer’s untroubled afternoon became a nightmare as Blackett-Taylor twisted him pretzel-shaped. Grimmer’s cover was hastily increased as the uninhibited youngster made a series of purposeful runs and hard, low crosses, none of which, needless to say, was met with any enthusiasm by his colleagues. On an afternoon of almost unremitting frustration, Blackett-Taylor provided a solitary bright spot and should have booked a place in the side which faces Gillingham on Tuesday evening. That’s a bit like being named as a late addition to Custer’s men at Little Big Horn. No quarter asked. None given. It’s every scalp for himself!

Wycombe: Stockdale, Grimmer, Jacobson, Stewart, Tafazolli, Thompson, Vokes (Akinfemwa 76), McCleary (Kaikai 81),
Horgan (Hanlan 84), Obita, Scowen. Not used: Przybek, Gape, Wheeler, McCarthy.

Charlton: McGillivray, Gunter, Dobson, Famewo, Pearce, Lavelle, Arter (Blackett-Taylor 58), Leko (Lee 58), Souare,
Stockley (Davison 84), Washington. Booked: Gunter, Famewo, Pearce, Lee, Souare.

Referee: Peter Wright.

Charlton 6 (Davison 5,90, Blackett-Taylor 18, Lee 22, Francombe o.g.49, Burstow 82), Crawley Town 1 (Appiah 75,pen).

A high octane blend of blistering pace, power and precision tore Crawley Town to pieces as a strong Charlton side made a freescoring start to their Papa John’s Trophy campaign on Tuesday evening. The visitors were rabbits in the headlights as these buccaneering Addicks played in a spirit which might fairly be described as “joie de football.” There wasn’t an inhibition in sight by the time Josh Davison’s second goal of the evening brought Crawley’s suffering to a merciful end.

As a viable contest, the tie was settled by a quickfire salvo of three goals within 22 minutes of the start. The first was claimed by Davison, who finished confidently into the bottom left corner after bright approach play involving Charles Clayden and Corey Blackett-Taylor; the latter doubled the lead by dribbling into Town’s penalty area, where he briefly lost, then regained, possession before planting a precise shot into the same corner favoured by Davison; watched by proud papa Robert, Elliot Lee made it three when he skilfully controlled George Dobson’s crisp pass with his right foot, nutmegged a defender and stroked a low left-footed drive into that part of Blondy Nna Noukeu’s net already identified as vulnerable by Davison and Blackett-Taylor.

Following a forgivable lull, Nigel Adkins’ strong second stringers were back at Crawley’s throats before the interval. A bundle of energy on the left wing, Clayden’s precise cross laid on an inviting chance which Sean Clare headed inexplicably wide. The knock which necessitated Clare’s second half withdrawal was the only blot on Nigel Adkins’ evening, one which presented him with several selection dilemmas prior to Cheltenham Town’s arrival at The Valley on September 11th. But with the Addicks insatiable, meanwhile, Clayden arrived on the end of Blackett-Taylor’s right wing centre but, from six yards, smashed his shot against the bar.

The second half brought scant relief to John Yems’ men. Just four minutes of the session had elapsed when Davison made ground on the right and fired a hard, low ball into the danger area, leaving Town skipper George Francomb helpless as the ball rocketed into the net off his knee.

Bewildered and outclassed, Crawley improved as the storm abated. Jack Powell’s free kick rebounded off the bar following Jason Pearce’s foul on substitute Kwesi Appiah before the veteran defender offended again by tripping Sam Ashford, this time inside the penalty area. Appiah’s capable spotkick gave first team debutant Mathan Harness no chance.

If the visitors expected Appiah’s goal to prove a turning point, they were to be cruelly disabused. Adkins’ hungry team, each of them keen to impress him, promptly turned up the heat again. Their passing was positive and invariably received on the half-turn, its clear intent to go forward and hurt the opposition. Sporadic attempts to play out from the back were half-hearted, almost sheepish and thankfully abandoned The ball was moved quickly and crisply, with attack the clear watchword. It’s accepted that Tuesday’s opponents were of League Two standard but, then again, Charlton are themselves are only one division above them. You deal with what’s in front of you.

