Charlton 0 Preston North End 3 (Gallagher 2, 36, Johnson 62).

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley

Plumbing unimaginably new depths of ineptitude, Charlton’s slide towards League One accelerated with this embarrassing dismantling by Preston, winners only once previously this season. North End duly vaulted over their bewildered hosts and by virtue of alphabetical inferiority to Bristol City, the Addicks slithered into the Championship’s bottom three. Which is where they deserve to be and will continue to be unless The Valley’s absentee owner/landlord shows just a smidgin of interest in their plight. If, indeed, he actually is interested. It’s hard to tell because he’s eyeballed around the place less often than George Osborne at a food bank.

Hapless. Helpless. Hopeless. These were three of the more polite descriptions of Charlton’s drab efforts. There were, of course, many more alternative epithets used by their hacked-off fans to capture their stunning inadequacy but the obscenity laws of the land rule out their repetition in this report. You are invited to fill in your own blanks. But kindly don’t use them to frighten the horses.

To be fair, Charlton were beset by injuries, the latest of which saw the withdrawal of Johann Berg Gudmundsson. who will no doubt disappear into the Bermuda Triangle which mysteriously swallows up wounded Addicks. And that’s as fair as we’ll get because the visitors arrived with their own list of absentees which more than matched the Sparrows Lane roster of casualties. Even the absence of suspended Patrick Bauer was seen, if not raised, by the loss to Preston, of banned striker Joe Garner.

Guy Luzon’s response to his latest dilemma was to hand a full debut to Tareiq Holmes-Dennis, re-instate Morgan Fox and switch Zakaraya Bergdich to a bizarre role in wide right midfield. He thereby managed to field no fewer than three left backs in a line-up which consequently had a piecemeal look to it. Holmes-Dennis, still a week short of his 20th birthday, stuck to his guns but was overwhelmed by the occasion; Fox endured a personal nightmare; Bergdich was utterly anonymous until replaced for the second half by Everton loanee Conor McAleny, an elegant performer boasting more style than substance. Not that any other Addick emerged with credit. They all went missing, each as dire as the other.

It took Charlton two minutes to handicap themselves. They share a chronic tendency to dive in with ill-advised tackles just outside their penalty area and this time it was impetuous Jordan Cousins who upended Adam Reach in tempting territory for setpiece specialist Paul Gallagher. Having studiously organised his wall, Nick Pope left himself too much ground to cover as Gallagher picked his spot for a beauty which dipped inside the left post.

It was Gallagher’s first contribution to a game which he took by the scruff of the neck and personally controlled until he departed with 11 mintes left. His killer pass soon after he’d scored sent Jordan Hugill through to be ruthlessly chopped down by Alou Diarra. This time his free kick was blocked by the wall.

Alongside Gallagher, Daniel Johnson was the perfect foil. His raking 25-yard drive was capably saved by Pope before, on 27 minutes, Tony Watt produced the outclassed Londoners’ first effort on target, a stinging shot into Jordan Pickford’s midriff, which drew ironic cheers from the increasingly restless natives. But it was Gallagher who placed clear water between the sides before the interval.

The old pro’s left wing corner was cleared out to Marnick Vermijl, whose fierce volley was deflected for a second flagkick. This near post delivery was scrambled back to him and his acute-angled finish off the bar into the far corner was the sublime work of a seasoned veteran with miles still left on his clock.

Before the teams retired to vastly different welcomes for their tea break, Gallagher came within inches of completing an outstanding hat-trick. His audacious 30-yard chip had Pope backpedalling frantically to touch over his bar. The keeper’s enterprising save earned him the luck he enjoyed later when Alan Browne’s header rebounded off the woodwork.

A dreadful first half got even worse for Charlton after the interval, although a brisk opening ten minutes of the second period, while a mile short of a purple patch, offered brief hope. Twin talismen Johnnie Jackson and Simon Makienok came off the bench just past the hour but there was to be no reprise of the Fulham heroics. Instead the busy Johnson slapped the Addicks further down by leaving Fox on his derriere as he cut in from the right to curl an unstoppable left-footed drive beyond the shellshocked Pope. All three of North End’s goals were special. This one, though, was the pick of the bunch.

Johnson’s fine strike not only consigned Charlton to the bottom three but brought with it open dissension from the stands. Luzon was assured that his tenure as Charlton manager would be terminated in the morning and the mood was mutinous by the time his players left the scene. They had again supplied a single on-target effort, while breaking records for passes sideways and backwards and contriving to make Preston look like champions-elect. They were spineless, gormless, clueless. Grown men (and women, he added hastily) will shoot bolt upright in bed in the wee small hours when the memory of this awful night chills their nightmares. And we do it all again on Saturday, with Brentford anxious no doubt to mop up what’s left. If it all turns ugly again, counselling should be made available for those unable to cope. Then we might be able to put that bloody sofa to better use.

Charlton: Pope, Solly, Sarr, Diarra, Fox, Bergdich (McAleny 46), Cousins, Ba (Jackson 61), Holmes-Dennis, Ahearne-Grant (Makienok 61), Watt. Not used: Henderson, Ghoochannejhad, Kennedy, Mossa. Booked: Fox.

Referee: Simon Hooper.

