Doncaster Rovers 1 (Blair 87) Charlton 2 (Taylor 32, Aribo 34).

Kevin Nolan reports from Keepmoat Stadium.

At the risk of sounding churlish, let’s begin this otherwise positive account of Charlton’s vital victory in South Yorkshire with a minor gripe. Better make that a medium-to-major gripe because Matty Blair’s scruffy, ungainly but potentially priceless goal for Doncaster changed the dynamic of Friday night’s second leg at The Valley. There’s a world of difference -psychologically for openers – between starting the second leg 2-1 rather than 2-0 down, especially when you’ve scored so late. Blair’s lucky strike gave gritty Rovers a boost at a pivotal time.

And the gripe? That comes with the suspect, what-we-have-we-hold attitude Charlton adopted during a second half they virtually conceded to their inferior hosts. As they gradually gave ground, there was already an ominous whiff of legweariness about them by the time Mallik Wilks’ left wing cross spiralled, via a wicked deflection, to the far post where right back Blair popped up to bundle the ball over the line. Significantly, it came as no surprise to either side. But it gave this semi-final fresh legs.

If he was irritated by the late setback, Lee Bowyer manfully hid his feelings.”It’s disappointing,” he allowed, “because I think we worked so hard and shut up shop well.” True enough, in which case Blair should have his collar felt for shoplifting.

With last March’s fortunate 1-1 draw in mind, Bowyer set his troops out in a fit-for-purpose 3-5-2 shape, with full backs Anfernee Dijksteel and Ben Purrington advanced on the flanks to counter the raids on the break with which Donny caught them out so often during the contentious league fixture here. The adjustments did mean, however, that Krystian Bielik spent most of the game behind Dijksteel in what appeared to these tactically archaic eyes to be an orthodox right back position. There were none of those rampaging runs from his own half which instil panic in opposition ranks and frequently turn games on their heads. A newly swashbuckling Bielik might be unleashed on unsuspecting Rovers in Friday’s second leg.

Until Blair’s inconvenient intervention, a disciplined first leg performance was on offer for a packed away end, which held its collective breath when left back Danny Andrews free kick, awarded for Patrick Bauer’s bookable foul on Kieran Sadlier, beat Dillon Phillips but clipped the bar on its way to safety. They also saluted their brilliant young keeper for diving full length to keep out veteran James Coppinger’s venomous low drive. At the other, far distant end, the ineffable Lyle Taylor drew a similarly sharp save from Marko Marosi and Josh Parker headed Purrington’s perfect cross wastefully off target.Just past the half hour, Taylor gave the Addicks a precious lead. And who better than the serial scorer himself to describe the goal?

“The ball came in (from Albie Morgan), it’s flicked off Butler and I just saw Josh Cullen stood on the line and I thought ‘what’s he doing there?’ It’s gone straight to him. It popped back in the box and I thought ‘I’m going to have my head taken off here but I need to score, I have to score. I’m going to have to head this,’ so I just threw myself at it and thankfully didn’t get volleyed in the head.” And there you have it -the anatomy of a goal by its owner. No sub-titles necessary.

Two minutes later, Taylor had a hand in the Addicks’ second goal. In the throes of another hectic goalmouth scramble, his adroit pass set up Joe Aribo to finish off Marosi’s hand from an awkward position not dissimilar to Cullen’s on the right byline. “Definitely a shot, not a cross”, as clarified by Taylor by way of claiming an assist for Aribo’s fourth goal in as many games and tenth of the season. Not for charismatic Lyle those guarded interviews favoured by so many players; when he’s got something to say (and that’s pretty often), he comes right out and says it without worrying if it frightens the horses.

With their two-goal lead nicely tucked away, Bowyer’s talented troops embarked on their ultimately damaging safety first policy, with both second half subs statements of defensive intent. It might have been a welcome change to chomp on a cigar (unlit of course), sit back with feet up and relish watching them toy with Donny in an academic second leg but that was never going to happen. It’s just not the Charlton way. So sit tight, folks, strap yourself in and get ready for a white-knuckle ride. It’s worth more that way. Trust me.

Doncaster: Marosi, Blair, Butler, Downing, Andrew, Whiteman, Kane, Coppinger ((Rowe 46), Sadlier (May 84), Wilks, Marquis. Not used: Jones, Crawford, Anderson, Smith, Lewis.

Charlton: Phillips, Dijksteel, Bauer, Sarr, Purrington, Bielik, Morgan (Pratley 61), Cullen, Aribo, Parker (Pearce 66), Taylor. Not used: Maxwell, Page, Forster-Caskey, Williams, Lapslie. Booked: Bauer.   

Referee: Oliver Langford. Att: 11,140 (3,688 vocal visitors).

Charlton 4 (Aribo 19, Andrew 32 o.g. Taylor 40, Bielik 75) Rochdale 0.

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.

The buzz sweeping The Valley at half-time wasn’t entirely due to Charlton’s perfect performance which left Rochdale breathless at the break. There was plenty to celebrate, of course, but it was news from other key venues which iced a tasty cake.

While the Addicks were finding it difficult to misplace a pass, mistime an interception, much less miss their chances, play-off rivals Portsmouth and Sunderland were busy bottling it against similarly modest opposition. Both of them were struggling at the interval and if they continued to flounder, one more goal would catapult Charlton over them into third place and with it the prize of visiting Doncaster Rovers in the first leg of the semi-finals. While being careful what they wished for, most fans and probably Lee Bowyer had no problem with that surprising outcome.

The addition of a fourth goal to a 3-0 scoreline which actually flattered ‘Dale, seemed the least of Charlton’s concerns. They had outclassed the mid-table visitors and were expected to blow them away while attacking their favoured covered end. To their credit, they buckled to the task but things began to go wrong.

Referee Charles Breakspear’s baffling decision that Jimmy Keohane’s deliberate foul which hauled back Josh Parker as he burst clear to confront Josh Lillis deserved a yellow rather than the red card it clearly deserved, sowed the first seeds of doubt. And when the otherwise excellent Albie Morgan sidefooted Lyle Taylor’s deft cross wide, they began to grow. But it was Parker’s remarkable miss before the hour which lent substance to the mounting suspicion that Bowyer’s rampant men might be on the verge of  squandering a golden opportunity.

