Derby County 2 (Knight 10,77) Charlton 1 (Taylor 83,pen)

Kevin Nolan reports from Pride Park.

The cracks in Lee Bowyer's constantly re-jigged squad are beginning to widen and threaten to become unmanageable. Their miserable failure to beat Derby despite the home side being reduced to 10 men for all but a quarter hour of this desperately disappointing game was ominous. The strain is starting to show, with the wretchedly ill-timed loss of Boxing Day hero Macauley Bonne to suspected hamstring damage  guaranteed to add another furrow to Bowyer's already fevered brow.

Bonne's magnificent two-goal performance which destroyed Bristol City inspired hope that with Lyle Taylor back in scoring form, the Addicks had at their disposal a strike force to match any in the division. Instead, Bonne now joins the panel of patients in the New Eltham dispensary while Taylor is still feeling his way back to full fitness. With the January transfer window supplying its usual mishmash of truth and fiction, we're likely to hear as much from their agents as Charlton's medical staff. Know what I'm saying?

Passive and timid, Charlton sleepwalked their way into this vital fixture. Less than a minute had elapsed when Jason Knight sent Martyn Waghorn sauntering through their dozing defence to confront Dillon Phillips. Practised and successful recently in these one-on-one duels, Phillips spread himself to save splendidly with his legs.

The visitors wilfully ignored the warning. Starting from a free kick rolled back to Tom Lockyer by Chris Solly, their passing from the back was ponderous and ill-conceived. As space became constricted, Naby Sarr's vague loss of possession allowed right back Andre Wisdom to cross from the touchline. A suspiciously offside Waghorn touched on for Knight to bravely head home at the far post despite Solly's earnest attempt to decapitate him. Charlton's catalogue of defensive errors continues to multiply.

Just five minutes after the goal, the Rams villainously compromised their bright start. The viciously late -and possibly premeditated - challenge launched by Krystian Bielik on regular target Conor Gallagher left referee Jeremy Simpson little alternative but to produce a red card. Moronically booed for his pains, Gallagher was mowed down again by Wisdom before the interval but Simpson remained unsympathetic on this occasion. Still only 19, the supremely talented Chelsea kid clearly has a price on his head. Widely popular during his successful loan spell at The Valley last season, Bielik was an out-of-character bounty hunter.

Their man-advantage failed to galvanise Bowyer's lethargic side. The best they mustered was Deji Oshilaja's routine header at an untroubled Ben Hamer and Bonne's weak effort over the bar. Bonne's obvious discomfort before the break saw him replaced by Taylor for the second half. That's the way it goes for the Addicks lately. As one door opens, another slams shut.

Taylor's neat lay-off for Gallagher to slice wildly over the bar began the second period promisingly enough. When Alfie Doughty drew a smart save from Hamer with a swerving shot, there was a further flicker of life but the Rams were hardly under siege. Jack Marriott broke through but missed the target woefully from the 18-yard line, then forced Phillips into a sharp save with a fiercely angled crosshot. But with 13 minutes left, Knight's second goal doubled the lead.

Loitering with intent to the right of goal as Duane Holmes fed Max Bird on the left, the young Ram was unchallenged as he volleyed his second senior goal from four yards. That was not quite that as Curtis Davies became the latest footpad to assault Gallagher, his offence carelessly committed inside the penalty area. Taylor duly reduced the arrears from the spot and Charlton briefly sensed a chance of redemption.

Hamer did his bit to preserve Derby's precious three points by brilliantly saving from substitute Ben Dempsey, then regaining his feet to smother Taylor's attempt to convert the rebound. An equaliser, while more than welcome, would have obscured the unvarnished truth that Charlton are in deep trouble, not altogether of their own making, but trouble nonetheless. Bowyer has been able to rely this season an unquenchable spirit in adversity. At Pride Park, that indispensable asset went missing. His side was listless, lethargic and ultimately lifeless. They need help. They need re-invigorating. They need new bloody owners!

