Charlton 4 (Dijksteel 24, Aribo 55, Vetokele 63, Taylor 67) Scunthorpe United 0.

Kevin Nolan reporting from The Valley.

Seeking to balance the pressure for short-term results with the longer term imperative of preparing his squad for the play-offs, Lee Bowyer adroitly shuffled his pack for the visit of relegation haunted Scunthorpe United. Already without Chris Solly, whose ill-advised appeal against his Good Friday red card was predictably dismissed, he was also deprived of midfield maestro Krystian Bielik through a minor shoulder injury.

Solly's absence was brilliantly taken care of by Anfernee Dijksteel, who crowned a fine contribution with his first goal for the club; solid citizen Ben Purrington returned at left back, with fans' favourite Naby Sarr preferred to Jason Pearce as Patrick Bauer's partner at centre back. There were starts for Ben Reeves and teenage prospect Albie Morgan, not to mention the sooner-than-expected re-appearance on the bench of Jake Forster-Caskey. Bowyer's hand was also enhanced by the quick recovery from injury of Igor Vetokele, whose recent return to scoring form provides a timely boost for Charlton's promotion ambitions.

The resourceful manager, who so often during this arduous campaign has found himself between a rock and a hard place, was rewarded for his handling of another tricky situation by his side's biggest win of the season. A catalogue of close range chances missed by the visitors somewhat compromised his claim that "we were outstanding from start to finish" but he was spot-on that Scunthorpe had been "blown away", never more so than during the three-goal salvo that destroyed them within twelve explosive second half minutes.
Quickly out of the blocks, the Addicks showed early aggression as bright spark Morgan took Reeves' pass in his stride and fired forcibly into the sidenet. Bauer's far post header from Reeves' corner deflected unluckily wide off an unwitting defender but the breakthrough was not long delayed. Again Reeves was involved by alertly combining with Lyle Taylor near the left corner flag.

Turning sharply on to his right foot, Taylor's accurate cross was effortlessly controlled by Dijksteel, whose second touch was a firm finish into the bottom left corner.

Although looking like the relegation candidates they are, the Irons had opportunities of their own during a low key first half. Dillon Phillips was required to make competent saves from Funso Ojo and George Thomas before Ojo missed a sitter in added time. Set up at close range when Lee Novak expertly nodded down Adam Hamill's left wing cross at the far post, Ojo, with an "m" critically missing from his mojo, made a stumbling mess of prodding his shot miserably off target.

Taking up briefly as they'd left off, United began the second period brightly with Novak's near post flick sending Josh Morris' low cross narrowly wide, then Hamill's driven centre barely eluding Novak on its untouched way to the opposite touchline. At which point, the roof fell in on the unfortunate visitors.

Enjoying himself immensely, Reeves' inswinging right wing corner was emphatically bulleted into the roof of Jak Alnwick's net by Joe Aribo's head to begin the onslaught. Scunny were sitting ducks now and Aribo's deft pass sent Vetokele through to neatly steer his 4th goal of the season (all scored in 11 back-to-form appearances since February 23rd) past an onrushing Alnwick.
Working ceaselessly, meanwhile, and with one magical flash of ball control drawing bravos from his appreciative public, the inevitable Taylor provided a fitting flourish to the goalscoring. His crossfield run in search of a shooting chance was interrupted by James Perch's crude foul. From a position at the left angle of United's penalty area, Taylor exacted poetic revenge with an unstoppable free kick which soared into the top right corner. Celebrations of his terrific strike were long, loud and personally conducted by the ultimate performer.

If Scunthorpe manager Andy Dawson -their third of the season - seeks consolation for their heavy defeat, he will surely be comforted by the chances which his beaten side continued to create. Before the end, though perfectly placed, Thomas wildly volleyed effective substitute Kevin Van Veen's deep cross over the bar; Van Veen himself soloed through to unluckily hit the post; Novak marred an industrious shift by unforgivably nodding the point blank rebound over the bar after a wickedly swerving strike from marauding left back Cameron Borthwick-Jackson (twice a spectacular scorer in Scunthorpe's chaotic 5-3 win over Charlton back in November) was spilled on to his napper by a startled Phillips.

No late consolation was to be allowed Dawson's desperate Irons. There was an additional boost for Bowyer, though, in the 20-minute stint accomplished by Forster-Caskey. He won't be tempting fate by mentioning it but with Lewis Page in full training again, a full-strength squad might be available to him for the play-offs.

Charlton: Phillips, Dijksteel, Bauer, Sarr, Purrington, Cullen, Aribo (Forster-Caskey 79), Reeves (Pratley 72), Morgan, Vetokele (Williams 65), Taylor. Not used: Maxwell, Pearce, Parker, Lapslie.

Scunthorpe: Alnwick, Borthwick-Jackson, Webster, Ojo, Morris (Hallam 64), Perch, Lewis (Lund 74), Novak, Thomas, McCardle, Hammill (Van Veen 64). Not used: Flatt, Sutton, McGahey, Wootton. Booked: Morris.

Referee: Brett Huxtable. Att: 11,973 (309 visiting).

Oxford United 2 (Nelson 19, Garbutt 23) Charlton 1 (Taylor 5, pen).

Kevin Nolan reporting from the Kassam Stadium.

