Charlton 0 Millwall 1 (McDonald 38).
Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.
As an exercise in the “bleedin obvious”, predicting the result of this game took a bit of beating.
In the red corner, Charlton were trying to improve a “record” of 11 victories in 66 previous games; coming out of the blue corner, Millwall hadn’t lost to them since the previous century and traditionally have only to turn up to win. “They want it more”, you see.
So imagine your correspondent’s surprise to learn that our normally hard-nosed turf accountants had installed Charlton as 6-5 favourites, with Millwall offered at a juicy 5-2 (they were 2-1 when cruising home 2-0 last season). On both occasions, the fixture screamed horses-for-courses but the bookies, bless their largesse, wouldn’t have it. They positively insisted on dispensing “money from home” as Damon Runyon called it.
No doubt many Lions’ fans -not to mention more than one pragmatic, world-weary Addick-filled their boots on the generous odds. It would have seemed churlish not to. On a personal level, my lips must remain sealed. As a freelance hanger-on, I can’t indulge. I’m bound by the Hippocratic Oath.
So much anyway for crass commercialism; football is a game of passion, commitment and courage, qualities lamentably lacking in a Charlton side which submitted meekly in the latest of these so-called local derbies. As usual, they pottered about, went through the motions and didn’t appear to be too gutted to lose. Not for the players the fans’ avoidance of certain pubs, the temporary removal of phones from the hook, the low profile until the dust settles and the misery happens again on March 15th. It helps if you live in Essex. And drive there in large lorries with tinted windows.
The scenario is all too familiar to Charlton fans. The Lions always approach the fixture in disarray before miraculously pulling themselves together in the immediate run-up. The Addicks, on the other hand, sportingly ensure that several of their best players (in this case Chris Solly and Yann Kermorgant) are unavailable on the day, talk tough about their determination to shed blood in the cause, then roll over for their tummies to be tickled.
To be fair, on this 67th occasion, there wasn’t a whole lot between the sides. The visitors were hardly scintillating but allowed their hosts just one authentic chance, a gilt-edged opportunity that didn’t arrive until 75 minutes had elapsed. They were split open by substitute Marvin Sordell’s exquisitely judged pass, which played Simon Church through the inside left channel. Opening his body as per text book to shoot across the advancing David Forde for the far corner, Church messed up his angles and managed only to find the keeper’s midriff. There were one or two other bits and pieces but that’s all, folks! Church’s miss was what we shall refer to officially as The Chance.
It had taken Millwall 38 desultory minutes to convert their first genuine opportunity, which fell conveniently to Australian striker Scott McDonald. Picking up the slack after Bradley Pritchard carelessly lost possession, McDonald shook off Pritchard’s guilty pursuit, moved inside and let fly as much in hope as expectation. His shot caught Dorian Dervite’s heel and left Ben Hamer helpless as it flew past the hopelessly wrongfooted keeper. Forget the element of luck because the goal was waiting to happen. It always does in this fixture because, as stated, Millwall “want it more.” It’s a state of mind.
The current Lions bear little resemblance to the teams which included violent twerps like Hurlock, Stevens and Thatcher; these blokes are hard but disciplined. They give and take knocks, stay on their feet when whacked and show impressive team bonding. They should have made the points safe when Richard Chaplow set up Scott Malone to shoot wastefully wide near the end but Charlton’s bolt had already been shot. Admittedly, Forde just beat Sordell to Church’s deflected cross before Cameron Stewart concluded proceedings with a low drive saved competently by Forde. But they were merely the last throes of a beaten team.
Hurt, angry but mainly resigned to the inevitable, the fans took their leave with dignity.
That might be because they’re used to it. After all, the fabled victories over Millwall (yeah, yeah, the snow already) in 1995-96 were themselves the first by the Addicks since October 28th 1978, besides which two of Charlton’s eleven wins were registered in their debut league season of 1921-22 and deceptively put them 2-0 up.
But hold the phone, there were other moments. There was the league double (both 3-1) in the Division Three championship-winning season of 1934-35 , which meant the sides didn’t meet again for 31 years due to an obvious gulf in class. At which point, of course, the Lions started to catch up. They win so often nowadays that it’d be the decent thing to declare and put Charlton back in. I’m bloody embarrassed by it and I bet you are too.
Speaking of March 15th, which we touched on briefly above, remember to contact your cheerful bookie. You’ll know him by his florid complexion, checked suit and well-upholstered physique (no such thing as a skinny bookie). Find out Millwall’s price and lump on. Because remember the bleedin’ obvious. Charlton lose to Millwall. Again and again. It’s what they do.
Kevin Nolan’s Match Report is brought to you in association with , 294 Burnt Ash Hill, London, SE12 0QD.
Charlton: Hamer, Morrison, Dervite, Wood (Stewart 57), Wilson, Stephens, Pritchard (Harriott 72), Jackson, Wiggins, Church, Pigott (Sordell 72). Not used: Alnwick, Evina, Cousins, Gower. Booked: Jackson.
Millwall: Forde, Dunne, Robinson, Beevers, Woolford, Bailey, Abdou, Trotter (Chaplow 79), Malone, Waghorn (Martin 70), McDonald (Morison 59). Not used: Bywater, Easter, Connolly, Osborne. Booked: Waghorn.
Referee: Andy D’Urso. Att: 15,917.
Any chance someone can make a copy of this report and leave one in each player’s locker at the Training Ground on Monday morning?!