Derby: Hamer, Wisdom, Davies, Clarke, Bird, Holmes, Bielik, Lowe, Knight, Marriott (Whittaker 90), Waghorn (Forsyth 90). Not used: Roos, Dowell, Martin, Sibley, Malone. Booked: Holmes.

Charlton: Phillips, Solly, Lockyer, Sarr (Davison 69), Purrington, Oshilaja (Dempsey 69), Pratley, Morgan, Gallagher, Bonne (Taylor 46), Doughty. Not used: Maynard-Brewer, Matthews, Pearce, Ledley. Booked: Gallagher, Pratley, Solly, Dempsey.

Att: 26,058). Referee: Jeremy Simpson.

Charlton 0 Huddersfield Town 1 (Daly 90+2).

Kevin Nolan reporting from the Valley

That comforting points gap which has consoled Charlton during their disastrous two-month slump is disappearing like (as my mum was fond of saying) the snow that fell last year. The Addicks are in freefall and no amount of reassurance that they'll be fine when their injured players return cuts the mustard. Despite their barnstorming start, this season was always about staying in the Championship, with 50 points the generally accepted minimum to aim at. Right now, they need 27 more points but if they continue to throw away useful draws, that total may turn out to be notional.

A grim, scoreless stand-off was clearly on offer when three unwanted added minutes were announced. Satisfied with their night's work, Huddersfield's body language made it obvious that they were ready to shake hands and call it off as sensible cricket teams do. A point's a point, no sense risking all three, was the message conveyed by their languid attitude to throw-ins and goal kicks.

Charlton had other ideas. Despite having failed to register a single effort on target, they fancied their chances of coming up with a late winner. For a few wild seconds, it seemed that Lyle Taylor had turned the trick but Naby Sarr was ruled offside before touching the ball on to his galvanic colleague. But there was a sting left in an awful game and the visitors were about to inflict the same painful misery on their victims as Bristol City and Millwall had recently.

From a free kick on the right, Junior Bacuna's delivery charted an uncertain course to the opposite flank, where Chris Solly was offered an opportunity to clear his lines on an anywhere-will-do basis. Instead his weak, left-footed squibber went straight to Florent Hadergjonaj, allowing the Swiss wide man to find Matt Daly inside him. The 18 year-old substitute swept his first-ever league goal, ironically enough, through Solly's legs into the far corner and the Addicks had yet again snatched defeat from the jaws of a perfectly acceptable draw. It's only fair to observe that Solly's solitary error marred an otherwise solid contribution from this ultimate team man. Next time though, Chris, put your laces through the bloody ball and send it to Kingdom Come. Nobody but the purists will blame you. Trust me.

There was precious little else to encourage beleaguered boss Lee Bowyer as he prepares for the potentially season-defining visit of Hull City on Friday evening. His team has adopted a jaded, threadbare look, which can only partly be explained by a catastrophic injury list. among which Josh Cullen's is the most sorely missed name. There is no lack of effort from the survivors but an understandable fear of making mistakes is unmanning them. Gone for the time being at least is the freewheeling, exuberant joy and cussed satisfaction they derived from defying pre-season predictions of their imminent downfall.  Bowyer's own decisions, meanwhile, such as his preference for greenhorn James Vennings over Albie Morgan as a replacement for a third novice in Alfie Doughty, seemed an almost perverse exercise of his authority and had the amateur tacticians scratching their heads. Young Vennings was probably not alone in being surprised by his manager's call.

Trawling through my meagre notes, meanwhile, I've failed to disinter so much as the whiff of a threat to Kamil Grabara's goal. Even when Solly ran dangerously on to Macauley Bonne's low cross intended for Taylor, his shot was capably blocked by Hadergjonaj. There was also, I believe, a first half shot from Doughty which whistled high and wide but that may be wishful thinking on my part. The Terriers were marginally more aggressive, with Dillon Phillips saving alertly from Karlan Grant and Josh Koroma early in the second half, not to mention Solly's razor-sharp interception to deny Grant an unhindered run on goal.