Parker, whose wholehearted contribution deserved better than the abuse he received from a small minority of an enthusiastic crowd, found himself facing a yawning net after Lillis had smartly saved Taylor’s crisp low drive. With the keeper still prone, the burly forward placed the easy rebound lamentably wide of the target.

At precisely the same time, Portsmouth equalised at Fratton Park to ramp up the pressure.

In no mood to accept disappointment, Charlton continued the hunt. Joe Aribo’s clever chip sailed narrowly over the bar before Parker’s artful flick sent Taylor’s right wing cross inches wide. At the other end, Ryan Delaney volleyed Aaron Morley’s corner over the in a rare respite for overworked Rochdale. With a quarter hour remaining, they finally capitulated although it took a marvellous goal to unravel them.

Along with Josh Cullen, Krystian Bielik ranks as one of the shrewdest loan acquisitions ever to pitch up in S.E.7. Versatile, powerful and richly talented, the Arsenal midfielder is vital to the Addicks’ play-off prospects. He showed exactly why with a trademarked solo surge over the halfway line and the intuitive one-two he played with Morgan. The return pass sent him clear of Rochdale’s ruthlessly filleted defence and his cool finish into the bottom left corner applied a fitting coup-de-grace. It also provided Morgan with his second assist of the evening, which neatly returns us to a fuller description of Charlton’s exhilarating first half display.

A bright opening, during which Aribo’s close range effort to convert Ben Purrington’s cutback was bravely blocked and Taylor’s low drive forced a smart save from Lillis, brought the first of the Addicks’ three-goal salvo after 19 minutes. Aribo both started and finished the process which set up Taylor’s shot, gamely smothered by Lillis, but re-cycled by Parker for Aribo to curl unstoppably inside the left-hand post from the edge of the penalty area. His ninth goal of the season -and third in as many games – enhanced the loose-limbed 22 year-old’s growing reputation as a free-scoring midfielder.

Just past the half hour, the lead was doubled, but not before Dillon Phillips did his bit by athletically tipping over a meaty effort hit by Callum Camps with minimal backlift but surprising power. His solitary save protected a third consecutive clean sheet.

As irrepressible as ever, meanwhile, Taylor was doing pretty much as he pleased. An electric turn and burst to the right byline was followed by a firmly hit centre which eluded Parker in the middle but was turned into his own goal, under pressure from Purrington at the far post, by Rochdale skipper Calvin Andrew.

Inevitably, Taylor added his name to the scoresheet before the break. Sent down the middle by Morgan’s precisely weighted through ball, he made easy work of slotting Charlton’s third past the optimistically advancing Lillis.
So that’s the marathon all but done and dusted. Now for the sprint finish. With a full squad at his disposal, Bowyer is primed and ready. Late knocks to Bielik and Taylor caused him brief palpitations, no doubt, but his decks are cleared for action.  He’s got some side at his disposal. They’re a pleasure to watch. Bring it on!

Charlton: Phillips, Dijksteel, Bauer, Sarr, Purrington, Bielik (Pratley 84), Morgan, Cullen, Aribo (Reeves 89), Parker, Taylor (Marshall 83). Not used: Maxwell, Page, Pearce, Lapslie. Booked: Sarr.

Rochdale: Lillis, Morley, Delaney, Hamilton, Ntlhe (Bunney 62), Adshead, Williams, Camps, Keohane, Andrew (Wilbraham 69), Pyke (Bradley 76). Not used: Wade, McNulty, Done, Henderson. Booked: Delaney, Keohane.

Referee: Charles Breakspear. Att: 12,705 (290 visiting)

Gillingham 0 Charlton 2 (Aribo 24, Cullen 42).

Kevin Nolan reporting from Priestfield Stadium.

With one eye trained warily on the play-offs, Lee Bowyer’s recent team selections have tightrope-walked the finest of lines in brinkmanship. His competitive reluctance to concede defeat has been carefully weighed against the need to tackle the post-season melee with a fully-functioning squad. And apart from his ill-fated use of Chris Solly at left back, his choices have been intuitive.

Judging correctly that Gillingham would approach this fixture with less than their usual fervour once League One survival had been assured, Bowyer made four changes from the side which demolished Scunthorpe. Lyle Taylor and Patrick Bauer were rested, with Ben Reeves and Albie Morgan dropped to bench duty. Starts were given to George Lapslie, Darren Pratley, Jonny Williams and Jason Pearce.

Both performance and result vindicated the manager’s decisions. Gillingham were airily dismissed and routinely beaten by first half goals scored significantly by midfielders. The opener was Joe Aribo’s eighth of a barnstorming season but even more pleasing was Josh Cullen’s first for the club, a close range finish which rewarded the talented West Ham loanee’s instinct for regularly supporting his forwards in the opposition’s penalty area.

In a dominant midfield, among which 34 year-old Pratley was admirably “down with the kids”, Aribo was frequently unplayable. A ceaselessly mobile bundle of effective energy, he was impossible to dispossess; his range of passing imaginative; his will to win no doubt especially dear to his manager’s heart. His was a “horse” of a game. A protective rest next Saturday might be advisable since the loss of Charlton’s driving force prior to the play-offs, though unthinkable, starts as a racing certainty in this injury-ravaged campaign.

Pratley and Williams, meanwhile, brought contrasting measures of pragmatism and dash to a hustling, bustling midfield which outclassed Gills. Pratley “won it and gave it” in deference to his more expansive colleagues, Williams ran exuberantly with the ball, drawing fouls as usual but needing a goal to rubberstamp his enthusiastic contributions. His solitary chance was deftly laid on by Aribo but was blasted high over the bar.