Such a pleasing performance deserved its final flourish and Charlton duly delivered with two late strikes. Having replaced the outstanding Lee with eight minutes remaining, Mason Burstow marked his first team debut by cleverly adjusting his position to head home Clayden’s measured cross. The talented kid’s delight was shared by the entire squad, which he promptly repaid by laying on Davison’s coup-de-grace in added time. His surge into Town’s penalty area spreadeagled their rearguard and Davison’s ruthless finish bookended Charlton’s exhilarating exhibition.

Now it’s over to Nigel to whittle down to eleven the side which will face Cheltenham next week. His task is unenviable and best left to him. Just one question, boss. Among a number of deserving cases, how do you leave out Elliott Lee?

Charlton: Harness, Barker, Elewere, Pearce, Roddy. Blackett-Taylor (Kirk 64), Dobson, Clare (Dempsey 64), Lee (Burstow 80), Clayden, Davison. Not used: McGillivray, Famewo, Morgan. Booked: Pearce.

Referee: Neil Hair. Att: 1404 (167 visiting).

Charlton u-18s 0 Wigan Athletic 2 (Fulton 6, Brown 74)

Kevin Nolan was at The Valley to see Charlton’s young generation experience the agony of defeat.

Charlton’s U-18s fought the good fight from whistle to whistle but were fairly and squarely beaten by a well-drilled Wigan side who had their number on an unpleasant evening masquerading as May when it more properly belonged in January. The visitors held a slight edge in nous and, more importantly, finishing. But Anthony Hayes’ boys left nothing out on The Valley pitch and owe neither apology nor explanation.

A tough task became that much tougher when the visitors went ahead after just six minutes. The Addicks survived the original confusion caused by Sean McGurk’s left wing corner thanks to James Beadle’s brilliant save from Millen Brown. They were not so lucky in dealing with Chris Sze’s delivery from the opposite flank as a scuffed clearance reached Jason Fulton near the penalty spot. One touch on the centre back’s chest set up an unstoppable volley which left Beadle helpless. There were two fine young keepers in opposition in this keenly contested PDL2 final and Tom Watson matched Beadle’s excellence with an outstanding response to Kai Garande’s top-corner bound drive. Charlton’s barnstorming left back had been played clear by Ryan Viggars and seemed momentarily to have beaten Watson until the plunging keeper’s fingertips diverted his shot to safety.

Watson was in action again five minutes later when Viggars was sent through by Jeremy Santos, a restless thorn in Wigan’s side, and succeeded in rounding the advancing keeper. With the narrowing angle limiting his options, Viggars’s shot was resourcefully smothered by the retreating Watson. An end-to-end clash between these talented sides continued to throw up chances, with Brown guilty of missing the apparently unmissable before the interval. Kieran Lloyd combined with Tom Costello to set up the unmarked striker to finish from six yards. His shot, possibly deflected, instead hit the post. Brown should have scored – an error he duly rectified later on.

The hard grafting Viggars came close to equalising ten minutes into the second half. A breathtaking move cooked up by Aaron Henry’s cheeky nutmeg and garnished by skipper Charlie Barker’s extraordinary sleight-of-foot which bamboozled Marcus Snell, tore the visitors apart down the right. Barker quickly advanced and cut back for Viggars to finish from six yards. The big lad’s hasty shot cleared the crossbar and the visitors had been spared again. They already had reason to thank Watson for saving smartly from Jason Adigun soon after the break. Santos probed and experimented ceaselessly -an old-school maverick who took risks and persistently chose the incisive pass over the careful cop-out. He ran into an occasional roadblock but was a pleasure to watch. So was Barker, who ran him close as Charlton’s best performer and played with his heart on his sleeve. But then Hayes was not let down by any of his young charges. They gave him their best and brought out the best from Wigan. As the Addicks began to run out of attacking steam, it remained only for the confident visitors to apply the coup-de-grace. Sze could have lowered the boom but his athletic volley from close range sent Lloyd’s precise cross spiralling over the bar. Instead it was Brown who provided the Latics with the two-goal margin they sought. More confusion from a corner – this one swung over by McGurk – was resolved by his crisp drive through a crowded six-yard box into the bottom right corner.