Shot-shy themselves, the Addicks fired popguns at their almost equally feeble visitors. It fell to an 18-year old Terrier to produce the marksmanship necessary to separate them and send Charlton slip-sliding into what certainly looks like a crisis. It feels like a crisis. Chances are it's a crisis. Yeah, it's a crisis.

Charlton: Phillips, Lockyer, Pearce, Sarr, Solly, Pratley, Gallagher, Purrington, Doughty (Vennings 73), Leko (Taylor 68), Bonne. Not used: Maynard-Brewer, Matthews, Oshilaja, Ledley, Morgan. Booked: Lockyer, Gallagher, Bonne.

Huddersfield: Grabara, Hogg, Bacuna, Kachunga, Koroma (Simpson 73), Schindler, Stankovic, Hadergjonaj, Mounie (Daly 76), Edmunds-Green, Grant. Not used: Coleman, Harratt, High, Austerfield, Jackson. Booked: Kachunga, Stankovic.

Referee: Graham Scott.. Att: 13,488 (680 visiting).

Millwall 2 (Hutchinson 6, Smith 90) Charlton (Leko 51)

Kevin Nolan reports from The Den.

The more things change, the more they stay the bloody same. There's a more stylish French saying which covers the subject without my sanguinary embellishment but let's stick with English to make the bleedin' point. It's reassuringly Anglo-Saxon.

Fact is there's things upon which you can depend as stone-cold certainties. You can rely, for example, on night following day; the seasons changing; the tides ebbing and flowing; the sun rising; the sun also setting; and Millwall beating Charlton. Or at least Millwall nearly always beating Charlton. There have, after all, been 27 draws among their 75 league meetings and - say it neither proud nor loud - 12 wins for the Addicks. The last of those victories was by 2-0 at The Valley on March 9th 1996, with current manager Lee Bowyer opening the scoring. Since that distant afternoon in a mothballed century, eleven more league games have been played; needless to say, Charlton have won none of them. To be fair, though, they drew five times.

A sixth draw looked likely when, with the score 1-1, three added minutes were announced at the Den on Saturday. On second thoughts, make that not so bloody likely! For among 2,211 Charlton fans in attendance and countless others following events through the media, you'd find hardly one of them who was genuinely surprised by what followed. Let's drag the French into it again and put it down to deja-vu. Yet again.

Having forced a left wing corner, the Lions loaded the goal area with hulking attackers. Among them was Matt Smith, called from the bench by Gary Rowett five minutes previously with this situation in mind. At 6'7", Smith is a rare handful at setpieces but in 6'5" man mountain Naby Sarr, Charlton had his physical match. Jed Wallace's expertly delivered inswinger duly targeted Smith at the far post, where the towering substitute swatted aside Sarr's powderpuff challenge and headed firmly past Dillon Phillips. There was scarcely any sense of shock in the upper tier of the stand behind the goal. Some colourful language, of course, but bitter experience soon reduced it to a sullen silence. It's happened too often to be dismissed as an unhappy accident.

An understandably seething Bowyer was scathing in his criticism of his players. As a museum piece member of a Charlton side which actually beat Millwall, he had history on his side when insisting that in defending setpieces, you "do your job and make sure your man doesn't score... coming to a tough place like this, you have to be a man. Stand up and do your job properly. The players know the importance of this game. I've been telling them all week... Smith was more hungry to win the ball."

Bowyer no doubt had also warned them about the careless concession of setpieces in the first place. Their clinical execution is clearly prioritised at Calmont Road and practice made perfect as early as the sixth minute after Jason Pearce's pointless foul on Jon Dadi Bodvarsson dangerously close to Charlton's penalty area. Shaun Williams' wicked delivery was headed home forcefully by Shaun Hutchinson at the far post. Sarr was again flatfooted but was probably no more culpable than a cadre of ball-watching colleagues.