At the back for the relaxed visitors, an innovative three-cum-four set-up comprising the dramatically improving Anfernee Dijksteel, Pearce, Naby Sarr and Ben Purrington were unruffled by Gillingham’s progressively feeble incursions. Behind them, Dillon Phillips was required to make only one noteworthy save, a spectacular tip-over of Tahvon Campbell’s potent strike on the turn before the interval. A fifth clean sheet in Charlton’s last seven games was effortlessly achieved against hosts prematurely celebrating another season in League One.

Aribo’s goal virtually ended Gills’ token resistance. Before he scored, Igor Vetokele, a livewire up front without Taylor’s galvanic presence, had broken away but was overhauled by Barry Fuller, one of three former Addicks in the home side. Phillips’ fine save from Campbell followed, then Aribo crucially struck. Combining with Purrington on the left, he received the left back’s pass via a faint deflection off Max Ehmer before placing a crisp low drive beyond Tomas Holy’s reach inside the right post. Now adding goals to his impressive repertoire, Aribo was unforgivably omitted from the League One All-Star team as selected by his peers. You might have expected fellow professionals to appreciate his all-round excellence but, in this instance, you might also be disappointed. The chosen eleven was Barnsley-dominated and Addick-free, much to Bowyer’s disbelief.

Cullen’s overdue goal arrived three minutes before the break. He was perfectly placed to convert the rebound after Holy found Williams’ low drive too hot to handle.

After Dijksteel’s breakthrough last week, a 13th name was thus added to Charlton’s list of 2018-19 goalscorers, a total Purrington came close to swelling when he arrived at the far post early in the second half to meet Williams’ right wing centre. His volley was venomously struck but marvellously kept out by Holy. The keeper also pulled off a double save to deny Vetokele reward for an industrious, bighearted performance.

With the naming on the bench of long-term absentees Jake Forster-Caskey and Lewis Page, Bowyer’s squad is dangerously close to being at full strength. Forster-Caskey will find it difficult to break into the Addicks’ well-stocked midfield, to which the almost indispensable Krystian Bielik is expected to return next Saturday against Rochdale. Likewise, Page’s recall to the starting line-up will surely be delayed by the fine form of Purrington, an unsung, discreetly acquired signing who has made the left back berth his own. They are problems, so we are told, that a manager loves to solve. He may also be mulling over the fact that Rochdale beat his side 1-0 at their place in October. Play-offs or not, he owes ’em one. So first things first.

Charlton (3-4-2-1) Phillips 7, Dijksteel 7, Pearce 8, Sarr 7, Purrington 7, Cullen 8, Pratley 7, Lapslie 6 (Morgan 86), Williams 7 (Parker 78), Aribo 10, Vetokele. Not used: Maynard-Brewer, Forster-Caskey, Reeves, Page, Doughty.

Charlton 4 (Dijksteel 24, Aribo 55, Vetokele 63, Taylor 67) Scunthorpe United 0.

Kevin Nolan reporting from The Valley.

Seeking to balance the pressure for short-term results with the longer term imperative of preparing his squad for the play-offs, Lee Bowyer adroitly shuffled his pack for the visit of relegation haunted Scunthorpe United. Already without Chris Solly, whose ill-advised appeal against his Good Friday red card was predictably dismissed, he was also deprived of midfield maestro Krystian Bielik through a minor shoulder injury.

Solly’s absence was brilliantly taken care of by Anfernee Dijksteel, who crowned a fine contribution with his first goal for the club; solid citizen Ben Purrington returned at left back, with fans’ favourite Naby Sarr preferred to Jason Pearce as Patrick Bauer’s partner at centre back. There were starts for Ben Reeves and teenage prospect Albie Morgan, not to mention the sooner-than-expected re-appearance on the bench of Jake Forster-Caskey. Bowyer’s hand was also enhanced by the quick recovery from injury of Igor Vetokele, whose recent return to scoring form provides a timely boost for Charlton’s promotion ambitions.

The resourceful manager, who so often during this arduous campaign has found himself between a rock and a hard place, was rewarded for his handling of another tricky situation by his side’s biggest win of the season. A catalogue of close range chances missed by the visitors somewhat compromised his claim that “we were outstanding from start to finish” but he was spot-on that Scunthorpe had been “blown away”, never more so than during the three-goal salvo that destroyed them within twelve explosive second half minutes.
Quickly out of the blocks, the Addicks showed early aggression as bright spark Morgan took Reeves’ pass in his stride and fired forcibly into the sidenet. Bauer’s far post header from Reeves’ corner deflected unluckily wide off an unwitting defender but the breakthrough was not long delayed. Again Reeves was involved by alertly combining with Lyle Taylor near the left corner flag.

Turning sharply on to his right foot, Taylor’s accurate cross was effortlessly controlled by Dijksteel, whose second touch was a firm finish into the bottom left corner.

Although looking like the relegation candidates they are, the Irons had opportunities of their own during a low key first half. Dillon Phillips was required to make competent saves from Funso Ojo and George Thomas before Ojo missed a sitter in added time. Set up at close range when Lee Novak expertly nodded down Adam Hamill’s left wing cross at the far post, Ojo, with an “m” critically missing from his mojo, made a stumbling mess of prodding his shot miserably off target.

Taking up briefly as they’d left off, United began the second period brightly with Novak’s near post flick sending Josh Morris’ low cross narrowly wide, then Hamill’s driven centre barely eluding Novak on its untouched way to the opposite touchline. At which point, the roof fell in on the unfortunate visitors.

Enjoying himself immensely, Reeves’ inswinging right wing corner was emphatically bulleted into the roof of Jak Alnwick’s net by Joe Aribo’s head to begin the onslaught. Scunny were sitting ducks now and Aribo’s deft pass sent Vetokele through to neatly steer his 4th goal of the season (all scored in 11 back-to-form appearances since February 23rd) past an onrushing Alnwick.
Working ceaselessly, meanwhile, and with one magical flash of ball control drawing bravos from his appreciative public, the inevitable Taylor provided a fitting flourish to the goalscoring. His crossfield run in search of a shooting chance was interrupted by James Perch’s crude foul. From a position at the left angle of United’s penalty area, Taylor exacted poetic revenge with an unstoppable free kick which soared into the top right corner. Celebrations of his terrific strike were long, loud and personally conducted by the ultimate performer.

