Charlton 1 (Stephens 90) Bury 1 (John-Lewis 43).
Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.
An evening of screaming frustration for Charlton was relentlessly heading for a demoralising conclusion when, with three of five added minutes already played, a skidding rebound from visiting goalkeeper Cameron Belford’s parry of Michael Morrison’s close range effort reached midfielder Dale Stephens some 30 yards from Bury’s goal.
Making his first start following a three-month injury absence, Stephens could have been excused for chipping the ball back into a heavily congested penalty area in search of an equally desperate colleague. Instead an all-or-nothing first time blockbuster ripped past Belford on its way into the top right corner and pandemonium gripped an almost disbelieving Valley. This was one of those instances when a draw felt as psychologically satisfying as a victory. And the irony of the last-gasp equaliser won’t be lost on Belford, whose blatant time-wasting, as much as his inspired goalkeeping, had seemed certain to rob the Addicks of their unbeaten home record.
For Stephens, the moment was especially sweet. His return as a late substitute during last Saturday’s narrow win over Exeter had brought with it the added class which this hard-grafting side had lacked in his absence. His ability to dictate the flow of movement and pace helps the side change defence into attack more fluently, a virtue clarified by his brief cameo at St. James Park.
Against determined Bury, whose irritating gamesmanship was balanced by spells of impressive football, Stephens started well as the fulcrum of a team showing slight signs of understandable staleness. The barnstorming momentum which carried all before it during the early season blitz on League One has stuttered since the New Year and spirit alone has sustained the promotion charge. On the playmaker’s slim shoulders will be carried the responsibility of restoring flair to the industry. His recovery from injury seems particularly well timed.
Thrashed 3-0 by Rochdale, next Saturday’s visitors to The Valley, in their last game, the Shakers clearly had no intention of providing cannon fodder for the runaway league leaders. Well organised and spirited, they gave as good as they got and, in Belford, had a last line of defence in defiant mood.
The chunky keeper cheerfully swapped insults with the North Stand, stood his ground and was well on his way to the last laugh until Stephens spectacularly intervened. His good work began with a smart save from Morrison and continued with a quite brilliant block of Leon Clarke’s angled drive, after Johnnie Jackson capped a great run with a perfect pass. He was at it again to turn a downward header from Yann Kermorgant past his right post, again following Jackson’s bright approach play.
Growing worryingly disjointed and laborious, Charlton’s mission prior to the break became clearly to stay in the game and reach the interval unscathed. They had lived dangerously as early as the 3rd minute when Giles Coke cleverly chest chest trapped a cross before half-volleying wide but were comfortable, if uninspired, before falling behind shortly before a welcome break. A clever flick from wide man Ryan Doble provided lone wolf striker Lenell John-Lewis with the half-yard he needed to swivel sharply and beat Ben Hamer from 15 yards. An already discouraging task promptly doubled its degree of difficulty.
Struggling they might have been but there’s no doubting the Addicks’ fighting spirit. An otherwise disappointing Danny Green began the second period by bruising Belford’s hands with a venomous drive, then the winger’s inswinging corner was headed back from the far post by Morrison for Matt Taylor to nod a reasonable chance over the bar. The visitors weren’t exactly hanging on but were grateful that a fierce shot from the irresistible Rhoys Wiggins deflected safely off Peter Sweeney and even more thankful that Wiggins’ full back partner Chris Solly clipped the outside of the woodwork with an effort, which might (or might not) have flicked off a defensive hand.
Hope was making room for despair as the minutes ebbed away. But you don’t count out Chris Powell’s battlers until it’s officially over. They kept battering at Bury’s resistance and Stephens found his range with two well struck, though narrowly wide, snapshots. It looked all up when Jackson drove over the bar but Stephens had one last shot in his locker. And as it bulleted beyond the heroic Belford, the sheer joy of the uber-late goal carried all before it. It wears off, of course, but the euphoria makes the world a briefly better place. If society could tap into it, we’d really be on to something. Speaking personally, I’ll spend much of Wednesday patting kids on the head and helping old ladies over busy roads with their shopping. It’s the least I can do. And I always do the least I can do.
Charlton: Hamer, Solly, Morrison, Taylor, Wiggins, Green, Hollands (Pritchard 84), Stephens, Jackson, Kermorgant, Clarke (Haynes 73). Not used: Sullivan, Hayes, Cort. Booked: Green.
Bury: Belford, Picken, Hughes, Sodje, Skarz, Amoo, Sweeney, Schumacher, Coke (Carrington 86), Doble (Worrall 85), John-Lewis. Not used: Williams, Bishop, Eastham.
Referee: Andy D’Urso. Attendance: 13,264.