Hutchinson's opening goal punished a disastrous start by Bowyer's men. Sarr had already hacked Wallace's shot off the line, with Phillips saving smartly from Mahlon Romeo's follow-up effort. But the visitors, encouraged by Josh Cullen's fearless example, recovered to control most of the action until the interval. Cullen was desperately unlucky when his shot beat Bartosz Bialkowski, cannoned off the underside of the bar but was scraped off the line by the startled keeper. Bialkowski performed heroically before the break when spectacularly tipping Macauley Bonne's thunderous volley over the bar, then getting down to turn away an effort from Darren Pratley, following fine approach play by Adam Matthews.

By now the better side, Charlton resumed their onslaught in the second half and drew level six minutes into the session. The Lions displayed similar vulnerability to setpieces when Cullen's inswinging left wing corner was scuffed clear only as far as Jonathan Leko, who found the top right corner from a difficult angle. His third goal of the season hardly compensated for a passive contribution from the WBA loanee.
Cullen continued to courageously carry the fight to the wilting Lions. He received sturdy support from Pratley and Conor Gallagher who, despite being singled out for early attention, with two fouls committed on him within the first minute, refused to be cowed. Up front, Bonne grafted gamely and Phillips seemed to have secured his side at least a point with a fine save from the excellent Ben Thompson's point-blank volley. But the late initiative and the points belonged with Millwall - as they have on 36 occasions since this one-sided fixture began at The Den on New Years Eve 1921. Plus ca change...

Millwall: Bialkowski, Romeo, Hutchinson, Cooper, M.Wallace, J.Wallace, Molumby, Williams, Thompson (O'Brien 86), Bradshaw (Smith 86), Bodvarsson (Mahoney 76). Not used: Steele,Ferguson, Pearce,Skalak.

Referee: Robert Jones. Att: 17,109 (2,211).

Fulham 2 (Cavaleiro 55, Mitrovic 63) Charlton 2 (Gallagher 41, Bonne 57).

Kevin Nolan reports from Craven Cottage.

Battered, bruised and brainweary, Charlton trudged off after this punishing, enthralling Thameside derby clutching a precious point. They had withstood a second half pounding from a wave of white-shirted attackers, ridden their luck at times but shown genuine character in clinging on to a share of the spoils. With four points quarried from an unholy trinity of recent games against Championship high flyers Leeds, Swansea City and Fulham, they had earned rest and recuperation during the second international break before tackling another daunting schedule featuring Derby County, Bristol City and West Bromwich Albion.

Not that the first lay-off worked in their favour; it disastrously cost them the services of top scorer Lyle Taylor, injured while on duty with Montserrat. There was brief alarm as the Addicks promptly lost to the modest likes of Birmingham City and Wigan Athletic; in Taylor's absence, in fact, they have picked up just four points from five games. But their spirited defiance at Craven Cottage, not to mention the ability and guts they showed, encourages hope that their mini-slide has been checked. They gave almost as good as they got, fought courageously and survived.

Among a catalogue of superb performances, the pick of which was a stupendous display of goalkeeping by Dillon Phillips, another more unlikely hero emerged. Taylor's injury has given Macauley Bonne an opportunity to step up from non-league football with Orient to the Championship with newly promoted Charlton. The massive leap in class proved initially tricky and the overawed tyro struggled to impress. Then the small matter of Charlton's winning goal against Leeds, which was claimed with a veteran's chutzpah by the newcomer despite only vague evidence it was his to own, changed his fortunes. Bonne had bravely thrown himself in where the boots were flying and, at the very least, forced defender Stuart Dallas to put through his own goal. The record book duly credits him with his first Charlton goal and nobody any longer disputes his right to it. Least of all Dallas.

Having made little impression on Swansea during midweek defeat at The Valley, Bonne came into his own against Fulham. He was significantly involved in the Addicks' first goal and brilliantly scored their second. His overall performance up front on his own, meanwhile, was accomplished and effective.