If Scunthorpe manager Andy Dawson -their third of the season – seeks consolation for their heavy defeat, he will surely be comforted by the chances which his beaten side continued to create. Before the end, though perfectly placed, Thomas wildly volleyed effective substitute Kevin Van Veen’s deep cross over the bar; Van Veen himself soloed through to unluckily hit the post; Novak marred an industrious shift by unforgivably nodding the point blank rebound over the bar after a wickedly swerving strike from marauding left back Cameron Borthwick-Jackson (twice a spectacular scorer in Scunthorpe’s chaotic 5-3 win over Charlton back in November) was spilled on to his napper by a startled Phillips.

No late consolation was to be allowed Dawson’s desperate Irons. There was an additional boost for Bowyer, though, in the 20-minute stint accomplished by Forster-Caskey. He won’t be tempting fate by mentioning it but with Lewis Page in full training again, a full-strength squad might be available to him for the play-offs.

Charlton: Phillips, Dijksteel, Bauer, Sarr, Purrington, Cullen, Aribo (Forster-Caskey 79), Reeves (Pratley 72), Morgan, Vetokele (Williams 65), Taylor. Not used: Maxwell, Pearce, Parker, Lapslie.

Scunthorpe: Alnwick, Borthwick-Jackson, Webster, Ojo, Morris (Hallam 64), Perch, Lewis (Lund 74), Novak, Thomas, McCardle, Hammill (Van Veen 64). Not used: Flatt, Sutton, McGahey, Wootton. Booked: Morris.

Referee: Brett Huxtable. Att: 11,973 (309 visiting).

Oxford United 2 (Nelson 19, Garbutt 23) Charlton 1 (Taylor 5, pen).

Kevin Nolan reporting from the Kassam Stadium.

In ill-tempered, frequently chaotic circumstances, Charlton’s 11-game unbeaten streak -and with it any last, lingering hope of automatic promotion – was shattered by Karl Robinson’s admirably motivated Oxford. With results later in the day confirming that the Addicks were heading for the play-offs anyway, defeat was not hugely significant. You can’t win ’em all as Luton discovered last week. But the avoidable nature of this loss might smart for a while.

Showing no signs of mid-table malaise, Oxford absorbed one or two crippling setbacks before eking out a victory they clearly prized. Recovering after falling behind to Lyle Taylor’s early penalty was no problem. In next to no time, they had not only equalised but forged ahead, both goals the product of expertly delivered setpieces. But having goalkeeper Simon Eastwood sent off with the second half barely underway effectively handed the initiative back to the visitors – who promptly fumbled it.

But let’s briefly put Charlton’s cart before Oxford’s horse. First things first. And first up was Joe Aribo, who picked ex-Addick Ahmed Kashi’s pocket in the centre circle before making a beeline for the penalty area, where he was unceremoniously brought down by Curtis Nelson. Taylor employed his new stop-stop-go technique to give Eastwood no chance from the spot and the visitors, it seemed, were on their way to another routine away win. A tuneful travelling contingent -the choir visible as it were – understandably thought so.

Undeterred by their disastrous start, United had other ideas. They almost drew level when Cameron Branagan’s goalbound drive was headed over the bar by Jason Pearce but were inconvenienced only by the time it took Everton loanee Luke Garbutt to swing over the resultant corner from the right. Arriving late beyond the far post with nobody tracking his run, Nelson blasted a venomous volley past a helpless Dillon Phillips.

Five surprising minutes later, Oxford were in front. The free kick Krystian Bielik conceded for a clumsy foul on Mark Sykes to the right of goal was perfectly sited for Garbutt’s left-footed setpiece skills. His expertly judged delivery swung away from Phillips’ despairing dive and found the top right corner with practised ease. Booked for his violent celebration of the dramatic turn of events, Kashi clearly doesn’t buy into any of that “respect your old club” malarkey. Quite right, too. It’s cobblers and causes hernias.

Out of sorts and inspiration, Charlton’s response was stodgy. Having lost Igor Vetokele to a knock sustained during his bravura performance against Luton, Lee Bowyer’s decision to play Taylor up front on his own seemed unduly negative. His deployment of Chris Solly to replace unwell left back Ben Purrington, meanwhile, with Anfernee Dijksteel continuing at right back, created imbalance and unsettled a normally sound back four. Solly is among League One’s best right backs but is no more than adequate on the opposite flank. And Dijksteel, still an improving work in progress, is no Solly. The simpler solution would have seen the charismatic Naby Sarr deputising for Purrington with Solly staying in his rightful place. No square pegs in round holes to complicate matters there.

So the width-starved Addicks struggled fitfully, with Solly turning instinctively back on to his left foot and Ben Reeves doing likewise but in reverse on the right touchline. Progress was laboured, with subdued contributions from the usual midfield powerhouse of Josh Cullen, Jonny Williams and Bielik in keeping with the general malaise. Occasional chances were made, none clearer than the one skied haplessly over the bar by Williams after Taylor’s blocked effort fell kindly to him at close quarters.

Even the 54th minute dismissal of Eastwood failed to ignite these passive visitors. Leaving his line in a race with Taylor to reach Solly’s volleyed pass down the middle, the keeper stepped over the 18-yard line before almost furtively catching the ball. His dismissal was inevitable, with Sykes sacrificed to make way for deputy goalie Jack Stevens. Though Stevens was to distinguish himself during a hectic goalmouth scramble by clawing Patrick Bauer’s point blank effort to safety from almost behind his goalline, there was little else to trouble Karl Robinson’s spirited troops.

There was time, though, for Solly’s uncomfortable afternoon to take a disastrous turn for the worse. Appealing fruitlessly for a penalty after his shot was blocked, the incensed skipper pursued Jamie Mackie and lunged into an unwise, wretchedly timed challenge on the substitute. Sent off for serious foul play, his unavailability for the three remaining league games at least simplifies Bowyer’s selection problem, should Purrington miss out on Easter Monday. It also has the added silver lining of protecting Solly from injury before the play-offs commence. Small mercies…

Oxford: Eastwood, Garbutt, Dickie, Nelson, Brannagan, Sinclair, Ruffels, Henry (Hanson 80), Long, Sykes (Stevens 54), Kashi (Mackie 63). Not used: Carruthers, Mousinho, Graham, Napa. Booked: Kashi, Garbutt, Brannagan. Sent off Eastwood.