There was to be no coming back from this second blow and it was Wigan’s captain, James Carragher, who led the wild celebrations at the final whistle – in-yer-face celebrations, it should be said, which initially ignored the anguish of their vanquished opponents until the magnificent Watson led a breakaway deputation of more gracious Latics to commiserate with a bristling Barker and his heartsore mates. Put it down to teenaged exuberance…

Charlton: Beadle, Barker, Bakrin (Asimwe 73), Elewere, Garande (Leaburn 85), Henry, Adigun (Mitchell 75) Santos, Campbell,

Burstow, Viggars. Not used: Whitling, Ladapo. Booked: Bakrin. Wigan: Watson, Lloyd, Snell, Carragher, Fulton, McHugh, McGurk, McGee, Costello, Sze (Pinnington 89), Brown (Welsh 90). Not used: Smith, Tickle, Brooks.

Att: 592.

Charlton u-18s 3 (Henry 9, Burstow 71, 90+3) Birmingham City u-18s 2 (Wakefield 84 pen, 89).

Kevin Nolan looked forward to a pressure-free afternoon at The Valley but ended up a basket case.

A madcap smash-and-grab finale to a rip-roaring semi-final saw Charlton qualify for the PDL2 final against Wigan Athletic – venue yet to be decided but hopefully at The Valley next Saturday May 22nd. The smash was provided by the visitors from the Second City, who stunned their hosts by wiping out a two-goal deficit with a devastating one-two in the 84th and 89th minutes to make it 2-2 going into five added minutes. But it was Charlton who grabbed a place in the final in the third of those minutes through as cool a piece of finishing as you are likely to see at any level, much less this tender category.

With the young Brummies flooding forward in search of the winner they clearly thought was inevitable, they were caught short-handed as the Addicks countered with lightning pace along the left flank. An error by right back Tom Fogarty added to their confusion and Jason Adigun’s pass picked out Mason Burstow at the far post. Turning down a right-footed shot which Brad Mayo might well have blocked, the tall centre forward’s clever turn inside deposited the outwitted goalkeeper on his backside before an ice-cold left-footed finish was carefully placed beyond two desperate defenders on the goalline. As a delirious pyramid of red shirts defied gravity near the left corner flag, the pitch was littered with prostrate Blues, their hearts broken and their illusions shattered. Bloody football! Unless, of course, you’re on the right side of it.

The opening exchanges of an always entertaining clash were less breakneck but no less important to its exciting conclusion. Charlton came within centimetres of forging ahead when skipper Charlie Barker’s gutsy header from Aaron Henry’s inswinging corner was hacked off the line with no more than one revolution of the ball required to make it legal. Their bright start was soon rewarded when the side’s heartbeat Henry accepted Tyreece Campbell’s routine pass and tried his luck from 25 yards. His shot was powerful and on target but found the net with an inadvertent assist from Mayo, who allowed the ball to pass under him. It was a dream start for Anthony Hayes’ kids and impressive keeper James Beadle made sure the lead stood up before the break with an outstanding save from Rico Patterson, City’s bright young attacking spark. Patterson picked his way through a crowded penalty area to make space for what seemed a certain equaliser. His close range shot seemed an inevitable coup-de-grace but Beadle spread himself expertly and blocked bravely. Later on, he performed the same feat to deny Kieran Wakefield.

The well-schooled goalie was part of a hectic sequence of goalmouth scrambles which launched the second half. He made a couple of point blank saves and there were selfless blocks by several colleagues as the junior Blues swarmed all over them. Somehow the Addicks survived an endless siege (which probably lasted no more than a minute) and settled down to produce the perfect riposte of a second goal on 71 minutes. Hitting their increasingly reckless visitors on the break, a flowing move down the left flank was decorated by the deft final pass, delivered with the outside of Adigun’s right boot, and an instinctive finish by Burstow into the far corner. At 2-0, it seemed reasonable to check the time and location of the final. This result seemed not only done but dusted. Except that these young City slickers weren’t having it.