A first half during which Charlton held their own with Scott Parker's talented Cottagers was drawing to an entertaining close when Bonne cleverly nodded Phillips' long clearance on to Conor Gallagher, who instantly relayed the ball to Jake Forster-Caskey near the left touchline. Stepping inside to cross right-footed, the wide midfielder picked out Chris Solly closing in at the far post. Solly's canny header was cushioned perfectly for Gallagher, intelligently on the move as usual, to half-volley past Marcus Bettinelli. Five players had contributed to a fine team goal.

No doubt irritated to find themselves behind at the interval, Fulham took steps to redress the situation. Inspired substitute Bobby Decordova-Reid was immediately dangerous, his sharp exchange of passes with Ivan Cavaleiro outwitting the attentions of Forster-Caskey and Naby Sarr and sending the electric-heeled Portuguese winger through to beat Phillips with a blistering 25-yard strike.
Fulham's equality lasted just two minutes, the time it took Bonne to put the visitors in front again. Josh Cullen's right wing corner was scuffed clear for Jonny Williams to re-cycle possession to Darren Pratley on the left. The wily campaigner switched feet and crossed for Bonne to climb above Aleksandar Mitrovic and flight a deft header over Bettinelli and sweetly under the bar. This goal had "Bonne" indelibly stamped on it.

Again Charlton's lead was shortlived. After Joe Bryan and Mitrovic had each rattled the crossbar, the bustling Serb drew Fulham level again under frankly dubious circumstances. Returning from an offside position as Phillips brilliantly saved Tom Cairney's diving header, Mitrovic re-joined the action, turned and bullied a second equaliser over the fallen keeper. Neither referee Keith Stroud nor his equally myopic assistant were interested in Charlton's protests.

A riproaring, rumbustious game now seemed Fulham's - and especially Decordova-Reid's - for the taking but Phillips had other ideas. Two wonderful saves from the Jamaican flyer, first from a point-blank header, then a corner-bound curler, were mere tasters for the frankly incredible block on the goalline which kept out Decordova-Reid's sure thing in added time. His save defies description so none will be offered here, except to point out that goalkeepers hear a different drummer and are often not accountable for their actions. Many of them are not all there but Dillon was the coolest customer inside Craven Cottage on Saturday. Anyway, I can't talk. I swore in fluent Hungarian when the added time board showed seven extra minutes, then broke into a fit of hysterical giggling when they were over. See you after the break if they let me out in time...

Fulham: Bettinelli, Mason, Johansen (Onomah 97), Ream, Sessegnon (Decordova-Reid 46), Bryan, Cairney, Arter (Reed 46), Knockaert, Cavaleiro, Mitrovic. Not used: Rodak, Odoi, Le Marchand, Kamara. Booked: Bryan, Mitrovic.

Booked: Gallagher. Referee: Keith Stroud. Att: 18,654 (1,970 visiting).

Reading 0 Charlton 2 (Leko 51, Taylor 80, pen).

Kevin Nolan reports from the Madejski Stadium.

These Charlton reports are beginning to write themselves. They tell a repetitive story of consistency, team spirit and ability- in a side which features several loan signings, but shows touching pride in the shirt and an insatiable will to win. Operating with one of the most modest budgets in the division, they are already on their way to confounding dire predictions that they would be outclassed at this level. There will be setbacks, of course, but Lee Bowyer's band of brothers seem equipped to deal with them.

This latest success over a side tipped to beat them comfortably showed the Addicks at their most dangerous. Though marginally second best in a testing first half, they stayed in the game, held their nerve and ultimately put Reading in their place. They were denied a clear penalty when home skipper Liam Moore clean-and-jerked Jonny Williams to the ground but survived a scare of their own shortly before the break. Dillon Phillips' save with an instinctively deployed right foot in one-on-one confrontation with George Puscus was outstanding.