In ill-tempered, frequently chaotic circumstances, Charlton's 11-game unbeaten streak -and with it any last, lingering hope of automatic promotion - was shattered by Karl Robinson's admirably motivated Oxford. With results later in the day confirming that the Addicks were heading for the play-offs anyway, defeat was not hugely significant. You can't win 'em all as Luton discovered last week. But the avoidable nature of this loss might smart for a while.

Showing no signs of mid-table malaise, Oxford absorbed one or two crippling setbacks before eking out a victory they clearly prized. Recovering after falling behind to Lyle Taylor's early penalty was no problem. In next to no time, they had not only equalised but forged ahead, both goals the product of expertly delivered setpieces. But having goalkeeper Simon Eastwood sent off with the second half barely underway effectively handed the initiative back to the visitors - who promptly fumbled it.

But let's briefly put Charlton's cart before Oxford's horse. First things first. And first up was Joe Aribo, who picked ex-Addick Ahmed Kashi's pocket in the centre circle before making a beeline for the penalty area, where he was unceremoniously brought down by Curtis Nelson. Taylor employed his new stop-stop-go technique to give Eastwood no chance from the spot and the visitors, it seemed, were on their way to another routine away win. A tuneful travelling contingent -the choir visible as it were - understandably thought so.

Undeterred by their disastrous start, United had other ideas. They almost drew level when Cameron Branagan's goalbound drive was headed over the bar by Jason Pearce but were inconvenienced only by the time it took Everton loanee Luke Garbutt to swing over the resultant corner from the right. Arriving late beyond the far post with nobody tracking his run, Nelson blasted a venomous volley past a helpless Dillon Phillips.

Five surprising minutes later, Oxford were in front. The free kick Krystian Bielik conceded for a clumsy foul on Mark Sykes to the right of goal was perfectly sited for Garbutt's left-footed setpiece skills. His expertly judged delivery swung away from Phillips' despairing dive and found the top right corner with practised ease. Booked for his violent celebration of the dramatic turn of events, Kashi clearly doesn't buy into any of that "respect your old club" malarkey. Quite right, too. It's cobblers and causes hernias.

Out of sorts and inspiration, Charlton's response was stodgy. Having lost Igor Vetokele to a knock sustained during his bravura performance against Luton, Lee Bowyer's decision to play Taylor up front on his own seemed unduly negative. His deployment of Chris Solly to replace unwell left back Ben Purrington, meanwhile, with Anfernee Dijksteel continuing at right back, created imbalance and unsettled a normally sound back four. Solly is among League One's best right backs but is no more than adequate on the opposite flank. And Dijksteel, still an improving work in progress, is no Solly. The simpler solution would have seen the charismatic Naby Sarr deputising for Purrington with Solly staying in his rightful place. No square pegs in round holes to complicate matters there.

So the width-starved Addicks struggled fitfully, with Solly turning instinctively back on to his left foot and Ben Reeves doing likewise but in reverse on the right touchline. Progress was laboured, with subdued contributions from the usual midfield powerhouse of Josh Cullen, Jonny Williams and Bielik in keeping with the general malaise. Occasional chances were made, none clearer than the one skied haplessly over the bar by Williams after Taylor's blocked effort fell kindly to him at close quarters.

Even the 54th minute dismissal of Eastwood failed to ignite these passive visitors. Leaving his line in a race with Taylor to reach Solly's volleyed pass down the middle, the keeper stepped over the 18-yard line before almost furtively catching the ball. His dismissal was inevitable, with Sykes sacrificed to make way for deputy goalie Jack Stevens. Though Stevens was to distinguish himself during a hectic goalmouth scramble by clawing Patrick Bauer's point blank effort to safety from almost behind his goalline, there was little else to trouble Karl Robinson's spirited troops.

There was time, though, for Solly's uncomfortable afternoon to take a disastrous turn for the worse. Appealing fruitlessly for a penalty after his shot was blocked, the incensed skipper pursued Jamie Mackie and lunged into an unwise, wretchedly timed challenge on the substitute. Sent off for serious foul play, his unavailability for the three remaining league games at least simplifies Bowyer's selection problem, should Purrington miss out on Easter Monday. It also has the added silver lining of protecting Solly from injury before the play-offs commence. Small mercies...

Oxford: Eastwood, Garbutt, Dickie, Nelson, Brannagan, Sinclair, Ruffels, Henry (Hanson 80), Long, Sykes (Stevens 54), Kashi (Mackie 63). Not used: Carruthers, Mousinho, Graham, Napa. Booked: Kashi, Garbutt, Brannagan. Sent off Eastwood.

Referee: Darren Drysdale, Att: 8,680 (1,806 visiting).

Charlton 3 (Taylor 54 pen, 72, Vetokele 70) Luton Town 1 (Cornick 15).

Kevin Nolan reporting from The Valley.

They turned up mob-handed to take over the Jimmy Seed Stand, full of themselves and full of Luton Town, a club whose recent colourful history you couldn't make up.

Chucked out of League Two with a 30 points penalty for "financial irregularities" after the 2008-09 season, the Hatters began the road back to the big-time five years later by winning the Conference Premier. A period of comparatively calm consolidation ended last May when they were promoted automatically from League Two but what they've gone on to achieve in the dizzying heights of League One so far this season makes you pinch someone in disbelief.