Charlton were beginning to wilt but looked likely to hang on until Leo Dos Reis carved out a shooting chance for Wakefield inside their penalty area. As the skipper prepared to pull the trigger, Nathan Asimwe’s clumsy challenge took his legs from under him. Wakefield picked himself up and, after a nervous wait, buried the spotkick past Beadle. Five chaotic minutes later, City’s No. 9 met George Hall’s hard low cross from the left and slammed an emphatic equaliser past Beadle.

The dramatic late developments, including Burstow’s matchwinning heroics, were missed by Lee Bowyer, who sidled out with the score still 2-0. You’d think he might have known better. After all, he was Charlton’s manager when Birmingham’s senior side caught up with the Addicks in added time and virtually sent them down from the Championship in 2020. Late finishes are par for the course when the Blues and the Reds collide. And this one finished right side up. Pity you missed it, Lee. Might have cheered you up no end.

The bad news for Anthony Hayes as prepares his youngsters for the final is that Jeremy Santos and Tyreece Campbell are unlikely to make the final. Both sustained painful injuries and were limping participants in the wild celebrations which greeted the final whistle. But Zach Mitchell, who replaced Santos, was outstanding and Joseph Ladapo, an 86th minute substitute for Campbell, is a frequent starter in his own right. Beadle impressed, Barker looked like a veteran in this company while Henry -what’s to say about the all-round excellence of this mature operator? Except to predict that he will be in Nigel Adkin’s first team mix next season. That might be a little soon for Adigun and Burstow but they will be heard from eventually, as will cool centre backs Nazir Bakrin and Deji Elewere. The kids are alright at Charlton. They’ll be worth waiting for…but first, that final.

Charlton: Beadle, Barker, Bakrin, Elewere, Garande (Asimwe 45), Henry, Adigun, Santos (Mitchell 46), Campbell (Ladapo 86),
Burstow, Viggars. Not used: Whitling, Leaburn. Booked: Barker, Adigun.

Birmingham: Mayo, Fogarty, Barratt (Dos Reis), Oakley, Browne, Sullivan, Bellingham, Hall, Wakefield, James, Patterson.
Not used: Brodus, Manton, Khela, Nguepissi,. Booked: Sullivan.

Not so much a definitive record but a series of snapshots that ended again in heartache.

For a second consecutive season, Charlton’s fate depended, at least partly, on final day results elsewhere in the league. Last year, they were relegated from the Championship when Brentford conceded a last minute goal to Barnsley while they themselves were being hammered 4-0 by divisional title winners Leeds United. Twelve hugely disappointing months later, they gamely beat League One champions Hull City but lost out on the play-offs place to Oxford, 4-0 winners over Jimmy Floyd Hasseltwerp’s disgracefully supine Burton Albion. Robinson’s side finished on the same points total but with a seven-goal advantage in goal difference.

The margins were fine but Charlton’s second failure could again be traced to self-inflicted wounds. Their chronic vulnerability to added time goals was less costly than last term but an inability to convert three vital penalties told an even grimmer story. Every team misses penalties; the thing is to miss them when they have little bearing on the result. Charlton’s unreliable markmanship from 12 yards accounted for five lost points.

The efficient 2-0 opening day win at Crewe was an excellent start but was also a false dawn. It gave us a parting reminder of Alfie Doughty’s talent and featured George Lapslie’s solitary start of the season. A league debut for 17 year-old Charlie Barker was another encouraging milestone but before long all three youngsters had vanished from the scene. Doughty was soon on his way to Stoke, where he headed straight for the infirmary; Lapslie, clearly not fancied by Lee Bowyer, was loaned to, then later allowed to join Mansfield Town, where an outstanding campaign ended with his nomination as the Nottinghamshire club’s Player of the Season; Barker made two more league appearances before being discreetly withdrawn to continue his footballing education at a more realistic level.

While departing the various cup competitions with their usual indecent haste, the Addicks were promptly chastened by back-to-back defeats at the hands of Doncaster Rovers and surprise packets Lincoln City before embarking on an eight-game unbeaten streak, which was distinguished by six successive clean sheets. The centre back partnership of Ryan Inniss and Akin Famewo was rock-solid during their impressive climb to 3rd position but injuries to both defensive kingpins undermined momentum. A 3-2 victory over Fleetwood Town at The Valley and a 1-1 draw at Gillingham on November 21st completed the unbeaten string but it was at Priestfield that the first of the missed penalties cost them.