Charlton 2 (Jackson 81, Cousins 90+6) Fulham 2 (Tunnicliffe 32, McCormack 59).

With just 10 minutes of this desperately disappointing game left, Charlton were staring another demoralising defeat squarely in the face. The players were showing every sign of surrendering, the crowd was becoming mildly mutinous, even your reporter’s blue bookie’s pen had dried up.

It was a bleak scenario into which Guy Luzon, bowing to popular demand, introduced his third and final substitute. But this was no ordinary substitute. For bursting from a phone box kept near the bench for his exclusive use, the newcomer bounded on to the field, joined the throng awaiting Johann Berg Gudmunsson’s outswinging corner and, with his first touch, headed it unstoppably into the roof of Fulham’s net. Screaming his delight and defiance at the covered end, the mystery man tore open his shirt to reveal himself as Captain Jackson, rescuer of lost causes and regular accomplisher of the impossible. It was all in a day’s work for Charlton’s own super hero.

The electrified crowd bayed back their affection and appreciation, having beseeched Luzon to stick him on for at least 20 minutes. They know the character of their man, the galvanic impact he has on both team and supporters. And many of them have no time for the theory that his 33 year-old legs are past it, reasoning that at least 50% of football is played in the head. A vast store of knowledge has accrued inside this particular veteran’s head and informs him that there are times when standing still is a shrewder ploy than tearing around to no specified purpose. It was a shot in the arm to have him back.

Confident, complacent, cocky Fulham were taken aback by the new development. After strolling into a 2-0 lead, which they might, on occasion, have improved, they were thrust on to the back foot and didn’t relish the experience. Suddenly goalkeeper Andy Lonergan took an age with his goal kicks, while Jamie O’Hara’s 90th minute replacement by Sakari Matilla was attended by as much ceremony as the Changing of the Guard. Their understandable delaying tactics appeared to have worked when lively Karlan Ahearne-Grant fired what seemed a last chance over the bar. But the richly promising 18 year-old kid, at the other end of the career spectrum as his venerable skipper, wasn’t quite through for the afternoon.

Summoning one last burst of his youthful energy, Ahearne-Grant made space on the right flank for a perfectly flighted cross. Overpowering the tiring Cottagers at the far post, 21 year-old Jordan Cousins emulated Jackson’s no-nonsense treatment of Gudmundsson’s earlier delivery and bulleted a headed equaliser past the remains of Fulham’s resistance. And if Tony Watt had managed to get a toe in front of Richard Stearman to convert a fleeting last-kick chance, the stirring rally might have raised the roof.

Prior to the intervention of superhero Jackson, there was little to enthuse either the under-pressure Luzon or a patient, expectant crowd. As early as the opening minute, Cousins produced a deliciously timed pass to send Conor McAleny through the inside left channel but the Everton loanee shot wastefully wide of the left post as Lonergan hopefully advanced. Sobered by the escape, the West Londoners took the initiative, with Nick Pope required to pull off excellent saves to keep out drives from Jazz Richards and the busy O’Hara.

With Pope in such reliable form, it was discouraging when the latest of the rookie keeper’s disastrous errors helped the visitors to an important lead just past the half hour mark. Picking himself up 30 yards from goal following a careless foul by Alou Diarra, Ross McCormack’s low free kick was on target but hit straight at Pope. Troubled by similar shots in past games, the young stopper spilled the ball at the feet of Ryan Tunnicliffe, who made easy work of converting the rebound. Until Stephen Henderson returns and as long as Dimitar Mitov is not trusted to step into the breach, Pope’s vulnerability to the low, hard shot down his throat, remains a fatal flaw in the armoury of an otherwise promising keeper. His problem needs to be addressed before his confidence and The Valley’s loyalty are mutually exhausted.

Having paid eleven million quid for McCormack, Fulham weren’t fully vindicated by his goal output last season. But his 59th minute strike, which doubled the Cottagers’ lead a minute before the hour mark, was typically predatory. The spadework was done on the left by the indefatigable Tunnicliffe, whose pass was initially taken too wide by the Scottish scoring machine. Wrapping himself around a left-footed shot, McCormack found the bottom right corner with practised ease.

At that point, with the game drifting away from them, Charlton apparently stood no chance. Substitutes Zakaraya Bergdich and Franck Mouusa, to be fair, improved matters but the general torpor gave no hint of the drama about to unfold. The Addicks were sleepwalking to defeat when, to overwhelming approval,

Luzon played his last card. Call it charisma, call it personality, just call it the Johnnie Jackson effect and have done with it. He’s Charlton’s courageous captain, their captain courageous, a player admired, for good reason, throughout the league. And not for the first time, he came through like gangbusters. Enjoy him while you can,

Charlton: Pope, Solly, Bauer, Diarra, Fox (Bergdich 65), Gudmundsson, Ba (Jackson 80), McAleny (Moussa 71), Cousins, Watt, Ahearne-Grant. Not used: Mitov, Sarr, Holmes-Dennis, Kennedy. Booked: Gudmundsson.

Referee: James Linington. Attendance: 14.662.

Crystal Palace 4 (Campbell 51, Gayle 59, 74 pens,86) Charlton 1 (Sarr 65).