Unbeaten in 28 games since Barnsley saw them off 3-2 at Oakwell on October 10th, Town arrived at The Valley to settle unfinished business with Charlton. A tetchy 2-2 draw in September featured a last kick equaliser from improbable marksman Chris Solly who saves his goals for the road (Brisbane, Bloomfield and crucially Kenilworth). The unflappable skipper's excellent strike abruptly silenced the locals who, moments before, had complacently amused themselves by delaying a last chance corner from Josh Cullen and were reminded of their folly by, if memory serves, an ear-cupping Joe Aribo among others.

So there was an edge but no genuine antipathy between two sides who served up a reminder that genuinely attractive football is not confined to the Premier League. In an evenly contested first half, the runaway league leaders showed why they are on their way to the Championship and how that awesome unbeaten streak was put together. Mobile and finely tuned, the visitors retired at half-time deservedly a goal to the good but the Addicks though down were far from out.

Without any of the usual early sparring, battle was joined immediately. Lyle Taylor scuffed wide from Igor Vetokele's set-up while at the other end, Naby Sarr began another impressive contribution with an urgent intervention to clear James Justin's dangerous low cross from Charlton's six-yard box. On the quarter hour the visitors, bristling with menace, took the lead. Pelly Ruddock-Mpanzu's powerful run scattered the home defence and with Ben Purrington drawn out of position, his well-timed pass was drilled first-time into the roof of the net by Harry Cornick.

Conceding for the first time in five games, rattled Charlton were briefly at the mercy of Mick Harford's marauders and not for the first time recently were indebted to Dillon Phillips for staying in contention. Their brilliant young keeper twisted in mid-air to claw George Moncur's wickedly deflected shot to safety. A second goal at that point might have lowered a conclusive boom but Phillips was having none of it.

Up front, meanwhile, Vetokele and Taylor were irrepressible. The Angolan's pass was smashed against the bar by his Montserratan colleague before, minutes later, Phillips' quickly released delivery sent Vetokele haring clear to confront James Shea at the edge of Town's penalty area. Beating the keeper to the ball, his lob drifted agonisingly wide as Shea ruthlessly mowed him down. The argument about covering defenders is specious. The foul itself deserved red rather than the yellow card brandished by wishy-washy referee Gavin Ward.

Charlton's hard-done-by mood was hardly lightened a minute after the break by Ward's decision that Jonny Williams was fairly tackled, rather than crudely brought down from behind in the area by Matty Pearson. Possibly beset by pangs of guilt, Ward promptly compensated with a contentious ruling in the Addicks' favour. It certainly seemed harsh on skipper Sonny Bradley, who was suckered by Taylor's artful habit of backing into an innocuous shove in the striker's back. After peace was restored, Taylor casually converted the spotkick, described post-game by Harford as "disgraceful." The decisions involving Shea and Pearson, of course, went uncontested by the morose manager.

Boiling with indignation at the equaliser, the Hatters fell apart and were all at sea as their hosts battered them with a lethal one-two combination midway through the second session. Needless to say, Vetokele and Taylor were responsible for their downfall. So too was midfield maestro Krystian Bielik who between regular bouts of treatment for what physios tactfully refer to as the "groin area" ("knackers" to us laymen but what do we know?) conducted a masterclass in turning solid defence into lightning attack. Bielik's irresistible surge through the heart of Luton's clinically gutted defence was completed by the ideally judged pass which found Vetokele in space to his left. The resurgent forward coolly gave his side the lead by placing a low drive across Shea into the far corner, his timely return to scoring form greeted with extra-warm acclaim by teammates and crowd alike. Karlan Grant's departure begins to dim into insignificance as Vetokele grows in confidence.

On fire now, the scorer turned provider two minutes later with a tasty cross from the left which Taylor turned past Shea for his 21st goal of a prolific season. By then, the Hatters had disintegrated into rabble, with Andrew Shinnie's petulant dismissal evidence of total surrender. The corner flag keep-ball routine, skilfully conducted by the cheeky Taylor, Aribo and George Lapslie, seemed almost sadistic but was hugely enjoyed by an ecstatic crowd, which brought their jubilant celebrations to the streets outside the ground. Note to surly Plymouth manager Derek Adams: it ain't timewasting, it's part of prudent game management, mate, something Charlton took time to master but which they've now made a frequently hilarious artform. It didn't go down as well in the Jimmy Seed Stand where it's fair to say the end of their team's heroic unbeaten run was greeted with generous appreciation of their marvellous feat.

See you on Friday in Oxford, where they're still a bit sore about the Boat Race.

Charlton: Phillips, Solly, Bauer, Sarr, Purrington, Bielik (Pratley 88), Cullen, Williams (Dijksteel 90), Aribo, Taylor, Vetokele (Lapslie 76). Not used: Maxwell, Pearce, Parker, Reeves. Booked: Taylor, Vetokele.

Referee: Gavin Ward. Att: 16,449 (3147 visiting).

Charlton 2 (Taylor 5,pen, Reeves 33) Burton Albion 1 (Akins 18,pen).

Kevin Nolan reporting from The Valley.

Though war weary Charlton were mere shadows of the stylish side which outclassed Portsmouth three days previously, they got the job done by more pragmatic means against spirited Burton Albion. The loss of key players (hamstring injuries to Krystian Bielik and Jonny Williams being the price they paid for their thrilling victory over Pompey) has tested their resilience all season but, as Lee Bowyer observed, "sometimes you've just got to dig in and grind out results." Down among the muck and nettles, his gutsy squad answered the call and gamely ground their way to an identical outcome.