The Romanian striker was inches away from telling contact with Omar Richards' pass which bounced freakishly up against the bar and also shot narrowly wide on the turn as the Royals had the better of things. But four minutes after the break, they found themselves behind.

Chosen regularly by Bowyer, West Brom loanee Jonathan Leko has captivated and frustrated in equal measure. Adhering to no obvious plan, he makes his own one up as he goes along but is a troublesome handful for defenders expecting a more orthodox challenge. Typically chancing his arm from outside the penalty area, his well-struck left foot drive enjoyed a treacherous deflection off Tom McIntyre which left Rafael Cabral helpless as it changed direction and found the left corner. Leko's joy at scoring his first goal for Charlton was shared by a healthy contingent of travelling Addicks, who were belatedly joined by their new hero as soon as he realised he was heading off in the wrong direction. The goal crowned his best performance in the famous old red shirt.

Taking, then holding, the lead has been in the still recent past, a problem for Charlton. A chronic habit of conceding late goals had robbed them of points with alarming regularity. This failing has not been inherited by the class of 19-20. Not while a rock-like defence is being marshalled by granite-hewn centre backs Jason Pearce and Tom Lockyer, with full backs Chris Solly and Ben Purrington steady Eddies alongside them. And behind an obdurate back four, Phillips added to his crucial first half save with spectacular flying stops of Ovie Ejiara's resounding drive and a vicious late free kick from John Swift. The Royals were stopped around their visitors' 18 yard-line, with blocks, interceptions and expertly timed tackles frustrating their efforts to break through a stubbornly organised red wall.

While diligently protecting their lead, the enterprising Addicks had passed up several chances to add to it. Leko did the hard part by sharply cutting inside but hit the sidenet with an effort on the turn. With the bit firmly between his teeth, he then set up Connor Gallagher, whose fierce drive on the run forced a fine, full length save from Cabral. Another versatile contribution from the 19 year-old Chelsea academy graduate was slightly marred by the hesitant mess he made of another opening from closer range.

But with ten minutes left, Reading were finished off from the penalty spot. Having emerged from a strong bench to relieve a bruised and battered Williams just past the hour mark, Chuks Aneke had been a physical nightmare for the home defence. Slipped in by Leko, he staggered through one foul but was dragged down by a second, more ruthless offender. Following a bout of kidology involving Lyle Taylor and Cabral, the striker sauntered up from the "D", took two quick steps and slid the ball casually inside the right post. It's not everyone's recommended penalty routine but, listen, it works for Taylor. The same can be said about the methods Charlton are using to put together an impressive, unbeaten start to their season. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Reading: Cabral, Moore, Morrison, McIntyre, Yiadom (Boye 65), Richards (Meite 65), Joao, Gomes (Barrett 81). Ejaria, Swift, Puscas. Not used: Rinomhota, Virginia, Adam, Osho, Barrett.

Referee: J. Gillett. Att: 16,906 (2144 visiting).

Charlton 3 (Taylor 25, Aneke 75, Gallagher 83) Stoke City 1 (Ince 37).

Kevin Nolan reporting from The Valley.

Showing that their opening day victory at Blackburn was no flash in the pan, Charlton made it two wins in a row by seeing off Stoke City. On a gusty afternoon when fans bonded with players to create an irresistible atmosphere, the briefly impressive visitors were swept away on a tide of raw emotion. Some of the football produced by Lee Bowyer's iconoclastic warriors was pretty nifty too, it's pleasing to report.

The first 20 minutes made admittedly awkward viewing for the buoyant home crowd. City kept the ball on the deck, passed it around accurately and probed for openings. Doggedly, the Addicks kept their shape, picked up runners diligently and hung in. Then midway through a one-sided first half, they suckerpunched their over-confident visitors with a goal of stunning quality.