Despite years of so-called trying, Charlton haven’t quite got the hang of this Cup giantkilling lark yet. The penny hasn’t dropped that when you’re up against clearly superior opposition, the gap can sometimes be closed by spirit, heart and determination. In a word, guts. It also helps if you have a surprise or two up your sleeve. And also if you can play a bit.

For example, David was a rank outsider when he turned up to take on Goliath. But he was never the hopeless underdog history has made him out to be. That was no lucky shot the kid pulled off. He was obviously a deadeye Dave with slingshot and rock. What he had going for him was attitude and an edge.

Confronted by detested neighbours Crystal Palace in this Capital Cup third round tie, Charlton were by contrast drearily feeble. The marshmallows and cream puffs they catapulted at Palace wouldn’t have dented an egg, much less a confident Premier League defence. Their entire output amounted to a couple of off-target efforts from Conor McAleny, a decent shot by Karlan Ahearne-Grant which was capably dealt with by Wayne Hennessy and Tony Watt’s second half toepoke that zipped narrowly wide. In fairness, a reasonable appeal for a penalty was turned down when McAleny was chopped down inside the area but it all amounted to zilch, zip, zero. They were easy pickings for Palace, who squandered chances during a relatively even first half before turning on the burners and pulling away in a one-sided second period.

One of the problems is that the Addicks have very little up front, a situation complicated by the in-and-out availability of their fragile main strikers. Simon Makienok is the latest absentee through injury and with Tony Watt on the bench, Ahearne-Grant and McAleny were thrown in at the deep end at Selhurst Park. The youngsters did their best but found the going tough. Palace’s four goals, meanwhile, were shared by Frazier Campbell and Dwight Gayle, neither of whom start in the Premier League. This was a secondary home side carefully selected by Alan Pardew to do the job with as little stress as possible. He could afford a wry smile as the usual foulmouthed abuse wafted over to him from the Arthur Wait Stand. He’s heard it all before. Not that he cares one way or the other about it.

Palace made heavy weather of it before the interval. Gayle’s early free kick skimmed the bar before the elusive Wilfried Zaha wastefully headed Chung-yong Lee’s precise cross over the top. An error by the infuriating Zakaraya Bergdich allowed Lee to set up a close range shot by Campbell which Alou Diarra’s head diverted over the bar, then Gayle’s 25-yarder shaved the left post. In a rare foray at the other end, Ahearne-Grant’s skidding effort forced Hennessy’s solitary genuine save. Having defended capably enough, the visitors retired in reasonable shape at the break.

A different, more motivated Palace emerged upon resumption. Campbell headed Zaha’s perfect centre inexplicably wide but redeemed himself a minute later. Zaha’s weaving dribble caused chaos in the heart of Charlton’s rearguard and Campbell pivoted to plant a low drive in the bottom left corner. Almost immediately, McAleny’s feet were cut from under him inside the penalty area but referee Neil Swarbrick was not only unmoved by the incident but compounded his villainy by almost instantly awarding the Eagles a penalty for a far less obvious offence. Caught on the wrong side of Campbell as the forward eluded him, Diarra’s leaning challenge was clumsy and marginally illegal. The centre half was booked before Gayle made easy work of converting the spotkick.

Five minutes later, Charlton were surprisingly back in it with half a chance as Naby Sarr forcefully headed substitute Johann Berg Gudmundsson’s corner through Hennessy’s weak hands. It won’t have escaped Guy Luzon’s attention that his side’s last three goal have been scored by centre backs and that his frontline strikers (Makienok, Watt and Vetokele) have chalked up just four goals between them.

As if affronted by the Addicks’ success, Swarbrick’s second crucial intervention restored Palace’s two-goal cushion. Again Diarra lost his man, this time the waspish Gayle, yet again he awkwardly bundled his opponent to the ground, on this occasion even less culpably than before. Deaf to suggestions that he might be a “homer” Swarbrick pointed to the spot and flourished a straight red card at Diarra. Gayle buried his second penalty and completed his hat-trick four minutes from time by outjumping a threadbare defence to head home Lee’s right wing corner.

So Charlton’s little adventure in the Capital Cup was emphatically over. They might have dodged a bullet in avoiding a potentially painful visit to Manchester City in the next round but defeat at the hands of Crystal Palace is a bitter pill at any time. The last laugh belonged to Pardew, unruffled by the toxic atmosphere and vindicated by decisive victory over his would-be tormentors. Blimey, football can be galling!

Palace: Henessy, Mariappa, Delaney (Hangeland 34), Souare, Kelly, Zaha, Lee, McArthur (Cabaye 74), Ledley, Campbell (Bamford 60), Gayle. Not used: Speroni, Bolasie, Sako, Puncheon.

Charlton: Pope, Solly, Sarr, Diarra, Fox, Kennedy (Gudmundsson 59), Bergdich, Ba, Cousins (Kashi 68), McAleny (Watt 72), Ahearne-Grant. Not used: Mitov, Bauer, Holmes-Dennis, Lennon. Booked: Diarra, Bergdich. Sent off: Diarra.

Referee: Neil Swarbrick.

Att: 16,576 (2,900 visiting).

Charlton 1 (Sarr 45) Huddersfield Town 2 (Bunn 11, Huws 34).