It helps the collective cause, of course, when individuals raise their game to meet the challenge, something Ben Reeves singularly did when replacing the massively talented Bielik at the weekend. Reeves continued the good work against Burton, scored a wonderful winner and otherwise acquitted himself with distinction. Yet it was his equally diminutive midfield colleague, Josh Cullen, who almost took on the Brewers singlehandedly, hoisted the Addicks on his shoulders and carried them over the finishing line.

As a multi-purpose midfielder himself, Bowyer is uniquely qualified to appreciat Cullen's prodigious contribution. Football's a statistics-laden business these days and the West Ham loanee certainly stacked up impressive figures on this frigid Tuesday evening. With the ball magnetically attracted to him, his number of tackles, interceptions and passes was phenomenal while his obvious will to win inspired his depleted team to see the job through. Some player, this kid. Mark him 10 out of 10.

At the heart of defence for Charlton, meanwhile, massive Naby Sarr has been in superb form recently. He continued in similar vein against Burton but not before he had lapsed briefly into the kind of absentminded errors which would try a saint's patience, much less that of his all too human manager. After only 30 seconds, he allowed himself to be dispossessed by Marcus Harness, whose clear run on goal was halted only by Patrick Bauer's alert intervention. A spate of errant passes followed before he pulled himself together and performed solidly at Bauer's elbow.

Up front for Charlton, Lyle Taylor was his usual feisty self. An early chance following a smart exchange with Ben Purrington was scuffed wide but a second opportunity arrived promptly. Played into the penalty area by Cullen's threaded pass, his quick feet lured John Brayford into a rash, lunging challenge in full view of referee Thomas Bramall. Taylor stuttered-stepped up to the spotkick before burying it into the bottom left corner. Lippy Lyle also kept a lid on the verbals and avoided the booking which would have brought with it a two-game suspension.

Charlton's lead lasted little more than 10 minutes, the time it took Bramall to rule that David Templeton's goalbound shot was handled by Bauer. Lucas Akins' somewhat harsh penalty was dispatched with all the authority of Taylor's effort. It left the Addicks with it all to do again, a task they approached with endearing enthusiasm.

A quarter hour after equalising, the visitors found themselves behind again. A multi-pass movement along the Addicks' right flank found Taylor foraging intelligently in space. A hip-high cross was delicately curved around left back Jake Buxton and was buried by Reeves' spectacular diving header at the far post. In a classic case of role reversal, Taylor claimed the assist while it was the scorer's name which, as usual, appeared unadorned in the papers.

Reeves' fine 33rd minute strike left his side with an hour to protect their lead, a historically daunting task unless, that is, a third goal could be added along the way. Given the fact that they last scored more than twice eight games ago at Shrewsbury on January 12th, that was, frankly, an unlikely proposition. But there's a new bloodymindedness about Charlton, a freshly acquired determination to hold on to what they have, which has seen them concede only five times in those eight games. They defended efficiently and were threatened only rarely, most dangerously by Brewers' 58th minute substitute Liam Boyce, whose near post header glanced Harness' accurate cross narrowly wide and whose low crosshot produced Dillon Phillips's only meaningful save on an otherwise untroubled evening. Charlton's progress towards three valuable points was steady, uneventful and acceptably routine. Just what the doctor -not to mention their manager - ordered.

Charlton: Phillips, Solly, Bauer, Sarr, Purrington, Cullen, Reeves (Marshall 90), Aribo (Lapslie 73), Fosu (Vetokele 80), Parker, Taylor. Not used: Maxwell, Pearce Dijksteel, Pratley.

Referee: Thomas Bramall. Att: 9,505 (156 visiting).

Charlton 2 (Aribo 41, Taylor 51) Portsmouth 1 (Curtis 45).

Kevin Nolan reporting from The Valley.

Seamlessly dovetailing a polished performance with this reverberating result, Charlton delighted the Valley faithful on a chilly evening which was also savoured by Sky's TV audience. Brimming with confidence and controlled aggression, they kept alive their faint hopes of automatic promotion while all but nailing down the consolation prize of a place in the post-season play-offs. Beaten by the Addicks for the second time this season, meanwhile, Portsmouth might well be opponents seeking revenge in the semi-finals.

Starting clearly as they intended to go on, a strong side which lacked only the rested Chris Solly, absorbed an early shot across their bows when Jamal Lowe's dangerously driven cross zipped untouched throught the six-yard area before they took over. An urgent, marauding midfield, with the outstanding Krystian Bielik at its base, dominated possession and promptly reclaimed it whenever the ball was turned over. Bielik was majestic until a suspected hamstring niggle forced him off at half-time, with his replacement Ben Reeves enthusiastically picking up the second half slack.

The loss of the Arsenal loanee -and that of hard running Jonny Williams with a similar injury- were two dark clouds hanging over an abundance of silver linings. But adversity spurred superb Joe Aribo, all quick feet, sharp turns and endless mobility to turn in a nationally televised man-of-the-match display which, as Lee Bowyer ruefully acknowledged, will have alerted the usual jackals to his developing talent. Knowing the price, but not necessarily the value of everything, Roland Duchatelet will be looking forward to the summer sales.

