Charlton 1 (Vetokele 11) Birmingham City 1 (Davis 53).
Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.
A seventh draw of the season, five of them by this routine 1-1 scoreline, accompanied Charlton’s unbeaten record into the international break. They deserved no more than a point but then, despite the post-game bellyaching of Lee Clark, neither did Birmingham City. That’s not to deny the Midlanders were the better side but though they gave their hosts a severe going-over, they couldn’t add to David Davis’ second half equaliser. With just 11 previous goals to their credit, Davis’ excellent strike predictably maintained their one-goal-per-game ratio.
No jolly japester even in his merrier moments, Clark’s latest onset of monosyllabic gloom focused on the 30th minute incident which denied the Blues an earlier equaliser. While the details are in the eye of the beholder (bearing in mind, of course, that managerial beholders are often boss-eyed), the legalities of the so-called flashpoint seemed fairly clearcut.
Defensively undermined when Paul Caddis skipped through their ranks to cut back from the right byline, the Addicks were wrongfooted by elusive teenager Koby Arthur, who stabbed a low shot past Stephen Henderson. Unhappily for the visitors, Clayton Donaldson, while loitering behind Henderson on the goalline, couldn’t resist helping the ball on its way into the net. It was a figment of Clark’s imagination to detect two defenders (one of whom was certainly not Henderson) playing Donaldson onside. His spleen might have been better vented on the emptyheaded selfishness of his centre forward, who was required to do no more than stand stock still, instead of sticking his oar in. The “goal” was correctly disallowed.
In asserting City’s overall superiority, Clark was on more solid ground. His busy side belied their lowly league position with a chirpy, cohesive performance, combining pace, movement and no little imagination. The aggressive running of wingers Arthur and David Cotterill gave Charlton’s outstanding full backs Chris Solly and Rhoys Wiggins regular problems, Davis was a creative bundle of energy inside them, while overlapping full back Caddis constantly found space in support. Too often, however, their neat approach play foundered in sight of goal. Like Charlton, goals don’t come easy to them. And there was always the formidable barrier presented by human roadblock Andre Bikey and his reliably professional sidekick Michael Morrison to negotiate.
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By now settled into a familiar groove, the Addicks willingly conceded territory in the expectation that their resistance would pay dividends further down the line. With the exception of the usual lapse -this one committed by Yoni Buyens- their game plan worked. Well, sort of.
It was the home side who seized the early initiative. Goalstarved in five games since his blistering start to the campaign, Igor Vetokele fastened on to Jordan Cousins’ pass, sidestepped David Edgar but narrowly missed the far post with a cutely curled effort. The talented Angolan wasn’t required to wait long before ending his drought.
An unproven force since breaking into the starting line-up, Frederic Bulot made progress on the left flank before delivering a perfect cross. Surprisingly effective in the air, Vetokele made mincemeat of City’s marking to head firmly past Darren Randolph.
Charlton were off and running although Buyens seemed at pains to cancel their advantage. Caught dawdling aimlessly in his own half by Arthur, he was reduced to spectating as the kid set up Donaldson to chip inches over the bar. Too much of Buyens’ playmaking is limited to meaningless exchanges in positions too deep to matter. His undoubted passing ability hasn’t, if memory serves (and it doesn’t always these days), included any decisive deliveries which destroy opposing defences and provide the assists he needs to compensate for his own lack of goals from open play.
A minute after the break, Vetokele’s persistence created a chance which Lawrie Wilson awkwardly shovelled over the bar but City promptly took control. Cotterill’s free kick picked out Paul Robinson at the far post but, despite moving in the opposite direction, Henderson’s instinctively outflung left hand kept out the old warhorse’s header.
The Brummies were hard to discourage and drew level five minutes later. Cotterill’s outswinging corner skidded out to Davis, who turned sharply to find the bottom right corner with a superbly struck daisycutter.
The situation was ripe for the the visitors to take over but, against the odds, Bob Peeters’ resilient men responded positively. Unlikely raiders Chris Solly and Bikey each embarked on sinuous solo runs without producing equally unlikely finishes. In response, burly substitute Wes Thomas broke clear, slipped inconveniently and fired into the sidenet. So the game drifted into 1-1 stalemate, as statistics suggested it would. Woulda been 2-1 Birmingham, though, if Donaldson had resisted temptation, a point his mournful manager might be making in a painful, private interview. Should be a barrel of laughs!
Charlton: Henderson, Solly, Morrison, Bikey, Wiggins, Wilson (Tucudean 70), Buyens, Jackson (Moussa 58), Cousins (Fox 90), Bulot, Vetokele. Not used: Pope, Harriott, Ahearne-Grant, Thomas.
Birmingham: Randolph, Caddis, Edgar, Robinson, Grounds, Davis,Cotterill, Gleeson, Arthur (Thomas 79), Donaldson. Not used: Doyle, Packwood, Hall, Johnstone, Lee. Booked: Gleeson.
Referee: Paul Tierney. Att: 16,369 (1,500 visiting).