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley

Dispiriting defeat marked the second stage in Charlton’s three-game trawl through the lowest reaches of the Championship. They came up empty-handed after being outsmarted, outfought and embarrassingly outclassed by Huddersfield Town, who began the evening second from bottom and without a win so far this season but deservedly left The Valley just three points behind their helpful hosts.

At the weekend, bottom of the table Rotherham had helped themselves to a badly needed point while Blackburn Rovers, with a daunting fixture complicating matters at QPR tonight, will be targetting next Saturday’s home game against Charlton as an outstanding chance to improve their prospects. So much for the seven or even nine points haul the Addicks expected from this trinity of “winnable ” games.

There were similarities between the two home games. Starting on the back foot again, Charlton handed the initiative to the visitors, unfortunately this time going not one but two goals down before the interval. Briefly pulling themselves together, they reduced their arrears prior to the break and left themselves the entire second half to make good their disadvantage. Which is something they failed miserably to do.

Patrick Bauer’s cynical first minute foul on Harry Bunn, for which he might reasonably have been booked, betrayed Charlton’s inexplicable nervousness. So too did Morgan Fox’s less than resolute commitment in a 50-50 challenge with Sean Scannell, hardly a renowned brute in such circumstances. The ex-Palace wide man broke through Fox’s wafer-thin resistance before pulling a deceptive cross back behind the wrongfooted central defenders. Meeting the ball on the turn, Bunn’s firmly struck volley bounced up and in off the right hand of a badly deceived Nick Pope. It was tough on the young keeper but he might have done better.

At the other end, Johann Berg Gudmundsson shot narrowly wide and Jed Steer showed decisiveness in leaving his line to beat Simon Makienot to El-Hadji Ba’s fine curling delivery. But spearheaded by Ishmael Miller’s unmanageable physicality and the weaving menace of Mustapha Caryol on the left flank, the Terriers looked likelier to score again. Struggling to contain Caryol, Chris Solly was beaten on the inside by the winger, whose curling right-footed drive was pushed away by Pope, the loose ball barely eluding Scannell as he closed in beyond the far post.

With clearly no intention of sitting on their lead, Town set about doubling it. Full debutant Naby Sarr, deputising for the curiously rested Alou Diarra, showed immaturity in needlessly shoving the bustling Miller in the back to concede a free kick, which Emyr Huws skilfully planted in the bottom left corner. Leaving himself too much ground to cover from his position nearer the opposite post, Pope was unable to manage a touch despite a full length dive.

In the last minute of normal time, the Addicks seemed to have provided themselves with a launch pad for second half recovery by halving the deficit. Jason Davidson’s foul on the persistent Ba allowed Gudmunsson to swing in a free kick from the left, which Sarr glanced inside the left post. It was a morale-boosting end to a desperately disappointing first half but ultimately amounted to nothing.

The second period petered out almost as an afterthought. Ba started it by scuffing Makienok’s pass across goal but wide of the far post, then Makienot made a similar mess of converting a huge punt from Pope, which cleared Elliott Ward’s head and sent him through to confront Steed. Substitute Zakaraya Bergdich blasted Gudmundsson’s cross wildly over the bar and Makienok skewed the Icelandic schemer’s corner in vaguely the same direction.

It was hardly irresistible pressure and wasn’t helped by the self-indulgent contribution of Tony Watt. Dropping deeper as the game wore on, the undeniably skilful Scot set himself the self-appointed task of breaking down Town’s resistance with a series of doomed dribbles through their massed ranks. The word is obviously out on the ex-Celtic maverick’s individuality and his solo efforts were comfortably snuffed out by a nagging posse of opponents. Watt might be profitably re-introduced to Makienok and have the benefits of a strike partnership explained to him.

It wouldn’t do, of course, to lay the blame for Charlton’s recent slump solely at Watt’s twinkling feet. Or to castigate young Sarr, who was taken to school by the streetwise Miller. Alongside him, Bauer drew a similar blank in controlling Miller’s old-fashioned muscularity. Meanwhile, Solly has rarely been given the chasing he received from Carayol while Fox struggled vainly to contain the fleetfooted Scannell, who provided his defence with the ideal outlet whenever they came under occasional pressure. So outstanding against Rotherham, Pope was marginally at fault for both goals and weakened his case for selection when Stephen Henderson makes an overdue return. Ahmed Kashi and Ba were arguably the pick of a poor bunch, while Jordan Cousins has lapsed into relative anonymity, with some slack cut for his willingness to play out of position wide on the left.

Only seven games into the new season, Charlton already betray a jaded look. Much more of the same and it’s they who will be targetted as a soft touch by the top half of the table. Their attitude at Blackburn will be under the spotlight because defeat there might inspire the first shoots of panic. Perhaps they are not as good as we thought they were. Or perhaps they will ram those words down my throat.

Charlton: Pope, Solly, Sarr, Bauer, Fox (McAleny 74) Gudmundsson, Kashi, Ba (Bergdich 54), Cousins, Makienok (Vetokele 80), Watt. Not used: Mitov, Jackson, Diarra, Ahearne-Grant. Booked: Sarr.

Att: 13,873 (339 visiting).