Equally indispensable to Charlton's restlessly driving midfield -the one-for-all, all-for-one unit which Pompey boss Kenny Jackett recognised as the technical difference between these promotion seekers - was Josh Cullen. Still waiting to hear whether he or John Marquis will be credited with the Addicks' goal at Doncaster last week (his optimism, if not his judgement, is touching), Cullen seemed certain to open his account when Aribo and Williams combined to set him up with a point blank chance. The scurrying busybody's shot was on target but rebounded off Igor Vetokele's unhelpful back on the goalline. Shame Marquis wasn't around to lend a hand -or head.

So Cullen's search for his first Charlton goal continues but it was from another midfielder that the breakthrough came. At the end of an intricate passing sequence, Cullen's ball in to Aribo's feet was controlled, shielded, then drilled on the turn across Craig MacGillivray into the bottom right corner. Encouraged by management to get into the penalty area more often, the 23 year-old's finishing was exemplary.
After undergoing a first half going-over but hanging on grimly, Pompey promptly equalised a minute before the break with their first effort on goal. A right wing corner was curled in left-footed by Lee Brown to the far post where Ronan Curtis' well-timed leap between Bielik and Ben Purrington generated the elevation he needed to power an unstoppable header inches below the crossbar. The young scallywag then added insult to injury by shushing the home fans with a cautionary finger to his lips. The nerve of the guy!

With Bielik failing to re-appear following the interval and Williams soon to join him in the infirmary, Curtis' fine equaliser threatened to turn the tide but the Addicks were having none of it. Within six minutes of resumption, they reclaimed the lead under scruffy but no less telling circumstances.

Aribo's persistence on the left earned him space to drill over a low cross which cannoned off Matthew Clarke to Reeves, whose hastily prodded effort fell kindly to Lyle Taylor alongside him. With the natural predator's instinct for the right place at precisely the right time, Charlton's blonde bombshell made it sixteen for the season from four unencumbered yards. His eagerly awaited goal was reward for a selfless, energetic demonstration of defending from the front.

With a one-goal lead to protect for almost the entire second period, Charlton's vaunted defence coped coolly until, with 10 minutes remaining, weary cracks began to appear. Jackett's shrewd introduction of Brett Pitman in an unusually withdrawn role had its effect and it was the veteran's angled pass which freed Lowe to roll an inviting ball across goal where Curtis failed, by agonising inches, to tap into an open goal. Patrick Bauer's heroic block on Pitman was the visitors' last throw of the dice before The Valley stood to salute a side which wades through regular setbacks to make its point - or three. Bowyer's got something going on over in S.E.7. It goes on again on Tuesday evening when Nigel Clough brings Burton Albion down to try their luck. The cracks will be papered over by then.

Charlton: Phillips, Dijksteel, Bauer, Sarr, Purrington, Bielik (Reeves 46), Cullen, Aribo, Wiliams (Fosu 58), Vetokele (Pratley 84, Taylor. Not used: Maxwell, Solly, Lapslie, Parker.

Referee: Roger East. Att: 14,451 (3,097 visiting).

AFC Wimbledon 1 (Folivi 24) Charlton 2 (Sarr 51, Vetokele 90).

Kevin Nolan reporting from the Cherry Red Records Stadium.

The exact words used by Lee Bowyer to inspire his insipid side at half-time were no doubt self-edited for public consumption. He had just witnessed 45 spineless, gormless minutes which left them mercifully only one down and still in touch with a game, to which they had contributed nothing but apathy and timid acquiescence.

"We just looked nervous", the rookie manager explained, "and didn't move the ball like we normally do. I told them to be brave and believe in each other." There, in an understated nutshell, is the gist of his interval message. Fill in your own blanks about what was really said. But it worked because as Bowyer further observed "we got there in the end and that's the most important thing."

Nothing in an horrendous first half encouraged hope that the Addicks would haul themselves out of the hole they had dug for themselves. Facing desperate, fully committed opposition who, despite being anchored at the bottom of the table, were coming off two consecutive league wins, they were passive to the point of paralysis. Without a win from their last three visits to this cramped little venue in Kingston, where the locals relish nothing more than cutting big shots down to size, they seemed on course to bottle it yet again. Football is however, as the cliche insists, a game of two halves. And Wimbledon, in failing to press home their early advantage, blew a golden opportunity to put a precious result out of reach.

The first period must be dealt with but briefly, in fairness to the hosts. They moved in front midway through the session when Joe Aribo, a driving force during Charlton's second half rally, began the process by needlessly shoving Scott Wagstaff in the back. Anthony Hartigan's free kick was turned back from the left byline by Terell Thomas and alertly nudged home by loanee Michael Polivi. It was no more than the Dons deserved but, significantly, a second goal eluded them. Their visitors, meanwhile, sputtered and spluttered fitfully on the way to an uncomfortable dressing room confrontation with their guv'nor.

Bowyer's rallying cry, if lacking Churchillian or Shakespearean resonance, also turned out to be his last direct contribution to the cause. Two minutes after resumption, he took vocal exception to a heavy challenge on Chris Solly in front of the away dug-out, forcefully making his objections known to referee Chris Kavanagh. A sarcastic addendum sealed his fate and he began the lonely trek across the pitch to the opposite sideline.

