Charlton 3 (Harriott 22, 77, Jackson 69) Watford 1 (Deeney 60).
Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.
Chill the criticism. Can the complaints. Continue the celebrations. Well, at least until this tortuous season, which has stretched on seemingly forever, is at long last over. Let’s surf a wave of sheer, blissful relief first before we deal with the harsh realities. Charlton have made it on to “the beach” or what passes for a beach at bracing Blackpool this weekend. That’s enough for the time being.
The unthinkable prospect of returning to the horrors of League One was purged in 90-plus pulsating minutes, in the throes of which of which an endearingly unlikely hero stepped forward. That hero would be Callum Harriott, who again veered wildly between the sublime and the ridiculous while producing two goals of rare quality. Boy, when he’s sublime, he borders on the ridiculous!
Urged on by a crowd which rose fanatically to the occasion, Charlton had been holding their own before Harriott made his first contribution. There had been an early scare when Ben Hamer barely beat Troy Deeney to an awkwardly lofted ball. For the anxious home side, meanwhile, Johnnie Jackson’s free kick stung Jonathan Bond’s hands, before his far post header from Chris Solly’s deep cross forced the young goalkeeper to shovel the skipper’s effort to safety. Shortly afterwards, Harriott set down his first marker with a great goal destined to be discussed and dissected ad infinitum. It was actually a pretty simple affair to which we’ll attempt to do justice.
Picking up possession in an inside left position and running directly at a wavering defence, the sturdy winger’s mind was made up by the absence of overlapping support outside him, where Morgan Fox’s understandable caution falls a little below Rhoys Wiggins’ barnstorming aggression. Short of viable options, Harriott took the initiative, let fly on the run from outside the area and buried a superb low drive precisely inside the right hand post. One of five Academy graduates in a side which included none of Roland Duchatelet’s network signings and only one loanee (Marvin Sordell), the sturdy kid had reinforced the value of organically grown products. Joe Pigott made it six from the bench when Jose Riga allowed Harriott his richly deserved moment in the spotlight two minutes from the end.
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Making a continual nuisance of himself, Deeney wasn’t going quietly. His raking volley was turned around by Hamer for a corner and led subsequently to a save which had us veterans pining for Gordon Banks in Mexico ’70. Meeting Daniel Tozser’s outswinger from eight yards, Essaid Belkalem’s ferocious downward header was virtually netted until a tumbling Hamer’s flailing right arm somehow diverted it up against the underside of his bar. Goals win matches; saves like this one make sure you don’t lose them.
It was Belkalem’s crude foul on Wilson before the break which removed any concern among Charlton’s relegation rivals that the Hornets were already on that mythical beach. The visitors were not above putting it about a bit and have the deplorable disciplinary record to prove it. Impeccably behaved Deeney was an honourable exception and it was his stroke of genius, on the hour, that re-introduced The Valley to its customary state of panic. Anticipating Dorian Dervite’s problems under an awkwardly skied ball, the prolific striker adjusted his feet expertly, then sent an exquisite 20-yard volley dipping neatly under the bar as a flying Hamer grasped thin air.
While the Addicks were still rocking, Deeney blasted Ikechi Anya’s short pass narrowly over the angle, at which critical point, the increasingly tetchy Albert Riera began making a regular cad of himself. His violent foul on Lawrie Wilson earned him the first of two yellow cards and his mood was hardly improved when the Hornets fell behind for the second time.
The latest testimony to Charlton’s youth assembly line, Fox delivered a cleverly curled cross from the left touchline for Jackson to meet with his usual gambling instinct inside the six-yard box. Having made a pig’s ear of his first effort, the captain’s captain found the ball waiting obediently for him to scramble past a startled Bond. Bit scruffy but they all count.
With 20 endless minutes still remaining, a third goal was, of course, imperative, which was where Harriott came in again. The estimable Jordan Cousins fed Wilson, the wide right midfielder crossed accurately, Harriott zipped a vicious low volley into the bottom right corner. And Bob was your uncle, Fanny your aunt, belligerent Riera their very naughty nephew. The recalcitrant midfielder showed his immaturity (he’s 32 and should know better), petulantly kicked the consistently excellent Diego Poyet, sassed the referee and took himself off to tell his side of the story to an empty dressing room. The points were safe by that time anyway so Riera wasn’t missed. And among things which also won’t be missed will be those familiar last-day agonies which turn men and women into fate’s playthings. Don’t need any of that. Best left to some other poor sods.
An exhausting route march of a season through a minefield of setbacks ends on Saturday at Blackpool. We do like to be beside the seaside and, with the pressure off, we’ll be setting off by coach, some of us as early as 3.50a.m. under the redoubtable Betty Hutchins’ expert stewardship (hopefully with the equally unsinkable Jean Tindall also on board). We’re a band of brothers and sisters. On the one road, sharing the one load.
Charlton: Hamer, Solly (Hughes 90), Morrison, Dervite, Fox, Wilson, Poyet, Cousins, Jackson, Harriott (Pigott 88), Sordell (Obika 67). Not used: Thuram-Ulien, Wood, Petrucci, Ajdarevic. Booked: Hughes.
Watford: Bond, Hoban, Belkalem, Doyley (Angella 52), Faraoni (Ranegie 15), Anya, Battochio, Murray (Diakite 75), Tozser, Riera, Deeney. Not used: Woods, Merkel, Pudil, Jakubiak. Booked: Belkalem, Riera. Sent off: Riera.
Referee: D. Bond. Att: 15,815.
Kevin thank you for all your great reports over the years and to Grant Saw for their sponsorship may it continue for next season
Absolutely. Always look forward to your reports. Thanks for your efforts and to Grant Saw — who, in a blatant and unsolicited plug, handled my voluntary redundancy stuff very well!!