Charlton 4 (Watt 26, Ahearne-Grant 40, Bergdich 57, Ghoochannejhad 77) Dagenham & Redbridge 1 (Doidge 69).

Kevin Nolan reports from the Valley

Blithely unencumbered by past Cup embarrassments, Charlton’s current side made light work of sweeping aside their League Two visitors and cruised into the Capital One second round. Dagenham never really stood a chance. Nor did Redbridge, who didn’t turn up to help their neighbours.

A great believer in breeding a winning mentality, Guy Luzon took the competition seriously and fielded a strong side. There were debuts for massive French centre back Naby Sarr and 18 year-old Regan Charles-Cook at right back but this was no outing for intended second stringers. The starting line-up for next Saturday’s trip to Derby is by no means cut and dried.

Clearly meaning business, the Addicks might have been in front on 16 minutes after Nyron Nosworthy clumsily tripped the irrepressible Tony Watt. From over 20 yards, Johnnie Jackson’s free kick beat Mark Cousins but clipped the crossbar on its way to safety. Jackson and Watt combined again shortly afterwards, with the skipper’s pass allowing the Scottish livewire to attack the heart of the visitors’ defence. Temporarily dispossessed by Nosworthy, Watt tenaciously won the ball back before placing it carefully past Cousins into the bottom right corner. The Addicks were off and running.

Charles-Cook (some player,Charlie Cooke, by the way), meanwhile, was finding his hands full with elusive wide man Ashley Chambers who, in one memorable incident, dummied the youngster on the left touchline before sprinting into ominous space. Charles-Cook’s lungbursting recovery run and key block of the winger’s cross spoke volumes for the kid’s fighting spirit.

Before the interval, Charlton predictably doubled their lead. Stylish Cristian Ceballos fed Watt, took the striker’s return in his stride and crossed low from the left. On the six-yard line, Zakaraya Bergdich’s robust challenge created the loose ball, which Karlan Ahearne-Grant, still a 17 year-old anklebiter, turned inside the right post for his first senior Charlton goal.

Little had been seen of Dagenham as an attacking force until on the half hour, Joe Widdowson’s centre caused brief concern as Patrick Bauer slipped but a distracted Matt McClure air-kicked an acceptable chance behind the struggling defender.

With no half-time substitutions made, Luzon continued his hard-nosed attitude to the tie. He was almost rewarded with a third goal when Watt’s typical persistence made room for El-Hadji Ba’s fierce drive to rebound off the bar but didn’t have long to wait. And the clincher, when it came moments later, was easily the best of the four.

As Watt carried the ball into a densely packed penalty area, Ahearne-Grant’s willing decoy run took the pressure off his strike partner. Using the space created, Watt’s inspired reverse pass sent Bergdich through to calmly slot past Cousins for a goal which brought most of a paltry crowd to its feet in salute.

These game Daggers weren’t ready to roll over yet and replied with a clever face-saver of their own. Timing his through pass perfectly, Chambers found Cristian Doidge, who stayed astutely onside before giving Nick Pope no chance.

Pope’s headlong dash from his line to beat Jodi Jones to a long ball, which he headed emphatically into touch was impressive. Not so impressive was his handling of no fewer than three pea-rollers straight at him, all of which he awkwardly fielded at the second attempt. Mindful of the “shocker” they scored through his legs at The Valley last season, Derby’s scouts will pass the word to their strikers not to give up on seemingly innocuous shots. Nor should Pope’s defenders until their otherwise admirable keeper’s technique can be corrected.

Dagenham’s brief recovery, meanwhile, was quashed by the Addicks’ fourth goal, claimed by the dimly remembered Reza Ghoochannejhad, once of this parish but a world traveller since World Cup 2014. And a tidy effort it was as the Iranian international ran on to Ba’s fine pass, found his angle close to the right byeline too narrow, so casually opened his body for a cute left-footed finish whipped over Cousins’ shoulder into the near corner.

With many of their Championship rivals eliminated from The Capital One Cup on Tuesday evening, Charlton march on. Forget the many disappointments because they have a proud Cup tradition to sustain them. After all, they remain the only SE London club to have actually WON the FA Cup. Not so tasty in the variously titled League Cups but there you go, you cant -and don’t – win ’em all.

Charlton: Pope, Charles-Cook, Bauer, Sarr, Fox, Ceballos (Holmes-Dennis 74), Ba, Bergdich (Gudmundsson 62), Jackson, Watt (Ghoochannejhad 62), Ahearne-Grant. Not used: Mitov, Cousins, Makienok, Lennon. Booked: Ceballos.

Dagenham: Cousins, Nosworthy, Dikamona, Boucaud, Widdowson, Jones, Hamalainen (Hemmings 58), Partridge (Passley 75), Ferdinand, Chambers, McClure (Doidge 58). Not used: O’Brien. Connors, Cureton, Richards. Booked: Nosworthy.

Charlton 2 (Watt 52, Fox 72) QPR 0.

Kevin Nolan reports from the Valley

With the last rites prematurely adminstered to Australia’s cricketers before noon at Trent Bridge, a nation’s sporting focus switched naturally to the Championship’s opening day clash of Charlton and QPR at a resplendently sparkling Valley. Shirtsleeves were the order of the day at both venues, where the home heroes disdainfully dismissed noisy, presumptuous visitors.