From his new vantage point, Bowyer was perfectly positioned to enjoy a truly marvellous equaliser, scored by the newly totemic Naby Sarr, a player whose steady improvement must make Naby the first name on his manager's teamsheet. Sarr stepped up to take the free kick awarded against Thomas for chopping down Lyle Taylor and, from 25 yards, bent an unstoppable delivery into the top left corner. His magnificent strike galvanised the Addicks from their torpor, though he risked expulsion himself later for a brutal assault on Wagstaff close to the right touchline. Rightly booked but possibly lucky to be spared a straight red, his absence through suspension would be disastrous at this critical time. Not only that, he was out of order in setting about popular Waggy, "one of our own" not so long ago.

Gritty and stubborn, the Dons began to run on empty but fought bravely to salvage at least a point from a game which initially promised so much. Charlton's pressure was intense but went unrewarded, due mainly to goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale's dogged defiance, until 79th minute substitute Igor Vetokele broke local hearts with a scruffily scrambled matchwinner. Four added minutes were waiting to be announced when Josh Cullen's short corner found its way to him by means of a brief bout of head tennis (with Sarr's head the loftiest among them), leaving the goal-starved Vetokele to nod home through the goalmouth chaos.

The joy of emerging unscathed from this most tricky of fixtures won't wipe, from Bowyer's memory bank, the nightmare of a first half, during which the disjointed Addicks flirted with premature defeat by the division's bottom club. Maybe he'll just choose to concentrate on the spirit which drove them to win an unlikely victory over perenially awkward customers, their comeback sparked by the insatiable workrate and no little skillof midfield warriors Aribo, Cullen, George Lapslie and Jonny Williams. If he needs his cockles further warmed, he'll dwell briefly on Ben Purrington's coolness under fire from his former colleagues, not to mention the huge influence all over the pitch of the mighty Sarr. He might then allow himself a smile.

Charlton: Phillips, Sarr (Dijksteel 85), Bauer, Sarr, Purrington, Aribo, Cullen, Lapslie (Vetokele 79), Williams, Taylor, Marshall (Fosu 61). Not used: Maxwell, Pearce, Reeves, Pratley.
Booked: Sarr, Williams, Marshall.

Referee: Chris Kavanagh. Att: 4,532 (750 visiting).

Charlton 1 (Reeves 60) Southend United 1 (Humphrys 22)

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.

An official foul count of 11-14 and a 3-2 majority of the five bookings incurred by Charlton might suggest that this violent encounter was nothing more than a spirited, six-of-one, six-of-another dust-up between old foes. But it would be wise to read between the lines of those statistics.

There was clearly coastal resentment still simmering from the overtime brawl which marred the Addicks' 2-1 win at Roots Hall on September 1st because Southend wasted little time in dragging this game into similar disrepute. Their tactics were neanderthal and could well have been cribbed from Accrington Stanley, who made no bones recently of identifying Charlton's danger men and taking brutal steps to neutralise them. Stanley's hatchet men, however, stopped short of the kind of outright assault launched by the Shrimpers' 18 year-old academy graduate Dru Yearwood on Johnny Williams midway through the first half.

Yearwood's malevolent reducer took things too far and earned the kid a straight red from referee Simon Hooper. With his side already leading through Stephen Humphrys' deflected strike, his indiscretion should have earned him managerial irritation. Instead, Chris Powell pointed out in vindication that Yearwood had "slipped" into the challenge. Presumably, Timothee Dieng was similarly off balance when he chopped down Williams, then accidentally slipped into Hooper's notebook for poleaxing Ben Purrington. Southend are definitely not modelled on their manager, a firm but scrupulously fair left back it was our pleasure to watch in Charlton's colours.

With Williams and, to a lesser extent, Josh Cullen, targeted for special attention, the home side's bright start quickly faded. Ben Reeves had forced keeper Nathan Bishop to save his waspish shot with his legs but it was the visitors who shocked their hosts by grabbing a surprise 22nd minute lead. Loanee Humphrys made space for a speculative effort from outside the penalty area, which benefitted from a wicked deflection off Naby Sarr as it soared over wrongfooted Dillon Phillips' despairing grasp. It was a blow from which the Addicks, despite their numerical advantage, never completely recovered.

During the interval, Lee Bowyer responded to the unpromising situation by switching to three at the back, sacrificing blameless left back Purrington in favour of Josh Parker's influence up front. Charlton's solitary signing during the the January transfer window, Parker's impact was instant and it came as no surprise when the Addicks equalised on the hour mark. Mark Marshall had been re-deployed on the right flank, from where he tormented Sam Hart but produced a succession of disappointingly misdirected crosses, among which was sandwiched the beauty he delivered for Reeves' equaliser. Not noted for his heading ability, the diminutive midfielder's glanced effort had just enough oomph on it to squeeze past Bishop and crawl over the goalline off a post.

The stage was clearly set for Bowyer's relieved men to take over and demolish their depleted opposition. Despite Naby Sarr's inspiration, Parker's injection of urgency and the non-stop running of Williams and Cullen, however, they ran into stubborn resistance from a side who found novel ways to waste time. There were occasions when the littered bodies of stricken Shrimpers, attended by a puffing Billy Bunter-shaped physio who needed oxygen himself by the time he arrived at the scene, rivalled the carnage caused during Napoleon's retreat from Moscow. In between the theatrics, it should be said, 10-men United defended stubbornly and bravely. With Powell as their manager, you would expect no less; their cynicism, on the other hand, just has to be self-taught.