Referee: Darren Drysdale, Att: 8,680 (1,806 visiting).

Charlton 3 (Taylor 54 pen, 72, Vetokele 70) Luton Town 1 (Cornick 15).

Kevin Nolan reporting from The Valley.

They turned up mob-handed to take over the Jimmy Seed Stand, full of themselves and full of Luton Town, a club whose recent colourful history you couldn’t make up.

Chucked out of League Two with a 30 points penalty for “financial irregularities” after the 2008-09 season, the Hatters began the road back to the big-time five years later by winning the Conference Premier. A period of comparatively calm consolidation ended last May when they were promoted automatically from League Two but what they’ve gone on to achieve in the dizzying heights of League One so far this season makes you pinch someone in disbelief.

Unbeaten in 28 games since Barnsley saw them off 3-2 at Oakwell on October 10th, Town arrived at The Valley to settle unfinished business with Charlton. A tetchy 2-2 draw in September featured a last kick equaliser from improbable marksman Chris Solly who saves his goals for the road (Brisbane, Bloomfield and crucially Kenilworth). The unflappable skipper’s excellent strike abruptly silenced the locals who, moments before, had complacently amused themselves by delaying a last chance corner from Josh Cullen and were reminded of their folly by, if memory serves, an ear-cupping Joe Aribo among others.

So there was an edge but no genuine antipathy between two sides who served up a reminder that genuinely attractive football is not confined to the Premier League. In an evenly contested first half, the runaway league leaders showed why they are on their way to the Championship and how that awesome unbeaten streak was put together. Mobile and finely tuned, the visitors retired at half-time deservedly a goal to the good but the Addicks though down were far from out.

Without any of the usual early sparring, battle was joined immediately. Lyle Taylor scuffed wide from Igor Vetokele’s set-up while at the other end, Naby Sarr began another impressive contribution with an urgent intervention to clear James Justin’s dangerous low cross from Charlton’s six-yard box. On the quarter hour the visitors, bristling with menace, took the lead. Pelly Ruddock-Mpanzu’s powerful run scattered the home defence and with Ben Purrington drawn out of position, his well-timed pass was drilled first-time into the roof of the net by Harry Cornick.

Conceding for the first time in five games, rattled Charlton were briefly at the mercy of Mick Harford’s marauders and not for the first time recently were indebted to Dillon Phillips for staying in contention. Their brilliant young keeper twisted in mid-air to claw George Moncur’s wickedly deflected shot to safety. A second goal at that point might have lowered a conclusive boom but Phillips was having none of it.

Up front, meanwhile, Vetokele and Taylor were irrepressible. The Angolan’s pass was smashed against the bar by his Montserratan colleague before, minutes later, Phillips’ quickly released delivery sent Vetokele haring clear to confront James Shea at the edge of Town’s penalty area. Beating the keeper to the ball, his lob drifted agonisingly wide as Shea ruthlessly mowed him down. The argument about covering defenders is specious. The foul itself deserved red rather than the yellow card brandished by wishy-washy referee Gavin Ward.

Charlton’s hard-done-by mood was hardly lightened a minute after the break by Ward’s decision that Jonny Williams was fairly tackled, rather than crudely brought down from behind in the area by Matty Pearson. Possibly beset by pangs of guilt, Ward promptly compensated with a contentious ruling in the Addicks’ favour. It certainly seemed harsh on skipper Sonny Bradley, who was suckered by Taylor’s artful habit of backing into an innocuous shove in the striker’s back. After peace was restored, Taylor casually converted the spotkick, described post-game by Harford as “disgraceful.” The decisions involving Shea and Pearson, of course, went uncontested by the morose manager.

Boiling with indignation at the equaliser, the Hatters fell apart and were all at sea as their hosts battered them with a lethal one-two combination midway through the second session. Needless to say, Vetokele and Taylor were responsible for their downfall. So too was midfield maestro Krystian Bielik who between regular bouts of treatment for what physios tactfully refer to as the “groin area” (“knackers” to us laymen but what do we know?) conducted a masterclass in turning solid defence into lightning attack. Bielik’s irresistible surge through the heart of Luton’s clinically gutted defence was completed by the ideally judged pass which found Vetokele in space to his left. The resurgent forward coolly gave his side the lead by placing a low drive across Shea into the far corner, his timely return to scoring form greeted with extra-warm acclaim by teammates and crowd alike. Karlan Grant’s departure begins to dim into insignificance as Vetokele grows in confidence.

On fire now, the scorer turned provider two minutes later with a tasty cross from the left which Taylor turned past Shea for his 21st goal of a prolific season. By then, the Hatters had disintegrated into rabble, with Andrew Shinnie’s petulant dismissal evidence of total surrender. The corner flag keep-ball routine, skilfully conducted by the cheeky Taylor, Aribo and George Lapslie, seemed almost sadistic but was hugely enjoyed by an ecstatic crowd, which brought their jubilant celebrations to the streets outside the ground. Note to surly Plymouth manager Derek Adams: it ain’t timewasting, it’s part of prudent game management, mate, something Charlton took time to master but which they’ve now made a frequently hilarious artform. It didn’t go down as well in the Jimmy Seed Stand where it’s fair to say the end of their team’s heroic unbeaten run was greeted with generous appreciation of their marvellous feat.

See you on Friday in Oxford, where they’re still a bit sore about the Boat Race.

Charlton: Phillips, Solly, Bauer, Sarr, Purrington, Bielik (Pratley 88), Cullen, Williams (Dijksteel 90), Aribo, Taylor, Vetokele (Lapslie 76). Not used: Maxwell, Pearce, Parker, Reeves. Booked: Taylor, Vetokele.

Referee: Gavin Ward. Att: 16,449 (3147 visiting).