Still nursing Premier League pretensions, Rangers fielded, unusually these days, no fewer than eight English starters, a surprising statistic which no doubt owes more to enforced economy than to unimpeachable patriotism. Their home boys might have numbered nine but Joey Barton has withdrawn to label his stamp collection. We send him our love… and a bang on the ear.

Among the homespun West Londoners was Charlie Austin, an old-fashioned centre forward, whose rags-to-riches rise once inspired a generation of workaday wannabes. On the cusp of a lucrative move upwards, Austin was probably being exhibited to potential customers in the transfer window by manager Chris Ramsey. If so, events proved conclusively that the rookie boss had made an enormous, if understandable, mistake. His coveted No. 9 was definitely on the pitch but had also blatantly failed to turn up, if you catch the drift. An early blast wide, a deflected effort on the turn and a hugely embarrassing shank which traversed laterally from left side to right before limping over the touchline for a throw-in were the peaks of Austin’s miserable contribution. When he departed to universal derision with six minutes remaining, it came as a surprise to many, who imagined he’d left already. With a shrewd eye to business, Ramsey claimed he had “worked hard”.

So much for Austin, much feared by home fans pre-kick-off. The Addicks have centre forward issues of their own and disquiet spread at the glaring absence of Tony Watt’s name from Charlton’s starting X1. Enfant terrible Tony had been dropped by Guy Luzon following a training ground kerfuffle ( domestic dust-ups remain, like transfer fees, “undisclosed”) and consigned to the bench.

Having apparently committed the crime, Watt sensibly did the time before emerging to replace an overawed Karlan Ahearne-Grant for the second half. Within seven minutes he destroyed QPR with an excellent goal, of which the old Austin might have approved. Receiving El-Hadji Ba’s pass, over which the steadily improving Simon Makienot cutely dummied, he stepped nonchalantly inside right back James Perch before letting fly. Possibly anticipating a shot across his bows aimed at the far corner, Robert Green got a hand to the ball which instead squeezed past him at his near post.

By that time, the Addicks had weathered Rangers’ early onslaught, which featured seven fruitless corners within the opening quarter hour. With Austin neutered by the no-nonsense attentions of Alou Diarra and with Patrick Bauer in equally uncompromising mood at the Frenchman’s elbow, the locals exerted a grip they had every intention of maintaining.

In front of the imperious centre backs, holding midfielder Ahmed Kashi was immense. A bundle of furious energy, he tackled, intercepted and distributed intelligently. There may be an occasional yellow card in the offing but the Algerian powerhouse promises to be a shrewd acquisition. His unwavering commitment reduced Jordan Cousins’ workload and Charlton’s homegrown star responded accordingly. Still little more than a freshfaced kid, the recent signing of young Jordan to a four-year contract, represents sound business.

As different as chalk from cheese, meanwhile, the liquid left-footed skills of Johann Berg Gudmundsson meshed nicely with the dynamism of Ba in central midfield. Gudmundsson was all elusive, creative elegance, not to mention the power behind a 30-yard free kick in the closing stages which was already rebounding off Green’s crossbar while the veteran keeper was still in flailing, mid-air flight in a hopeless quest to make contact. Until he tired, Ba ruled the roost from box-to-box.
About skipper Chris Solly, little remains to be said; his consistency is taken for granted. He’s one of the best footballers produced at Sparrows Lane in reliable memory and to liken him to Phillip Lahm is no flight of fancy. But alongside him, left back Morgan Fox still has doubters, sceptics he answered with another solid display, to which he added the flourish of his first goal for the club. Receiving Watt’s pass to the left of Green’s goal, he glanced up to measure line and length and from a cricket pitch’s distance, crashed a swerving drive inside the right post. There’s no celebration to match that of a maiden goal scored by one of your own and The Valley raised its roof in homage.

Rangers were a well-beaten side, though they might well recover in time to join the Championship pacesetters. Their best efforts at least gave Nick Pope an opportunity to reassure Luzon that the prolonged absence of Stephen Henderson need not be the disaster predicted by many. Pope’s flying first half save from Tjaron Chery’s blockbuster was outstanding, while his instinctive reaction to Matt Phillips’ close range missile after Jamie Mackie had opened up the Addicks on the left, was equally important.

So there you have it, the Ashes regained in the morning, further ashes in West London mouths in the afternoon. All it needed was for Ireland to marmalise Wales in Cardiff. Not that I pay much attention to the rugby, of course.

Charlton: Pope, Solly, Bauer, Diarra, Fox, Kashi, Ba (Bergdich 76), Gudmundsson (Ceballos 89), Cousins. Ahearne-Grant (Watt 46), Makienok. Not used: Mitov, Jackson, Charles-Cook, Lennon. Booked: Diarra, Ba.

Referee: Robert Madley. Att: 19, 469.

Charlton 0 AFC Bournemouth 3 (Ritchie 10,85, Arter 12).

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.

Oozing class and confidence, upwardly mobile AFC Bournemouth put Charlton in their place (which turned out to be bottom of the top half of the Championship) in this embarrassingly one-sided season finale.