A late flurry of chances at both ends, during which both goalkeepers distinguished themselves, enlivened a bitter clash. Bishop was first to make his mark with fine saves to turn aside Krystian Bielik's blockbuster at full length and Parker's artfully directed header from Reeves' resultant corner. Phillips responded by instinctively blocking substitute Michael Klass' point blank shot but was helpless to intervene as Klass' low crosshot whistled narrowly wide of the far post.

And there you have it -two points lost or one gained, a step forward or two steps back - depends on your point of view. It's no doubt a relief to Bowyer that Charlton are done with Accrington Stanley and Southend United for the season. Those two worthies are due to meet each other in a fortnight's time. It remains to be seen whether they actually get around to kicking off or whether they reach agreement to phone in the result and spare everyone the bother of going through the painful motions of watching them kick lumps off each other. It could turn ugly.

Charlton: Phillips, Solly, Bielik, Sarr, Purrington (Parker 46), Cullen, Marshall (Lapslie 90), Reeves (Hackett-Fairchild 81), Williams, Vetokele, Fosu. Not used: Maxwell, Dijksteel, Pratley, Stevenson.

Southend: Bishop, Bwomono, White, Moore, Hart (Turner 70), Yearwood, Kightly (McLaughlin 63), Mantom, Dieng, Humphrys (Klass 85), Cox. Not used: Smith, Lennon, Kelman, Hutchinson.

Referee: Simon Hooper. Att: 12,389 (1463 visiting).

Charlton 1 (James 51 o.g.) Sunderland 1 (O'Nien 2).

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.

Should Charlton not make at least the play-offs at the end of this difficult season, their failure won't be blamed on a lack of spirit. The point for which they dug deep in this sizzling promotion clash left no doubt about their character and ability to go toe-to-toe with League One's best teams and not fear the outcome.

Rocked by a second minute Sunderland goal, the Addicks were battered by cockahoop visitors, who could -and should- have been home and dry by half-time. Stubbornly, they hung in, rode their luck occasionally and stayed in the game. After the break, a rejuvenated team emerged and it was the Black Cats' turn to squirm. Until, that is, virtually the last kick, which substitute Duncan Watmore spooned haplessly over the bar from 10 unmarked yards. Defeat so late would have been catastrophic, if not unfamiliar.

Facing visitors who have been beaten only twice this season, Lee Bowyer's men made the worst possible start. Caught cold as Sunderland made inroads on the left flank, they were statuesque onlookers while Lynden Gooch's clever hold-up play made space for Reece James to cross dangerously to the far post. Arriving late, Luke O'Nien expertly cushioned a right-footed volley across Dillon Phillips into the top left corner. It was the best of starts (by Sunderland) and the worst of starts (by Charlton).

As the home side wavered, Scottish veteran Aidan McGeady and American youth product Gooch plotted further damage. Stylish McGeady's long range strike skimmed the bar while Gooch's quickwitted dummy set up ponderous centre forward Charlie Wyke to fire hopelessly off target. Before the break, Gooch's viciously angled drive crashed off the crossbar to Wyke, who involuntarily shovelled the rebound over the top. A third chance was provided for Wyke by Krystian Bielik's header, intended for Phillips but disastrously under powered. As the striker painstakingly sorted out his feet, Patrick Bauer made up the ground to save Bielik's face with a timely block.

Mainly concerned with surviving a one-sided first half, Charlton's attacking contribution included a full-blooded effort from Albie Morgan, which almost cut Tom Flanagan in two and a crisp shot from Bielik, which whistled narrowly wide. But as the interval neared, there were unmistakeable signs of recovery. McGeady's wiles were being steadily blunted, combative Gooch's cage was rattled once or twice and the Addicks restored equilibrium with their usual accurate passing, to which fearless teenager Morgan, Bielik and talented Naby Sarr made accurate contributions. There were also encouraging hints that Lyle Taylor was entering one of his unplayable moods. The Mackems were clearly in for a less comfortable second half.

Six minutes after the break, the subtle change in momentum was confirmed by Charlton's equaliser. Drifting to the right, Taylor made a tortured mess of Jack Baldwin's marking, twisting outside the baffled defender to cross hard and low with his right foot. Keeper Jon McLaughlin was given no chance as the ball cannoned past him off James. Scorers of all three Charlton goals in a 3-1 defeat in February 2003, the Black Cats have been bricks about bashing goals into their own net.

The attacking boot was on the other foot now and an unmarked Darren Pratley (or was it Bauer?) wastefully headed Morgan's right wing corner wide at the far post. A relatively subdued Karlan Grant was also badly off target when meeting an excellent cross from improving right back Anfernee Dijksteel on the volley. Given a timely shot in the arm by new arrival Jonny Williams' aggressive contribution, meanwhile, the Addicks' superiority was answered by some shameless timewasting from the Wearsiders, in which McLaughlin played a lollygagging part. Yet it was the visitors who closed strongly with Watmore causing local hearts to pop up in local mouths as met a left wing cutback but drove wildly over the bar. Shame he wasn't facing his own goal. He might have been more clinical. But there you go...

