Kevin Nolan’s Match Report: Charlton Athletic v Nottingham Forest (03/03/2015)

Charlton 2 (Bulot 7,38) Notts Forest 1 (Antonio 14).

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.

Still flushed with success after demolishing Huddersfield three days previously, a sadly depleted Charlton stepped up to face the more daunting visit of bang-in-form Nottingham Forest on a frigid Tuesday evening. And local joy was unconfined as the Addicks sent Dougie Freedman’s men back to the Trent with their tails between their legs. You could say they were a bit lucky. You could also say that their victory was down to their never-say-die attitude. What you can’t say is that it was undeserved.

There was initial dismay as local fans were greeted with the news that Chris Solly, Roger Johnson and Johann Berg Gudmundsson had swelled an extensive injury list which includes long-term absentees Rhoys Wiggins, Johnnie Jackson and Franck Moussa, with Tal Ben Haim a more recent victim. Guy Luzon ‘s resourcefulness was severely tested but there was always the titanic presence of Jordan Cousins to console him. Surely a runaway Player of the Year winner, Cousins covered every inch of a perfect playing surface in his side’s cause. His 21st birthday on Friday means we can’t refer to him as a kid any more which, as a footballer, he hasn’t been for at least two years. A superb professional this man.

Shuffling his deck, Luzon brought in Alou Diarra to replace Johnson at centre back, with Lawrie Wilson deputising at right back for Solly and Callum Harriott slotting in for midfield playmaker Gudmundsson. When Wilson began the action with a ferocious shot stinging Karl Darlow’s hands shortly before Frederic Bulot put Charlton into a 7th minute lead, the early signs were encouraging. That impression didn’t last but first things first.

Already a cult figure at The Valley, Tony Watt brought with him the same swagger which destroyed Huddersfield. His lateral solo run left to right along the 18-yard line was rudely interrupted by Jamaal Lascelles, whose crude challenge earned him a booking. Punishment fitted crime for once as Bulot assumed Gudmundsson’s setpiece duties and curled a superb free kick into the top left corner.

The born-again Bulot had provided the perfect start but it became quickly apparent that burly wide man Michail Antonio had the beating of Wilson on the left and that Harriott could offer little comfort to his beleaguered colleague in nullifying the winger’s menace. Neither offered much resistance as Antonio cut inside them to pick his spot for a low drive which beat Stephen Henderson and found the far bottom corner to equalise.

Antonio was briefly unplayable and stepping inside Wilson, his dangerous centre was headed clear by Diarra from under Henderson’s crossbar. The keeper was anything but convincing in clearing Chris Burke’s resultant corner, then was thankful that Henri Lansbury’s fierce drive travelled untouched through a crowd on its way inches wide of the far post. Possibly still rattled, Henderson made a meal of fumbling Antonio’s innocuous effort as the Addicks struggled to stay level.

Destined for replacement at the interval, both Wilson and Harriott had at least the satisfaction of first combining to create the matchwinner for Bulot. Harriott’s pass was expertly timed to send an overlapping Wilson clear of left back Danny Fox, providing space for Wilson’s low cross to pick out Bulot unmarked in the penalty area. The Gabon international did the rest with a silky first touch setting up the crisp shot which whistled past a helpless Darlow.

Luzon’s anticipated changes involved the introduction of Andre Bikey to take over from Joe Gomez alongside Diarra with the 17 year-old prodigy moving to right back to replace Wilson on the hour. Chris Eagles came in for the mildly injured Harriott.

A series of corners, taken from both sides by Chris Burke, put the Addicks under early second half pressure but it was from Ben Osborn’s precise cross that Matty Fryatt should have equalised, his tame header sailing over the bar. Gomez, meanwhile, was also finding Antonio a handful and the Addicks escaped when the South Londoner’s cross richocheted off Diarra before bouncing harmlessly wide off Fryatt. With the visitors in control, Osborne’s clever turn bamboozled Yoni Buyens but the midfielder’s curling effort missed its target by inches. Bikey’s typically brave block foiled Burke and Fryatt again missed an acceptable chance from Osborn’s perfect cross.

And before you knew it, the fourth official was indicating three minutes of added time, all but 30 seconds of which were spent next to the left corner flag, where Watt’s impudent trickery drove Forest to distraction and Freedman to apopletic frustration. Both Eric Lichaj and Antonio picked up bookings for aiming wild kicks at the cocky Glaswegian and Freedman might have joined in if he could have got at him. It left only time for Henderson to confidently claim Burke’s last gasp corner before Charlton’s victory against the odds was confirmed. Against the odds, largely against the run of play. But magificent and stirring too.

Charlton: Henderson, Wilson (Bikey 46), Diarra, Gomez, Fox, Harriott (Eagles 46), Buyens, Cousins, Bulot, Vetokele (Lepoint 88), Watt. Not used: Dmitrovic, Church, Lennon, Ahearne-Grant.

Referee: S. Hooper. Att: 14,937 (1,559 visiting)