Clearly the best side in the division, the rampant visitors’ outstanding campaign was dramatically rubberstamped deep into added time with the galvanic news that Sheffield Wednesday had equalised at title rivals Watford. The Cherries’ perfect day was complete; they were going up as champions. Shame they couldn’t have celebrated their success at their own ground but their gleeful followers had already turned Floyd Road into some corner of a foreign field that is forever Dorset. And anyway there’s twice the room at a gleaming Valley to throw a promotion party. Even the sun made spasmodic efforts to shoulder its way through the oppressive cloud cover and join in but never quite made it.

Provided with some 1400 extra seats after selling out the away end, Bournemouth’s supporters made the most of their unexpected freedom. They seemed to be everywhere. There aren’t many clubs thoughtful enough to evict their own fans from season-ticketed seats to accomodate glory-hunting visitors but that’s Charlton in a nutshell. Decent to a fault, they sought to compensate the dispossessed locals with offers of free food which, when supply disastrously failed to meet demand, proved yet again that there’s no such thing as a free lunch. For their part, the South Coasters rather ungraciously responded by blitzing their benefactors with two goal inside the opening 12 minutes..

Generously welcomed back to his former stamping ground, Yann Kermorgant had a quietly effective game, which began with an assist on Matt Ritchie’s well taken opener. With his back to goal, the burly Breton’s perfectly weighted square pass invited the onrushing Ritchie to bury a firm shot across Stephen Henderson’s bows and into the net off the foot of the left upright.

Already discouragingly in arrears, the last thing Charlton needed was to carelessly concede a second goal before the shock of the first one wore off. But Yoni Buyens compounded their problems by being caught napping in possession by hustling Harry Arter. The former Charlton youth player neatly picked his pocket, promptly closed in on Henderson and left him helpless with a low drive into the bottom left corner. Arter’s ninth goal neatly bookended a season during which his steady improvement placed him among the Championship’s best midfielders.

With their job prematurely done, Eddie Howe’s talented side throttled back and spent almost 75 scoreless minutes toying absentmindedly with their outclassed victims. As the Addicks floundered from one defensive crisis to another, their tormentors queued up at times to score at close range, instead over-elaborated extravagantly and until the diminutive Ritchie claimed his second goal with five minutes remaining, allowed the scoreline to suggest there was a contest going on. It was a measure of the visitors’ superiority that despite being patronised, Charlton were never in with a chance of reducing their arrears. The gap separating the sides was far too wide.

Still only 37, the deeply impressive Howe now faces a formidable challenge in the Premier League. It’s de rigeur to predict that promoted sides are destined to struggle at top level but history justifies pessimism. But the Cherries will give it a go and, before leaving, showed Charlton what it takes to climb out of the Championship. With their kaleidoscopic movement, intuitive passing and clinical finishing which fell just two short of 100 league goals, they’re quite a side. The Premier League will be graced by their presence.

So Charlton’s uneven season concluded with two depressing performances, neither of which will have pleased Guy Luzon. When the Israeli took over in the immediate aftermath of a 5-0 thumping at Watford on January 17th, the Addicks were in 17th position before subsequently slumping to 20th in the wake of a 3-2 home defeat by Norwich. A steady improvement began with the 3-0 dismantling of Brentford four days later and relegation was comfortably avoided with several games to spare. That’s acceptable this term but it won’t cut the mustard next time around, not if there’s any ambition at board level.

Luzon’s post-game comments suggested that he will be at the helm again when hostilities resume. A period of managerial stability will be a welcome change but Addicks fans will be watching the comings and goings of players with even keener interest. A summer of organic team-building and a competitive pre-season are expected to launch a serious attempt to emulate Bournemouth’s example. It’s time Charlton fans looked upward. Relegation is unthinkable, mid-table security no longer an option. Let’s go for it, Guy!

Charlton: Henderson, Solly, Ben Haim, Johnson, Fox, Gudmundsson, Diarra (Gomez 69),  Buyens, Bulot (Eagles 69), Watt, Vetokele (Church 39). Not used: Etheridge, Bikey, Wiggins, Lennon. Booked: Diarra, Johnson. 

Bournemouth: Boruc, Francis, Cook, Elphick, Daniels, Pugh (Smith 69), Arter (Gosling 62), Surman, Ritchie, Kermorgant (Jones 82), Wilson. Not used: Allsop, Pitman, Fraser, Ward.

Referee: Neil Swarbrick. Att: 21,280 (4,668 visiting).

Birmingham City 1 (Dyer 82) Charlton 0.

Kevin Nolan reports from St. Andrews.

Neck and neck in the Championship, with only goal difference separating Charlton in 10th and Birmingham in 11th position, you could say that this tedious game was the definitive mid-table, end-of-season irrelevance. And you wouldn’t be whistling Dixie if you did.

Earnest enough but deadly dull, this entirely predictable bore received less attention among over 1,000 travelling fans than the astonishing developments far below them in the league table. In this age of instant communication, the twists and turns at the Den and New York Stadium provided superior entertainment. By common consent, Wigan Athletic are already removed from the equation with either Millwall or Rotherham joining them in League One next season. But it’s not over yet.

We know, we know, what does all that have to do with a Birmingham-Charlton game at St. Andrews? Well, admittedly nothing as it goes but the occasional digression helps to pad out a report that’s promising to be a heavy burden to bear. So cut some slack unless it’s skin off your nose.