Charlton 2 (Taylor 5,pen, Reeves 33) Burton Albion 1 (Akins 18,pen).

Kevin Nolan reporting from The Valley.

Though war weary Charlton were mere shadows of the stylish side which outclassed Portsmouth three days previously, they got the job done by more pragmatic means against spirited Burton Albion. The loss of key players (hamstring injuries to Krystian Bielik and Jonny Williams being the price they paid for their thrilling victory over Pompey) has tested their resilience all season but, as Lee Bowyer observed, “sometimes you’ve just got to dig in and grind out results.” Down among the muck and nettles, his gutsy squad answered the call and gamely ground their way to an identical outcome.

It helps the collective cause, of course, when individuals raise their game to meet the challenge, something Ben Reeves singularly did when replacing the massively talented Bielik at the weekend. Reeves continued the good work against Burton, scored a wonderful winner and otherwise acquitted himself with distinction. Yet it was his equally diminutive midfield colleague, Josh Cullen, who almost took on the Brewers singlehandedly, hoisted the Addicks on his shoulders and carried them over the finishing line.

As a multi-purpose midfielder himself, Bowyer is uniquely qualified to appreciat Cullen’s prodigious contribution. Football’s a statistics-laden business these days and the West Ham loanee certainly stacked up impressive figures on this frigid Tuesday evening. With the ball magnetically attracted to him, his number of tackles, interceptions and passes was phenomenal while his obvious will to win inspired his depleted team to see the job through. Some player, this kid. Mark him 10 out of 10.

At the heart of defence for Charlton, meanwhile, massive Naby Sarr has been in superb form recently. He continued in similar vein against Burton but not before he had lapsed briefly into the kind of absentminded errors which would try a saint’s patience, much less that of his all too human manager. After only 30 seconds, he allowed himself to be dispossessed by Marcus Harness, whose clear run on goal was halted only by Patrick Bauer’s alert intervention. A spate of errant passes followed before he pulled himself together and performed solidly at Bauer’s elbow.

Up front for Charlton, Lyle Taylor was his usual feisty self. An early chance following a smart exchange with Ben Purrington was scuffed wide but a second opportunity arrived promptly. Played into the penalty area by Cullen’s threaded pass, his quick feet lured John Brayford into a rash, lunging challenge in full view of referee Thomas Bramall. Taylor stuttered-stepped up to the spotkick before burying it into the bottom left corner. Lippy Lyle also kept a lid on the verbals and avoided the booking which would have brought with it a two-game suspension.

Charlton’s lead lasted little more than 10 minutes, the time it took Bramall to rule that David Templeton’s goalbound shot was handled by Bauer. Lucas Akins’ somewhat harsh penalty was dispatched with all the authority of Taylor’s effort. It left the Addicks with it all to do again, a task they approached with endearing enthusiasm.

A quarter hour after equalising, the visitors found themselves behind again. A multi-pass movement along the Addicks’ right flank found Taylor foraging intelligently in space. A hip-high cross was delicately curved around left back Jake Buxton and was buried by Reeves’ spectacular diving header at the far post. In a classic case of role reversal, Taylor claimed the assist while it was the scorer’s name which, as usual, appeared unadorned in the papers.

Reeves’ fine 33rd minute strike left his side with an hour to protect their lead, a historically daunting task unless, that is, a third goal could be added along the way. Given the fact that they last scored more than twice eight games ago at Shrewsbury on January 12th, that was, frankly, an unlikely proposition. But there’s a new bloodymindedness about Charlton, a freshly acquired determination to hold on to what they have, which has seen them concede only five times in those eight games. They defended efficiently and were threatened only rarely, most dangerously by Brewers’ 58th minute substitute Liam Boyce, whose near post header glanced Harness’ accurate cross narrowly wide and whose low crosshot produced Dillon Phillips’s only meaningful save on an otherwise untroubled evening. Charlton’s progress towards three valuable points was steady, uneventful and acceptably routine. Just what the doctor -not to mention their manager – ordered.

Charlton: Phillips, Solly, Bauer, Sarr, Purrington, Cullen, Reeves (Marshall 90), Aribo (Lapslie 73), Fosu (Vetokele 80), Parker, Taylor. Not used: Maxwell, Pearce Dijksteel, Pratley.

Referee: Thomas Bramall. Att: 9,505 (156 visiting).

Charlton 2 (Aribo 41, Taylor 51) Portsmouth 1 (Curtis 45).

Kevin Nolan reporting from The Valley.

Seamlessly dovetailing a polished performance with this reverberating result, Charlton delighted the Valley faithful on a chilly evening which was also savoured by Sky’s TV audience. Brimming with confidence and controlled aggression, they kept alive their faint hopes of automatic promotion while all but nailing down the consolation prize of a place in the post-season play-offs. Beaten by the Addicks for the second time this season, meanwhile, Portsmouth might well be opponents seeking revenge in the semi-finals.

Starting clearly as they intended to go on, a strong side which lacked only the rested Chris Solly, absorbed an early shot across their bows when Jamal Lowe’s dangerously driven cross zipped untouched throught the six-yard area before they took over. An urgent, marauding midfield, with the outstanding Krystian Bielik at its base, dominated possession and promptly reclaimed it whenever the ball was turned over. Bielik was majestic until a suspected hamstring niggle forced him off at half-time, with his replacement Ben Reeves enthusiastically picking up the second half slack.

The loss of the Arsenal loanee -and that of hard running Jonny Williams with a similar injury- were two dark clouds hanging over an abundance of silver linings. But adversity spurred superb Joe Aribo, all quick feet, sharp turns and endless mobility to turn in a nationally televised man-of-the-match display which, as Lee Bowyer ruefully acknowledged, will have alerted the usual jackals to his developing talent. Knowing the price, but not necessarily the value of everything, Roland Duchatelet will be looking forward to the summer sales.