At the end of what was apparently a difficult week (as a virtual stranger to social media, the "difficulty" passed me by), Lyle Taylor had been struggling to get a look-in as the Potters dominated possession. He's not a player it pays to take your eye off, though, as Nathan Jones' complacent men discovered. Picked out on the left flank by Jonathan Leko's arrowed pass, Taylor stepped inside on to his favoured right foot before detonating a venomous drive which found the opposite corner off Jack Butland's straining fingertips. His second goal of the season qualified as a collector's item. He seldom - if ever - scores from outside the penalty area.

Falling behind galvanised City. The penny dropped that their pretty approach play needed end product, which new signing Scott Hogan came close to providing by beating Dillon Phillips with a faintly deflected effort which unluckily cannoned off the bar. Three minutes later, Tom Ince equalised with a long range blockbuster which saw and raised Taylor's effort for sheer quality.

Having conceded possession near the halfway line, the Addicks retreated instinctively as Ince made ground and let fly from over 30 yards. His shot was still rising as it hit the net behind a full length Phillips. Game most definitely on.

Ince's fine goal handed the pre-interval initiative to the visitors and Lee Gregory, cheerfully jeered for his Millwall connections, hit the post during an untidy goalmouth scramble. By the time Tommy Smith shot conveniently straight at Phillips from inside the penalty area, the break came as sweet relief to Bowyer's rattled men.

The second half didn't quite start as Charlton meant to go on. They were spreadeagled by Joe Allen's menacing run along the right byline but with scoring the easiest of his options, Gregory incredibly scooped an absolute sitter over the bar. The Addicks had their moment too, with Taylor breaking away to set up Leko for a tap-in which Butland's alertness bravely smothered. With a useful draw looking likely, The Valley erupted in primeval joy as a two-goal salvo instead destroyed the Potters.

Interpassing between Ben Purrington and Johnny Williams on the right made a fleeting opening for Taylor, which Butland foiled. Picking up the scraps on the left, Josh Cullen made positive inroads to improvise a cross half scuffed clear to the penalty spot. Substitute Chuks Aneke practically licked his lips before drilling Charlton ahead. Celebrations were mighty but the home side were not yet finished.

From Cullen's right corner - Charlton's first of the game - a rehearsed routine saw Taylor come short along the byline before turning to drive a hard low ball into the middle. Butland's parry fell perfectly for Connor Gallagher to sweep a game-clinching third goal past him. The Valley could even allow itself the rare luxury of relaxing. This game was won and lost.

For Bowyer, there were resounding performances to savour all over the pitch, with certain reservations about the flimsy nature of some of Charlton's defending a cause for concern. Full backs Purington and Solly were sound enough, with the latter recovering from a shaky start to put a sock into the mouths of a persistent band of detractors, some of whom judge him at second sight from hand-me-down accounts. Solly's was his usual 7 out of 10 contribution. No call to worry about him.

Restless and insatiable, Cullen was a popular choice as man-of-the match, his re-signing shortly before the transfer window closed, a coup for Bowyer and his staff. He was run close, however, by the unsung, prodigious contribution of Darren Pratley, who belied his veteran's label with selfless, unstinting commitment to Charlton's cause. Pratley made himself hard to drop, despite the 11th hour arrival of several midfield candidates. Debutant Leko was a clever, twisting box-of-tricks, who only occasionally hung on to the ball a trifle too long, Gallagher a youthful bundle of energy with no air of Chelsea swanking about him. Good kid with good pedigree.

What's not to love about these honest, talented Addicks? It's a pleasure to report their progress. So I'll go on doing it, if you don't mind.

Charlton: Phillips, Solly, Lockyer, Pearce, Purrington, Leko (Aneke 69), Cullen, Pratley, Williams (Lapslie 86), Gallagher, Taylor. Not used: Amos, Oshilaja, Forster-Caskey, Bonne, Sarr.

Stoke: Butland, Smith, Batth, Lindsey, Ward, Woods (Duffy 69), Allen, Clucas, Ince, Hogan (Campbell 61), Gregory (Verlinden 78). Not used: Federici, Vokes, Cousins, Collins.

Referee: Simon Hooper. Att: 17,848 (2,340).