A dour game was scoreless when Conor Washington, who had proved himself reliable from the spot, prepared to take a first half spotkick. His concentration was compromised by an unseemly squabble with Omar Bogle, whose selfish hunger for a goal mattered more than his responsibility to the team. A clearly distracted Washington failed to beat the keeper and his miss was placed into sharp relief when the Gills converted a penalty of their own to lead 1-0. A late equaliser from Chuks Aneke rescued a point where three had been on offer. Three days after the Priestfield fiasco, new depths were plumbed when Burton Albion ruthlessly punished the Addicks’ slavish adherence to “playing out from the back” with two early goals on their way to a 4-2 win.

Contrasting results against Ipswich Town (2-0) and MK Dons ( 0-1) introduced the win-lose-draw sequence which characterised the season and kept Charlton from mounting a serious challenge for automatic promotion. The home loss to Dons in December was followed by a 1-1 draw at Shrewsbury which brought Ben Watson his first Charlton goal but also a disastrously conceded last gasp penalty equaliser. The haul of eight points from seven January games and five from six February games was hardly the stuff of promotion seekers. Seven games were lost, the most embarrassing of them being the 2-1 loss to Burton who duly completed a league double over Bowyer’s bunglers. The subsequent 3-0 defeat by Blackpool demoted Charlton to 12th position but the rot was stopped at Wigan (1-0), a result which heralded a return to form. The 14 points realised from six unbeaten games in March kept the Addicks in contention but also brought the second of those three squandered penalties during a 0-0 stand-off at Oxford United. A tense encounter was drifting towards a useful draw when Jayden Stockley turned sharply on to Adam Matthews’ throw-in and was brought down inside the penalty area. With Washington having already been substituted, Ronnie Schwartz volunteered for spotkick duty but placed his shot too close to the goalkeeper. We had no way of knowing at the time but the final-day fate of both clubs was to come down to Schwartz’s missed penalty.

At the end of March, Nigel Adkins replaced Bowyer, by then manager in name only as his clandestine negotiations with Birmingham City became public. Adkins’ debut was hardly auspicious as a jaw-dropping misunderstanding involving Famewo and Ben Amos, both stalwart contributors to the promotion bid, gifted Wimbledon a second half equaliser in a 2-2 draw.

Away wins at Doncaster Rovers (1-0) and Sunderland (2-1) more authentically began Adkins’ tenure, the victory at the Keepmoat Stadium bringing with it a first club goal for the irrepressible Ian Maatsen. A colourless 0-0 draw at home to Ipswich brought us down to earth but three days later, a club record was equalled as Plymouth Argyle were demolished 6-0 at Home Park. Barnsley had been similarly crushed at Oakwell during Chris Powell’s reign, which had stood briefly as the club’s record away victory. Charlton’s see-saw form was exemplified during the same week by Championship-bound Peterborough United’s 1-0 triumph at The Valley, a game which included the third of those fateful missed penalties. Posh were leading through prolific Johnson Clarke-Harris’ early opener when Stockley stepped up to the spot after Liam Millar was brought down in the act of shooting. His effort was comfortably saved and Charlton had wasted yet another golden opportunity to claim what was to prove a pivotal point.

Still in with a viable shot at the play-offs, Charlton hosted Crewe Alexandra in a twice-postponed fixture at The Valley on Tuesday April 27th. Having led twice, they were unabashedly hanging on during six added minutes when blind panic set in. To be fair to Inniss, he managed two effective headed clearances before Keystone Kops’ defending allowed Owen Dale, scorer of Alex’s first goal, to master an awkward bounce and smash home a 97th minute equaliser. Nothing – not even constant repetition – prepares you for the sickening disbelief such a goal inflicts on its victims.

