Charlton 1 (Jackson 47) Sheffield Wednesday 2 (Reda Johnson 84, Lita 89).
Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.
Sucker punched twice in the closing stages of a game they should already have sewn up, Charlton’s recent winning streak was brought to a sickening halt by relegation haunted Sheffield Wednesday. Though hardly secure while defending the lead provided by prolific Johnnie Jackson’s seventh goal of the season, the Addicks seemed capable of protecting their slender advantage to the bitter end. But they were to find out how bitter an end can be.
Unchanged from the line-up which, give or take a necessary adjustment here or there, had registered three consecutive victories, Charlton were six uncomfortable minutes away from making it four in a row until Reda Johnson’s towering, headed equaliser unnerved them. As they clung on desperately to a useful point, substitute Leroy Lita robbed them of even that consolation with a cruelly deflected winner.
A monotonous first half had done nothing to prepare us for the late drama. In fairness, though, it provided the occasional talking point, not least of which was the mess made by Wednesday left back Reda Johnson in somehow prodding wide of a gaping goal after Ben Hamer dropped Lewis Buxton’s free kick at his feet. Or when Anthony Gardner’s header met Danny Pugh’s inswinging corner, flicked off teammate Michail Antonio but was awkwardly scraped off the goalline by Cedric Evina. The Addicks had moments of their own, the best of them the header crashed against Wednesday’s crossbar by Michael Morrison after Matt Taylor returned Dale Stephens’ soaring free kick from the far post. There was little else to recommend a sterile opening session.
Two minutes after the break, a shaft of pure quality pierced the murk as Charlton seized the initiative. A flowing move was launched by Hamer, who plucked Pugh’s corner out of the air, before sending Lawrie Wilson on a rampaging run along the right touchline. Wilson’s well judged pass was taken in his stride by overlapping right back Chris Solly and crossed to Bradley Pritchard at the far post; busy Pritchard’s skilful control set up a deft pass, which Jackson’s reliable left foot whipped in off the right post with characteristic aplomb. From innovative start to efficient finish, it was a goal designed to galvanise its scorers and deflate its victims. Except that this time the reverse proved true.
Crude but effective, the Owls wisely stuck to their pounding guns. Antonio began their recovery by cutting in from the left to fire across Hamer but also inches wide of the far corner. His effort was quickly followed by Lita’s sharp turn and low drive which sent Hamer sprawling to save. Midway through the second half, they emerged unharmed from a turning point, which, had it gone against them, would almost certainly have finished them off.
A lively bundle energy throughout, Scott Wagstaff moved smoothly inside Buxton, drew a bead from 20 yards but was unfortunate to hit the base of the right post with Chris Kirkland hopelessly beaten. Charlton perceptively faltered; the visitors derived encouragement from their lucky break.
Lanky Reda Johnson, no doubt anxious to make amends for his earlier howler, inspired Wednesday’s revival. Urged upfield by his boss Dave Jones, he climbed high to meet Buxton’s hanging centre with a perfectly looped header, which left Hamer helpless on its lofty journey back across the stricken keeper into his unguarded net.
The effect of Johnson’s equaliser on both sides was palpable. Sensing Charlton’s sudden vulnerability, Wednesday went for the kill. With the tiring home defence vainly tracking Jermaine Johnson’s sauntering progress into their penalty area, Lita pounced on his short pass to try his luck with an optimistic snapshot. A wicked deflection sent the ball caroming past Hamer to provoke almost 2,000 disbelieving but ecstatic Yorkshiremen behind the goal into wild celebrations of an unlikely reversal of fortune. The rest of The Valley sagged in disappointment.
So just when a tough season promised to gather momentum, this body blow must be absorbed; but don’t bet against these resilient Addicks bouncing back. And there’s no better place to begin the process than at flyblown old Selhurst Park next weekend, with Dorian Dervite possibly drafted in to patrol in front of the back four. And it could be time to recall Leon Cort. We’re all managers, of course, and we’re all in this together. The assassins of the NHS were served notice of that truth by thousands of protesters earlier in the day. It’s called vox populi and it echoed loud and clear on the streets of Lewisham. But then there’s none so deaf as those that choose not to hear…
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Charlton: Hamer, Solly, Morrison, Taylor, Evina (Green 90), Wilson (Fuller 90), Stephens (Wright-Phillips 90), Pritchard, Jackson, Wagstaff, Kermorgant. Not used: Button, Cort, Harriott, Dervite. Booked: Kermorgant.
Wednesday: Kirkland, Buxton, Gardner, Llera, Reda Johnson, Lee (Lita 55), Prutton, Coke, Pugh (Madine 67), Antonio, Jermaine Johnson (Semedo 90). Not used: Bywater, Taylor, Mattock, McCabe. Booked: Coke, Buxton.
Referee: G. Salisbury. Att: 20,292.