Equally indispensable to Charlton’s restlessly driving midfield -the one-for-all, all-for-one unit which Pompey boss Kenny Jackett recognised as the technical difference between these promotion seekers – was Josh Cullen. Still waiting to hear whether he or John Marquis will be credited with the Addicks’ goal at Doncaster last week (his optimism, if not his judgement, is touching), Cullen seemed certain to open his account when Aribo and Williams combined to set him up with a point blank chance. The scurrying busybody’s shot was on target but rebounded off Igor Vetokele’s unhelpful back on the goalline. Shame Marquis wasn’t around to lend a hand -or head.

So Cullen’s search for his first Charlton goal continues but it was from another midfielder that the breakthrough came. At the end of an intricate passing sequence, Cullen’s ball in to Aribo’s feet was controlled, shielded, then drilled on the turn across Craig MacGillivray into the bottom right corner. Encouraged by management to get into the penalty area more often, the 23 year-old’s finishing was exemplary.
After undergoing a first half going-over but hanging on grimly, Pompey promptly equalised a minute before the break with their first effort on goal. A right wing corner was curled in left-footed by Lee Brown to the far post where Ronan Curtis’ well-timed leap between Bielik and Ben Purrington generated the elevation he needed to power an unstoppable header inches below the crossbar. The young scallywag then added insult to injury by shushing the home fans with a cautionary finger to his lips. The nerve of the guy!

With Bielik failing to re-appear following the interval and Williams soon to join him in the infirmary, Curtis’ fine equaliser threatened to turn the tide but the Addicks were having none of it. Within six minutes of resumption, they reclaimed the lead under scruffy but no less telling circumstances.

Aribo’s persistence on the left earned him space to drill over a low cross which cannoned off Matthew Clarke to Reeves, whose hastily prodded effort fell kindly to Lyle Taylor alongside him. With the natural predator’s instinct for the right place at precisely the right time, Charlton’s blonde bombshell made it sixteen for the season from four unencumbered yards. His eagerly awaited goal was reward for a selfless, energetic demonstration of defending from the front.

With a one-goal lead to protect for almost the entire second period, Charlton’s vaunted defence coped coolly until, with 10 minutes remaining, weary cracks began to appear. Jackett’s shrewd introduction of Brett Pitman in an unusually withdrawn role had its effect and it was the veteran’s angled pass which freed Lowe to roll an inviting ball across goal where Curtis failed, by agonising inches, to tap into an open goal. Patrick Bauer’s heroic block on Pitman was the visitors’ last throw of the dice before The Valley stood to salute a side which wades through regular setbacks to make its point – or three. Bowyer’s got something going on over in S.E.7. It goes on again on Tuesday evening when Nigel Clough brings Burton Albion down to try their luck. The cracks will be papered over by then.

Charlton: Phillips, Dijksteel, Bauer, Sarr, Purrington, Bielik (Reeves 46), Cullen, Aribo, Wiliams (Fosu 58), Vetokele (Pratley 84, Taylor. Not used: Maxwell, Solly, Lapslie, Parker.

Referee: Roger East. Att: 14,451 (3,097 visiting).

AFC Wimbledon 1 (Folivi 24) Charlton 2 (Sarr 51, Vetokele 90).

Kevin Nolan reporting from the Cherry Red Records Stadium.

The exact words used by Lee Bowyer to inspire his insipid side at half-time were no doubt self-edited for public consumption. He had just witnessed 45 spineless, gormless minutes which left them mercifully only one down and still in touch with a game, to which they had contributed nothing but apathy and timid acquiescence.

“We just looked nervous”, the rookie manager explained, “and didn’t move the ball like we normally do. I told them to be brave and believe in each other.” There, in an understated nutshell, is the gist of his interval message. Fill in your own blanks about what was really said. But it worked because as Bowyer further observed “we got there in the end and that’s the most important thing.”

Nothing in an horrendous first half encouraged hope that the Addicks would haul themselves out of the hole they had dug for themselves. Facing desperate, fully committed opposition who, despite being anchored at the bottom of the table, were coming off two consecutive league wins, they were passive to the point of paralysis. Without a win from their last three visits to this cramped little venue in Kingston, where the locals relish nothing more than cutting big shots down to size, they seemed on course to bottle it yet again. Football is however, as the cliche insists, a game of two halves. And Wimbledon, in failing to press home their early advantage, blew a golden opportunity to put a precious result out of reach.

The first period must be dealt with but briefly, in fairness to the hosts. They moved in front midway through the session when Joe Aribo, a driving force during Charlton’s second half rally, began the process by needlessly shoving Scott Wagstaff in the back. Anthony Hartigan’s free kick was turned back from the left byline by Terell Thomas and alertly nudged home by loanee Michael Polivi. It was no more than the Dons deserved but, significantly, a second goal eluded them. Their visitors, meanwhile, sputtered and spluttered fitfully on the way to an uncomfortable dressing room confrontation with their guv’nor.

Bowyer’s rallying cry, if lacking Churchillian or Shakespearean resonance, also turned out to be his last direct contribution to the cause. Two minutes after resumption, he took vocal exception to a heavy challenge on Chris Solly in front of the away dug-out, forcefully making his objections known to referee Chris Kavanagh. A sarcastic addendum sealed his fate and he began the lonely trek across the pitch to the opposite sideline.

From his new vantage point, Bowyer was perfectly positioned to enjoy a truly marvellous equaliser, scored by the newly totemic Naby Sarr, a player whose steady improvement must make Naby the first name on his manager’s teamsheet. Sarr stepped up to take the free kick awarded against Thomas for chopping down Lyle Taylor and, from 25 yards, bent an unstoppable delivery into the top left corner. His magnificent strike galvanised the Addicks from their torpor, though he risked expulsion himself later for a brutal assault on Wagstaff close to the right touchline. Rightly booked but possibly lucky to be spared a straight red, his absence through suspension would be disastrous at this critical time. Not only that, he was out of order in setting about popular Waggy, “one of our own” not so long ago.

Gritty and stubborn, the Dons began to run on empty but fought bravely to salvage at least a point from a game which initially promised so much. Charlton’s pressure was intense but went unrewarded, due mainly to goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale’s dogged defiance, until 79th minute substitute Igor Vetokele broke local hearts with a scruffily scrambled matchwinner. Four added minutes were waiting to be announced when Josh Cullen’s short corner found its way to him by means of a brief bout of head tennis (with Sarr’s head the loftiest among them), leaving the goal-starved Vetokele to nod home through the goalmouth chaos.

