Barnsley 1 (Phillips 24) Charlton 1 (Blackett-Taylor 70).
Keeping an eye on events in South Yorkshire from South London, Kevin Nolan contends the Addicks
were robbed of victory by refereeing incompetence. Here is his case for the prosecution.
There’s a half-decent side struggling to dispel Charlton’s reputation as League One’s soft-bellied patsies. In fact, they are a sharp, talented outfit which should be numbered among the contenders for promotion from this sorry division into the comparative grandeur of the Championship. Too often, though, they show undue deference to rank-and-file teams where cold-eyed ruthlessness is in order. Last week’s indulgence of modest Cambridge United provides a perfect case in point.
There was no such fecklessness on Saturday at Oakwell, where the Addicks burst from the blocks, gave play-off hopefuls Barnsley all they could handle and came away with a burning conviction that the single point they took back to South London should have had two more for company. We’ll get to that 24th minute flashpoint in due course.
Showing their seventh-placed hosts only nominal respect, Charlton attacked them with unrestrained gusto. The Tykes were rattled, as evidenced by the defensive tangle involving Jordan Williams and Mael De Gevigney, which allowed Corey Blackett-Taylor to barrel between them and bear down on Liam Roberts. Electing to shoot rather than square to Alfie May, the aggressive speedster fired into the side net from a diminishing angle.
Keeping the ball on the ground as they passed their way forward, the confident visitors continued on top with May and Chem Campbell going close with snapshots from outside the penalty area. As Neil Collins’ chaps began to find their feet, however, they came closer to opening the scoring, when Herbie Kane connected powerfully with Carey O’Keefe’s lay-off, his fierce drive heading for the top left corner until a flying Ashley Maynard-Brewer brilliantly turned it over his bar to safety.
Maynard-Brewer’s splendid save kept Charlton level only briefly. Midway through the half, Barnsley were handed the lead under wildly contentious circumstances, which need assiduous reporting.
Pursuing Adam Phillips’ long ball down the left, Kane and George Dobson tussled for possession near the corner flag. Kane’s was the last touch which brought the ball to a halt and clearly over the byline for a goalkick. Convinced he had shepherded it out of play, Dobson paused in confident anticipation of referee Simon Mather’s whistle. Kane, meanwhile, managed a low cross which Phillips dispatched superbly past Maynard-Brewer.
In hindsight, Dobson might have been wiser to clear downfield but the ball, as proven on the telecast, was over the line. Simple as that. Even the locals on audio duty eventually agreed after receiving confirmation from Barnsley Bugle’s chief photographer, ideally placed two yards from the action. Everyone knew the truth except the officious Mr. Mather, who busied himself by booking Maynard-Brewer and his manager Michael Appleton for their understandable dissent.
Charlton’s burning sense of injustice was further fuelled before the break, when the outstanding Tayo Edun’s left wing cross struck Phillips’ arm inside the home penalty area. Mather was probably on more solid ground in turning down appeals for a spotkick but he was clearly in no mood to rule against the home boys.
To their credit, the Addicks hid their anger and started the second half boisterously, with Slobodan Tedic, a striker in sore need of a goal, turning sharply to shoot narrowly over the bar and Blackett-Taylor bursting on to Tedic’s short pass but failing to beat Roberts from close range. Big Corey had the bit between his teeth by now and, with 20 minutes left, produced an equaliser.
Assisted by Edun’s willing running, Blackett-Taylor picked up the left back’s slack, broke through several challenges and finished brutally past the helpless Roberts. His seventh league goal of the season is nicely balanced by six assists, the most recent of them the delicious cross he delivered for Chem Campbell to head his first Charlton goal against Cambridge last week. His productivity makes him indispensable to Appleton but also vulnerable in January’s transfer window. An improved contract could help.
It was unthinkable, after everything they had soldiered through, that the Addicks should leave South Yorkshire without reward. Before Blackett-Taylor’s strike, further brilliance by Maynard-Brewer, in saving bravely at John McAtee’s feet, had averted disaster while, shortly before the end, one of Dobson’s typically heroic blocks was required to prevent Owen Dodgson from stealing their point from point blank range. But a point was the least their vastly improved performance deserved.
The last word belongs to Appleton – on the subject, naturally – of Barnsley’s goal. “The decision was inexcusable. Everyone thought the ball went out of play. It’s just a horrendous refereeing call!”
Amen to that. But there’s an almost immediate opportunity to bind the wounds. Burton Albion should be put to the sword next Saturday in a clear statement of Charlton’s intent to shake off doubt and disillusionment. No disrespect intended to the Brewers but they’re standing in the way of progress. This season ain’t over yet.
Barnsley: Roberts, Williams, De Gevigny, McCart, O’Keefe, Connell, Phillips, Kane (Watters 83), Dodgson, Cole (Jalo 78), Cosgrove (McAtee 56). Not used: Killip, Russell, Lopata, Cotter. Booked: McCart, Kane, Cosgrove, Dodgson.
Charlton: Maynard-Brewer, Tennai Watson, Hector, Thomas, Edun, Dobson, Fraser, Chem Campbell (‘bick 82), May, Blackett-Taylor (Tyreece Campbell (90+1), Tedic (Kanu 62). Booked: Maynard-Brewer, Appleton, Fraser, Thomas, Edun.
Referee: Simon Mather. Att: 11,716 (644 visiting).