Charlton 3 (Ajdarevic 9, Dervite 48, Sordell 51)Yeovil Town 2 (Grant 11, Moore 74).
Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.
This riproaring game, riddled with errors but packed with incident, ended well for Charlton, not so well for Yeovil, whose narrow defeat damaged their chances of Championship survival.
In a reversal of current form, the Addicks clicked up front but, for once, sagged at the back. Scoring more than once for the first time since Boxing Day was hugely encouraging; on the other hand, the concession of two chaotic goals by a normally reliable defence caused palpitations throughout an edgy Valley. The twenty-odd minutes following Town’s second goal were a sadistic form of torture, though the visitors never came close to equalising.
The loss of Lawrie Wilson, victim of a cheekbone fracture on Saturday, provided Jose Riga with a selection dilemma. His use of Michael Morrison as an emergency right back looked fine in theory but sent a ripple of doubt through a revamped back four. Morrison is a redoubtable centre back, a more reluctant right back. Neither he nor Riga will be sorry that Wilson is expected to return at Brighton, sporting one of those Phantom of the Opera masks so very au fait these days.
Reservations about Morrison’s vulnerability were temporarily shelved when Astrit Ajdarevic shot Charlton into an early lead. His first goal for the club was all his own doing as he picked up a loose ball inside the vistors’ half, made space for his favoured left foot with an artfully dropped shoulder, then cracked a low, true drive inside the left post. The big bloke has skill to burn, as demonstrated by an arrogant second half trick on the left touchline, which was indulged by management because Charlton were two up at the time. It wouldn’t have been encouraged a bit later.
Less than two minutes after Adjarevic’s opener, the visitors drew level in scruffy circumstances. They attacked down the left through Liam Davis and as the ball broke luckily to Joel Grant, the wide man beat a wrongfooted Ben Hamer with a wickedly deflected shot. Shortly afterwards, an unmarked James Hayter should have put them ahead but drove lamely at Hamer from 10 yards.
Most of a busy first half belonged to the Glovers but it was Charlton who matched Hayter’s profligacy before the break. A marvellous run and byline cross by Rhoys Wiggins picked out Ajdarevic near the penalty spot. His clever dummy made room for Reza Ghoochannejhad to emulate Hayter by scuffing tamely at Chris Dunn from close range.
The end-to-end exchanges careered along with Hamer saving at full length from Joe Rolls and Tom Lawrence scaping the bar from the resultant corner. Back bounced the Addicks with Diego Poyet’s superb pass sending Marvin Sordell clear to bring Dunn plunging to his left to save. A rock-‘n-roll first half ended with Richard Wood heading Johnnie Jackson’s cross off Dunn’s right hand and Shane Duffy completing the clearance from under the bar.
Match Report Sponsored By Grant Saw Wealth Management
Within six minutes of resumption, Charlton surprised nobody more than themselves by scoring twice to seize the initiative. Ever ready to attack, Wiggins forced a left wing corner off Luke Ayling, Jackson swung the flagkick outwards and Dorian Dervite’s bullet header finished the job. Riding the momentum, the Addicks struck again almost immediately; Poyet’s fine overhead pass freed Reza near the right byline, the Iranian’s low cross was pushed out by Dunn and Sordell couldn’t – and didn’t – miss from the six-yard line.
This kid Poyet. What remains to be said about him? Celebrating his 19th birthday in style, the boy-man was some kind of midfield hybrid, a mixture of snarling mongrel and polished pedigree without an apparent weakness in his repertoire (well, maybe a useful goal from time to time). His influence during this desperate relegation has been profound while, at his elbow, Jordan Cousins has been equally impressive. In the hands of such babes rests Charlton’s Championship future.
Charlton being unreliably Charlton, of course, there was to be no comfortable cruise to the line. With a quarter hour remaining, a Keystone Kops mix-up involving Wood and Hamer left substitute Kieffer Moore the formality of reducing the deficit in front of a gaping net. An incorrectly awarded throw-in had started the move but Riga made no big deal about it.
Nor did affable Town boss Gary Johnson make anything of a storm-in-a-teacup incident involving a hygiene-conscious ball boy (you just can’t help some people) and a steward who “confused” a throw-in with a goalkick but was clearly dedicated to getting it right. Both managers were grilled tenaciously about the “turning point” by a reporter, possibly from the Yeovil Bugle. Blimey, the bloke birddogged it. Mind you, I knew how he felt.
The last word belongs to a third manager who took large liberties last night in the far north. Actually I think I’ll have the last word on his behalf instead Cheers for that, Uwe Rosler. But even more sincere cheers for Arsenal in your semi-final on Saturday. C’mon you Gooners!
Knock ’em for six!
Charlton: Hamer, Morrison, Dervite, Wood, Wiggins, Ghoochannejhad (Harriott 79), Cousins, Poyet, Jackson, Adjarevic (Obika 75), Sordell (Cort 89). Not used: Thuram-Ulien, Hughes, Pigott, Fox.
Yeovil: Dunn, Ayling, McAllister, Edwards, Duffy, Webster, Lawrence, Hayter, Davis, Ralls (Palazuelos 80), Grant (Moore 62). Not used: Stech, Dawson, Hoskins, Lanzoni, Nana Twumasi. Booked: Webster, Ralls, Palazuelos.
Referee: G. Scott. Att: 15,430 (657 visiting).