April began with a 1-1 draw at Accrington, where Aneke’s 96th minute equaliser stunned Stanley, then continued with home victories over play-offs qualifiers Lincoln City and Grant McCann’s relaxed champions Hull City. News of the white flag hoisted by Burton at the Kassam Stadium quickly destroyed Charlton’s always tenuous hope of a miraculous reprieve and an atmosphere of resignation ushered in the end of another if-only season for the Addicks. Close again – really close – but again, no cigar.

As Adkins and his staff assess the fall-out, the immediate priority will be to form a squad from the survivors capable of mounting a serious challenge for automatic promotion next season. The usual post-season shakedown will see numerous departures from SE7, some of them, as in Maatsen’s case, regrettable. Millar improved game-by-game but has already spoken like he’s on the way elsewhere. Stockley joined during the January window, made his debut at MK Dons and went on to score eight goals in twenty starts. This brave, uncomplicated centre forward should be made an offer he can’t refuse – as should Aneke, whose 15 league goals in roughly the same number of starts were remarkable. A Stockley-Aneke partnership up front would keep League One defences up at night.

Adkins brought the best out of Alex Gilbey, so pointedly ignored by Bowyer, and it was the rangy midfielder’s 85th minute goal against Crewe which seemed to have clinched Charlton’s play-offs place. Gilbey’s rise mirrored the eclipse of Andrew Shinnie, with the new manager clearly preferring the former. There should be room for both as squad members operating in a midfield dominated by the revitalised Jake Forster-Caskey, deserving recipient of the club’s Player of the Year trophy. Shame that midfield won’t include Lapslie, another victim of Bowyer’s freezing out policy as was Albie Morgan, whose error led to the disastrous added time equaliser at Shrewsbury. Morgan’s career is on an upward curve. If he can add the occasional goal, he should be around for a while.

Old sweats Watson and Darren Pratley regularly copped critical flak but proved their worth to Adkins. Another year each seems worthwhile, as long as experience has a part to play even in the modern game. No doubt Famewo will leave but Inniss will stay, which makes the acquisition of a tried-and-trusted centre back something of a priority. Like Watson and Pratley, club captain Jason Pearce has earned a contract extension. Deji Oshilaja fell out of favour with Bowyer following the 3-0 home defeat by Blackpool on February 27th and was never reinstated when Adkins took over a month later. His future must be in doubt. Right back Adam Matthews seems sure to continue with Ben Purrington filling in for the effervescent Maatsen on the opposite side. Another full back looks vital. With Millar expected to re-join his parent club, Liverpool, en route to a loan spell elsewhere, Diallang Jaiyesimi could step up to fill the gap.

And while the comings and goings are resolved, the scouting and recruiting of essential reinforcements begins. Two seasons of heartbreaking failure have been more than enough. The Championship is where Charlton belong. Just get us out of this dreadful division, Nigel. And while you’re at it, spare us the play-offs please!

Charlton 3 (Stockley 47, Inniss 65, Aneke 67) Lincoln City 1 (Anderson 89).

By Kevin Nolan at The Valley as Charlton toy with our emotions yet again.

It may prove to be irrelevant to the promotion race but Charlton’s ebullient second half performance no doubt sent shivers through Portsmouth and Oxford United. Those worthies had begun to believe that it had turned into a two-horse race for the final play-offs slot. But not yet it hasn’t.

The scramble for sixth place now moves on to a high noon shootout on Sunday when the Addicks must beat Hull City at The Valley and hope their rivals fail to beat Accrington Stanley and Burton Albion respectively. The draw no longer guarantees either Pompey or Oxford a post-season crack at the play-offs. It’s not quite as cut and dried as that, what with goal difference in the mix but let’s not go there at the minute. It’s enough to say it’s a longshot but a longshot’s better than no shot at all.

Already qualified for the play-offs, Lincoln City showed up in SE7 for the first time in most memories and collaborated with their hosts in serving up a first half of unremitting tedium, during which Adkins’ Addicks failed to trouble the visitors’ goal. The Imps, meanwhile, were only marginally more menacing, though centre forward Callum Morton should have put them in front after just ten minutes. Sent through the home defence by Tayo Edun’s glorious reverse pass, the WBA loanee was left with only Ben Amos to beat from 12 yards. The brilliant keeper won the one-on-one duel by turning Morton’s shot to safety. There was little else to distinguish a totally uneventful first period, enlivened only by the replacement, on 31 minutes, of injured referee Kevin Johnson by fourth official Carl Brook. Much later on, Charlton would have reason to be grateful for the unscheduled switch. More of that… much later on.

