Charlton 1 (Hulse 12) Middlesbrough 4 (Woodgate 27, McDonald 54, Ledesma 64, Smallwood 90).
Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.
A second half capitulation to in-form Middlesbrough continued the miserable home form which leaves injury-riddled Charlton two precarious points above the Championship’s Plimsoll line. One point from their last five Valley fixtures leaves them dangerously close to sinking under disappointment overload.
It’s freely conceded that the Addicks were fairly and squarely beaten by the better side. There’s no disgrace in that, of course, but even this early in the season, the dismal question must be whether there are three inferior teams in the division. Just a few weeks ago, Peterborough were written off as no-hopers but pulled themselves together and now sit just two points behind Charlton. On Saturday, hopeless Ipswich, under new manager Mick McCarthy, provided another of the shocks which have studded the season so far by beating Birmingham City 1-0 at St. Andrews and closed to gap on Charlton to four manageable points. Mind you, the Tractor Boys’ surprise win keeps Birmingham only two points above Charlton. This relegation business makes accountants of us all.
Another excellent crowd saw Charlton give as good as they got from Tony Mowbray’s promotion hopefuls in an entertaining first half. Had they accepted even one of two golden headed chances either side of Rob Hulse’s first goal for the club, the outcome might have different. But you can hardly bemoan your fate if you waste such opportunities.
There was barely three minutes on the clock when Bradley Pritchard sent Bradley Wright-Phillips clear down the left flank, intelligently continuing his run into the penalty area. The striker’s accurate cross missed Hulse but picked out Pritchard who directed a free header haplessly over the bar.
The miss seemed a little less important nine minutes later as Hulse fired his latest employers in front. The early running was made by Dorian Dervite’s alert midfield interception and pass to Pritchard, who used Wright-Phillips’ decoy run to his left to feed Hulse on his right. Gaining quick ground, the QPR loanee beat Jason Steele with a faintly deflected drive inside the right post.
At that point, Boro hardly looked fearsome. But they merely were biding their time and were level before the half hour. Dervite’s foul on Grant Leadbitter was promptly punished by the victim’s lethal free kick and Jonathan Woodgate’s emphatic header past a helpless Ben Hamer. Ignore the puzzling buzz word doing the rounds because there was nothing “soft” about the goal; both delivery and finish were rehearsed. Short of nailing Woodgate’s feet to the ground, there wasn’t much Charlton could do to prevent it. It’s no secret that about half of the goals scored these days are the result of setpieces. The trick is to claim your share of them. Oh yeah, and don’t give away free kicks needlessly. These blokes thrive on them.
Before the interval, Hulse should have restored the lead. Chris Solly’s quick throw caught out dawdling left back George Friend, allowing Lawrie Wilson to place a measured first-time cross on the big forward’s brow. At the near post, Hulse reprised his dreadful miss at Molineux by heading harmlessly over the bar.
A clearly rattled Friend retaliated by picking up a caution for violently scything down Wilson, breathing a sigh of relief when Johnnie Jackson’s inswinging free kick was headed down and narrowly wide by Michael Morrison at the far post. Infected by the sudden panic, Woodgate joined him in the book for deliberate handball, with Jackson skimming the bar from the promising setpiece. It was spirited stuff from the Addicks but it failed to dispel the nagging feeling that the best of Boro was still to come.
Nine minutes after resumption, the visitors duly began the process of dismantling their hosts. Pouncing on Morrison’s error, Josh McEachran fed Scott Mcdonald, who extended his red hot scoring streak by blasting a ferocious angled drive past Hamer. The tireless Aussie then turned provider with a neat flick sending Emmanuel Ledesma through to skilfully lob over the shellshocked keeper.
With twenty minutes left, Boro could relax and enjoy their obvious superiority. Running riot through a demoralised defence, McDonald forced two fine saves from Hamer, meanwhile setting up substitutes Lukas Jutkiewicz and Justin Hoyte to both miss when it seemed easier to score. In added time, Lutkiewicz tried again with a low crosshot which was going wide until fellow sub Richard Smallwood intervened to tap home the Northeasterners’ fourth goal at the far post. By then, only goal difference was relevant.
Still, there’s always another game coming up tomorrow – or Tuesday, to be precise. Er, that’s when table-topping Cardiff City arrive in S.E.7. It makes you realise that this division is light years removed from the puny league, through which Charlton strolled last season. But it’s the place to be and it’s worth fighting ferociously to stay there. The Addicks have a manager who will accept nothing less.
Charlton: Hamer, Solly, Cort (Haynes 76), Morrison, Kerkar, Wilson (Stephens 46), Dervite, Pritchard, Jackson, Wright-Phillips (Cook 76), Hulse. Not used: Button, Taylor, Green, Hollands. Booked: Pritchard.
Boro: Steele, Parnaby, Woodgate, Bikey, Friend, Haroun (Hoyte 90), Bailey, Leadbitter, McEachran (Smallwood 90), Ledesma (Lutkiewicz 67), McDonald. Not used: Leutwiler, Zemmama, Halliday, Reach. Booked: Friend, Woodgate.
Referee: G. Scott. Att: 17,736.
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