Charlton: Phillips, Dijksteel, Bauer, Sarr, Solly, Bielik, Morgan (Williams 68), Pratley, Fosu, Grant, Taylor. Not used: Maynard-Brewer, Marshall, Clarke, Ajose, Hackett-Fairchild, Stevenson.

Sunderland: McLaughlin, McGeough, Baldwin, Flanagan, James, O'Nien, Gooch (Watmore 67), McGeady, Maja (Maguire 84), Power, Wyke. Not used: Ruiter, Ozturk, Sinclair, Mumba. Booked: Baldwin, Power.

Referee: Stephen Martin. Att: 16,317 (3125 visiting).

Charlton 2 (Reeves 6, Fosu 39) Gillingham 0.

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.

With table-topping Portsmouth's scalp dangling from their belt, Charlton harnessed the momentum generated by that famous victory to carry them into two pivotal pre-Christmas home games. And on successive Saturdays, they delighted The Valley by removing a couple of painful pebbles which have hobbled them in the recent past.

First up on the Addicks' things-to-put-right agenda were Wimbledon who turned up last week (or failed to turn up, more to the point) securely muzzled and offering their bellies to be affectionately tickled. Pallid imitations of the attack dogs who revelled in snarling their defiance at strangers, they obediently came to heel. Already being outclassed by 10-men Charlton, their fading hopes evaporated when Mitchell Pinnock's transparent effort to balance the books by getting Patrick Bauer sent off backfired into his dismissal for simulation (con-eth the hour, con-eth the Don). Fangless and docile, Wimbledon's bite was even feebler their bark.

Twice conquerors of Charlton in the league last season, next up were Gillingham who traditionally raise their game for this fixture. The pre-kickoff loss of 14-goal striker Tom Eaves was a blow to their chances but understandably drew little sympathy from their hosts, themselves the victims of a seemingly endless catalogue of long-term injuries. To be fair, though, Eaves' absence was a profound blow to the visitors, not to mention a useful boost for Lee Bowyer's buoyant side.

Setting off brightly, the Gills delivered a first minute scare when Jed Steer, under possibly illegal pressure in dealing with Darren Oldaker's corner, dropped the ball at Connor Ogilvie's feet. Jabbing awkwardly at the chance, Ogilvie steered it against the base of the left hand post. The visitors were to come no closer to scoring though they stuck to their footballing principles, went booking-free and played some neat, if ultimately toothless, stuff. Their game plan was, unhappily, ruined by the sloppy concession of a sixth minute lead.

Lanky goalkeeper Tomas Holy was the instigator of his team's downfall, his careless throw-out alertly intercepted by Anfernee Dijksteel inside the visitors' half. The right back's pass found Ben Reeves, whose surgical exchange with Tarique Fosu played him through an outmanoeuvred rearguard. From six yards, the clever playmaker used his weaker right foot to beat Holy, with appeals for offside undermined by the presence on the goalline of a blue-striped defender. It was Reeves' first goal of the season and should have been followed by his second when, with his favoured left foot, he shot weakly at Holy after further good work by Fosu.

Operating from a withdrawn position behind main strikers Lyle Taylor and Nicky Ajose but always eager to join them, Fosu was frequently unplayable. Cutting in from the left on to Joe Aribo's pass, he unleashed a powerful drive which cannoned off the underside of the bar. Clearly in a mood to go it alone, he brilliantly doubled Charlton's lead before the interval.

Moving from left to right outside the penalty area, Fosu accepted Aribo's short pass before using his teammate's tall presence as a screen to elude Mark Byrne's pursuit. From 25 yards, a stuttering touch set up a powerfully curled drive which gave Holy no chance on its way into the top right corner. His stunning effort brought the house down and effectively ended this routine game as a serious contest.

The second half began with a wake-up call for the Addicks as Brandon Hanlan's header re-directed Dean Parrett's right wing corner narrowly wide of the far post but quickly developed into an effortless containment exercise for the vastly superior home side. There was none of that familiar vulnerability in protecting a lead as this game was expertly managed to its inevitable conclusion. Quietly and efficiently, Steve Lovell's men were put in their place by Bowyer's newly confident troops, among which Krystian Bielik (the only booking on a suitably peaceful Yuletide afternoon) and emergency left back Chris Solly were outstanding.

With Darren Pratley, as a 73rd minute replacement for a battered Aribo, hopefully leading the return to the colours of the wounded warriors, there's cause for hopeful anticipation around S.E.7. And that's quite enough giddy optimism for the time being. No call to be putting the mockers on things. It was good, though, to finally rid ourselves of those stones in our shoes. As Mae West would say, I feel like a new man.  Happy Christmas and God bless us one and all.

Charlton: Steer, Dijksteel, Bauer, Pearce, Solly, Bielik, Aribo (Pratley 73), Reeves, Ajose, Fosu (Marshall 90), Taylor (Hackett-Fairchild 79). Not used: Phillips, Morgan, Stevenson, Sarpong-Wiredu. Booked: Bielik.

Gillingham: Holy, Fuller (O'Neill 66), Lacey, Zakuani, Byrne, Oldaker (Reilly 46), Parrett, List, Parker, Ogilvie, Hanlan (Charles-Cook 71). Not used: Hadler, Garmston, Bingham, Rees.

Referee: Charles Breakspear. Att: 12,836 (1401 visiting).