The joy of emerging unscathed from this most tricky of fixtures won’t wipe, from Bowyer’s memory bank, the nightmare of a first half, during which the disjointed Addicks flirted with premature defeat by the division’s bottom club. Maybe he’ll just choose to concentrate on the spirit which drove them to win an unlikely victory over perenially awkward customers, their comeback sparked by the insatiable workrate and no little skillof midfield warriors Aribo, Cullen, George Lapslie and Jonny Williams. If he needs his cockles further warmed, he’ll dwell briefly on Ben Purrington’s coolness under fire from his former colleagues, not to mention the huge influence all over the pitch of the mighty Sarr. He might then allow himself a smile.

Charlton: Phillips, Sarr (Dijksteel 85), Bauer, Sarr, Purrington, Aribo, Cullen, Lapslie (Vetokele 79), Williams, Taylor, Marshall (Fosu 61). Not used: Maxwell, Pearce, Reeves, Pratley.
Booked: Sarr, Williams, Marshall.

Referee: Chris Kavanagh. Att: 4,532 (750 visiting).

Charlton 1 (Reeves 60) Southend United 1 (Humphrys 22)

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.

An official foul count of 11-14 and a 3-2 majority of the five bookings incurred by Charlton might suggest that this violent encounter was nothing more than a spirited, six-of-one, six-of-another dust-up between old foes. But it would be wise to read between the lines of those statistics.

There was clearly coastal resentment still simmering from the overtime brawl which marred the Addicks’ 2-1 win at Roots Hall on September 1st because Southend wasted little time in dragging this game into similar disrepute. Their tactics were neanderthal and could well have been cribbed from Accrington Stanley, who made no bones recently of identifying Charlton’s danger men and taking brutal steps to neutralise them. Stanley’s hatchet men, however, stopped short of the kind of outright assault launched by the Shrimpers’ 18 year-old academy graduate Dru Yearwood on Johnny Williams midway through the first half.

Yearwood’s malevolent reducer took things too far and earned the kid a straight red from referee Simon Hooper. With his side already leading through Stephen Humphrys’ deflected strike, his indiscretion should have earned him managerial irritation. Instead, Chris Powell pointed out in vindication that Yearwood had “slipped” into the challenge. Presumably, Timothee Dieng was similarly off balance when he chopped down Williams, then accidentally slipped into Hooper’s notebook for poleaxing Ben Purrington. Southend are definitely not modelled on their manager, a firm but scrupulously fair left back it was our pleasure to watch in Charlton’s colours.

With Williams and, to a lesser extent, Josh Cullen, targeted for special attention, the home side’s bright start quickly faded. Ben Reeves had forced keeper Nathan Bishop to save his waspish shot with his legs but it was the visitors who shocked their hosts by grabbing a surprise 22nd minute lead. Loanee Humphrys made space for a speculative effort from outside the penalty area, which benefitted from a wicked deflection off Naby Sarr as it soared over wrongfooted Dillon Phillips’ despairing grasp. It was a blow from which the Addicks, despite their numerical advantage, never completely recovered.

During the interval, Lee Bowyer responded to the unpromising situation by switching to three at the back, sacrificing blameless left back Purrington in favour of Josh Parker’s influence up front. Charlton’s solitary signing during the the January transfer window, Parker’s impact was instant and it came as no surprise when the Addicks equalised on the hour mark. Mark Marshall had been re-deployed on the right flank, from where he tormented Sam Hart but produced a succession of disappointingly misdirected crosses, among which was sandwiched the beauty he delivered for Reeves’ equaliser. Not noted for his heading ability, the diminutive midfielder’s glanced effort had just enough oomph on it to squeeze past Bishop and crawl over the goalline off a post.

The stage was clearly set for Bowyer’s relieved men to take over and demolish their depleted opposition. Despite Naby Sarr’s inspiration, Parker’s injection of urgency and the non-stop running of Williams and Cullen, however, they ran into stubborn resistance from a side who found novel ways to waste time. There were occasions when the littered bodies of stricken Shrimpers, attended by a puffing Billy Bunter-shaped physio who needed oxygen himself by the time he arrived at the scene, rivalled the carnage caused during Napoleon’s retreat from Moscow. In between the theatrics, it should be said, 10-men United defended stubbornly and bravely. With Powell as their manager, you would expect no less; their cynicism, on the other hand, just has to be self-taught.

A late flurry of chances at both ends, during which both goalkeepers distinguished themselves, enlivened a bitter clash. Bishop was first to make his mark with fine saves to turn aside Krystian Bielik’s blockbuster at full length and Parker’s artfully directed header from Reeves’ resultant corner. Phillips responded by instinctively blocking substitute Michael Klass’ point blank shot but was helpless to intervene as Klass’ low crosshot whistled narrowly wide of the far post.

And there you have it -two points lost or one gained, a step forward or two steps back – depends on your point of view. It’s no doubt a relief to Bowyer that Charlton are done with Accrington Stanley and Southend United for the season. Those two worthies are due to meet each other in a fortnight’s time. It remains to be seen whether they actually get around to kicking off or whether they reach agreement to phone in the result and spare everyone the bother of going through the painful motions of watching them kick lumps off each other. It could turn ugly.

Charlton: Phillips, Solly, Bielik, Sarr, Purrington (Parker 46), Cullen, Marshall (Lapslie 90), Reeves (Hackett-Fairchild 81), Williams, Vetokele, Fosu. Not used: Maxwell, Dijksteel, Pratley, Stevenson.

Southend: Bishop, Bwomono, White, Moore, Hart (Turner 70), Yearwood, Kightly (McLaughlin 63), Mantom, Dieng, Humphrys (Klass 85), Cox. Not used: Smith, Lennon, Kelman, Hutchinson.

Referee: Simon Hooper. Att: 12,389 (1463 visiting).