Sheffield Wednesday 2 (McCabe 20, Helan 90).
Kevin Nolan reports from Hillsborough.
The bad news is that Charlton lost 2-0 for the second successive week on their Northern travels. The even worse news is that they lost to one of the weakest teams in the Championship and risk being sucked back among a relegation mob showing ominous signs of mutiny beneath them. Just when they think they’re out, they get dragged back in. Their Boxing Day engagement with struggling Ipswich Town is suddenly critical.
A lively start, during which Danny Haynes left Miguel Llera gasping in his slipstream and crossed agonisingly out of Salim Kerkar’s reach, soon subsided. Apart from one or two credible complaints about dubious refereeing, the Addicks laboured vainly to breach a defence which had managed only two clean sheets in 22 previous league games. A constantly re-jigged strike force of five recognised forwards has amassed 13 goals between them, a total matched individually for example, by Blackpool wide man Thomas Ince. And it’s always goals that count.
There had been times during Charlton’s long unbeaten run on the road when sheer bloodyminded refusal to lose sustained them. Key blocks and tackles were made by a side, for whom stubborn defence in depth became a watchword. And when they fell behind, as they did at Leeds and Wolves, there was just enough attacking quality about them to find equalisers. They became damned hard to beat. Now with half the season stretching before them, Chris Powell’s men are feeling the strain. Injuries and suspensions (right midfielder Lawrie Wilson picked up his fifth yellow card here and will miss the Ipswich game) have depleted them. It’s become a slog.
You could argue that the visitors lost this game in midfield, where possession was too freely surrendered and where the important second balls were regularly picked up by Wednesday’s more urgent battlers. Lacking the calming influence of suspended Dale Stephens, they looked in vain for the Arsenal pedigree of Emmanuel Frimpong to assert itself. Content with playing safe, square passes, Frimpong was neat but ineffectual; Salim Kerkar, meanwhile, replaced Stephens without making any impact; willing skipper Johnnie Jackson toiled fruitlessly; only Wilson spasmodically troubled the South Yorkshiremen. This engine room lacked fuel.
As the Owls overcame their early nerves, they grew in confidence. In a hectic sequence, Ben Hamer’s smart save kept out David Prutton’s rasper, with Leon Cort performing heroics on the goalline to clear Gary Madine’s rebounded effort. Anthony Gardner skied the loose ball but Charlton enjoyed only brief respite. Ex-Addick Llera’s educated left foot swung in a corner from the right, Cort and Gardner clashed in aerial combat with the ball squirting out to Rhys McCabe, unmarked on the edge of the penalty area. The 20 year-old former Glasgow Ranger uncorked a resounding left-footed volley which zipped irresistibly past Ben Hamer and Wednesday were in front. They stayed there with a little help from a friend -namely referee Gary Sutton.
Before the interval, a sharp exchanges of passes between Kerkar and Haynes set up Yann Kermorgant with a near post chance. Having stolen a yard from the towering centre back, the big Breton seemed certain to score until Gardner’s blatantly illegal challenge hauled him down. In a perfect position to judge, Sutton saw no trips and was equally lenient to the locals in supporting his linesman’s boss-eyed opinion that Haynes, though no worse than level, was offside when converting Kermorgant’s pass. A sense of double injustice overwhelmed Powell, whose vehement protests at the half-time whistle saw him banished to the stands, leaving Alex Dyer to suffer alone.
On the hour, a dreadful miss by Haynes sealed Charlton’s fate. Chris Solly’s accurate cross was headed down to him by Kermorgant but the speedster got his feet horribly tangled and air-kicked from five yards. Hardly the clinical finishing recently demanded by his boss.
Some encouragement was derived from the eagerly awaited return to action of 63rd minute substitute Ricardo Fuller in place of Kerkar. A typically uninhibited snapshot resulting from fellow sub Rob Hulse’s persistence was blocked but it was the brief cameo supplied by Danny Green which inspired hope. His usual mixture of genuine quality and frustrating inconsistency featured an inviting cross sidefooted narrowly wide by Michael Morrison, quickly followed by an infield dart to win a free kick from Jeremy Helan (scorer of a skilful added time coup-de-grace) that Jackson curled dangerously over the bar. Green’s hastly delivered centre when a steadying touch was advised showed the other, careless side of his coin but he must surely start on Boxing Day when changes might be rung. It’s the the time of year for them.
Kevin Nolan’s Match Report is brought to you in association with, 294 Burnt Ash Hill, London, SE12 0QD.
Wednesday: Kirkland, Buxton, Gardner, Llera, Reda Johnson, Antonio, McCabe, Prutton (Lines 67), Helan, Madine (Sidibe 87), O’Grady (Lee 74). Not used: Bywater, Taylor, Maguire, Jermaine Johnson. Booked: Reda Johnson.
Charlton: Hamer, Solly, Cort, Morrison, Seaborne, Wilson, Frimpong (Green 78), Jackson, Kerkar (Fuller 63), Haynes (Hulse 78), Kermorgant. Not used: Sullivan, Wright-Phillips, Pritchard, Dervite. Booked: Wilson.
Referee: Gary Sutton. Att: 20,517.
Dedicated to John Yarnton, a dear Charlton friend and colleague who is missed every day we’re without him. Rest easy, John.