Another replacement, that of Ben Purrington by Chuks Aneke, was of more immediate impact. Considered surplus to the requirements of the 4-3-3 formation he prefers, Aneke came on to support Jayden Stockley in a revamped 4-2-2 set up. Playing behind Stockley in a No.10 role suited to his shirt number, Aneke caused immediate havoc. Just two minutes after resumption, the big striker cushion-headed a deftly dinked cross from Alex Gilbey back to Stockley, who brutally half-volleyed past a startled Alex Palmer to give Adkins’ side the lead. The estimable Stockley claimed his eighth goal since coming on board in January, his first scored with his feet, then continued to thrive alongside Aneke. Proving again that players, not formations, win football games.

Though Amos was again called on to protect the lead with another smart save from Morton, the Addicks took over. Albie Morgan, who had taken over from an ominously injured Jake Forster-Caskey, dispossessed TJ Eyoma and fed Aneke to sting Palmer’s palms with a ferocious drive. Stockley was then inches away from converting an excellent cross from Liam Millar, himself caught up in the new mood of attacking enterprise. An important second goal was not, however, long delayed. In fact, two came along close together. The first of them was spartan in its creation and execution. An inswinging corner from Morgan reached Ryan Inniss beyond the far post and was headed down past Palmer by the huge centre back. His first goal for the club was followed, two minutes later, by Aneke’s 15th in the league. Capping a personal purple patch, Millar left the right side of City’s defence in tatters as he surged through them to set up Aneke to efficiently sidefoot beyond a suddenly shellshocked Palmer.

At 3-0 the result was dusted if not completely done. Charlton inexplicably stepped off the gas and allowed Michael Appleton’s overachievers to hit back. Substitute Tom Hooper neatly set up Harry Anderson to reduce the deficit but of greater concern to the Addicks was the curious behaviour of Aneke and that of his manager during the closing minutes.

Before Anderson’s 89th minute consolation, Aneke went on one of those rampages which has brought him official trouble throughout the season. Pursuing a departing Imp to the halfway line, he clumsily decked his flying opponent and received a thoroughly deserved caution. A managerial hook should have promptly removed him from harm’s way but Adkins seemed slow to react. While making his mind up, Aneke launched himself into a second ill-advised challenge only yards away from where his manager stood. Local hearts leaped into mouths as deputy referee Brook briefly weighed his choices. Possibly sharing sympathy with a fellow-substitute, he contented himself with delivering a stern lecture to the belligerent Addick and thus spared him to turn out against Hull on Sunday… no doubt from the bench as per usual. Aneke was eventually replaced by Darren Pratley in added time; his deputy had no more than five minutes to get himself booked. He duly made it with time to spare.

Adkins will have learned from this heartwarming fixture that Stockley and Aneke can operate together. Also that Aneke, his best player, galvanises his teammates, particularly the likes of Gilbey, Morgan and Millar. With winning his only viable option, an aggressive selection seems the way to go – not in kamikaze style, of course, but free of inhibitions and going for the throat of Hull’s Tigers. It might not be enough but better to go out as lions rather than lambs. We’ll know how it played out at about 2 pm on Sunday. There will probably be the customary twists and turns, of course, but who knows… let’s face it, who knows?

Charlton: Amos, Matthews, Famewo, Inniss, Purrington (Aneke 46, Pratley 90), Watson, Gilbey, Forster-Caskey (Morgan 38), Maatsen, Millar, Stockley. Not used: Maynard-Brewer, Gunter, Pearce, Washington. Booked: Purrington, Aneke, Pratley.

Linclon: Palmer, Poole, Montsma, Edun, Jones, Grant (Hopper72), Scully (Howarth 57), Bramall (Sanders 63), Morton, Eyoma (Walsh 72), Anderson. Not used: Long, McGrandles, Rogers. Booked: Jones.

Referee: Kevin Anderson