To be fair, the main event began explosively with City’s Robert Tesche unleashing without warning but with dramatic suddenness a rifle shot from all of 30 yards. It’s a tribute to in-form goalkeeper Stephen Henderson’s alertness that he even saw the ball as it left vapour trails behind it on its way towards the top left corner. But see it he did and managed, while airborne, to turn it against his left post and safety. His save of the season, no question.

Tesche tried his luck more routinely later on but again Henderson was up to the task of dealing with a low skimmer. He was entitled to the luck he received when Diego Fabbrini somehow shovelled wide after willowy winger Demerai Gray’s cross left him with only the keeper to beat. He was even luckier later as David Cotterill fastened on to the loose ball left by David Davis’ meandering solo dribble, beat him with a cleverly curled drive but was rescued by his left hand post.

The chances were not all one-way. In a dreary first half, Tony Watt’s fulminating drive proved, if nothing else, that in Darren Randolph, City had a more than useful keeper themselves. The ex-Addick corkscrewed in the air to tip the rocket over the bar. Randolph also stood firm to parry with two hands a vicious, angled effort from Igor Vetokele.

Doesn’t sound like too bad a game after all might be your reasonable conclusion and, to be fair, it had its moments. The trouble was that each moment was separated from the next one by great expanses of turgid dross. Anyway, it meant more to the Blues and with just eight minutes remaining they duly claimed all three points through a goal of rare quality which didn’t belong in this pedestrian company.

Surprisingly replacing the dangerous Cotterill midway through the second half, winger Lloyd Dyer began by slicing a shot hopelessly wide but he was to make substantially more of a second chance minutes later. His fellow substitute Wes Thomas started the process by winning possession in midfield before finding Tesche outside Charlton’s penalty area. The ball was promptly moved on to Dyer, who dribbled into space on the left before placing a crisp low drive across Henderson into the opposite corner.

There was still time for Henderson to confirm his Charlton man-of-the-match credentials by brilliantly saving Davis’ ferocious shot but this was one game not destined to live long in the memory of non-Brums. The visitors treated it as an encumbrance before far more glamorous Bournemouth arrive at The Valley on Saturday -possibly already promoted automatically- for the final curtain of an up-down-up again season. There will be, of course, the usual sideshows and it will be galling to realise that the Cherries include among their rampaging team three ex-Addicks in born again right back Simon Francis (voted into the Championship’s select X1), arguably the best midfielder in the Championship in Harry Arter and the iconic Breton Yann Kermorgant, about whom nothing remains to be said. So brush up on your booing. Or better yet, cheer them, then beat them.

Birmingham: Randolph, Caddis, Spector, Morrison, Grounds, Davis, Tesche, Cotterill (Dyer 71), Fabbrini (Thomas 80), Gray, Donaldson. Not used: Doyle, Robinson, Gleeson, Shinnie, Arthur. Booked: Grounds.

Referee: Jeremy Simpson. Att: 17,775 (1,069 visiting).

Charlton 2 (Watt 74, Buyens (pen) 79 Leeds United 1 (Morison 40).

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.

This “meaningless” mid-table match lived down to its promise during a first half of soporific inertia, from which Leeds emerged with a lead supplied for them by a goal of stunning quality which stood out incongruously in the dross surrounding it. Not that Charlton seemed to care much until Guy Luzon presumably got among them during an awkward interval. It seems to have worked because the second half saw an entirely different kettle of Addicks.

Led by ex-Charlton employee Neil Redfearn, in temporary charge at Elland Road until dodgy chairman Massimo Cellini completes his current Football League ban on May 4th, United showed up without six overseas stars who claimed implausibly to be hors de combat for various reasons. It was either an appalling stroke of misfortune or a contemptuous slap in the face for Redfearn, who had already lost his assistant, Steve Thompson, to suspension during a week which was self destructive even by Leeds United’s chaotic standards.

Proving not for the first time that no love is as blind as that of a supporter for his/her football club, over 3,000 fans followed United down from Yorkshire to leave nobody in doubt that their loyalty was unquestioned and their respect for fellow Yorkshireman Redfearn unconditional. His hastily reshuffled team did their camp followers proud in the early going.
Former Crewe midfielder Luke Murphy should have capped the visitors’ bright start but made a volleyed hash of converting the chance made for him by young hot shot Alex Mowatt’s cross and Steve Morison’s headed flick. Morison’s inadvertent shins then blocked a lazy clearance by Stephen Henderson as the Addicks reverted briefly to needless interpassing in front of their own goal but the ball rebounded an uncomfortable yard wide of the grateful goalkeeper’s left post.

As the Whites continued to set the pace, Morison’s striking sidekick Billy Sharp headed Sam Byram’s precise centre tamely over the bar before Tal Ben Haim popped up at the other end with a speculative shot which Igor Vetokele diverted on to an upright, then hastily retreated to his defensive post to crudely chop down Byram as the academy graduate aggressively crossed the 18-yard line.

Stepping up to take the penalty, Sharp hit his shot firmly but within reach of Henderson, who brought the house down by turning the ball onto his left-hand post at full stretch. His marvellous save unfortunately protected equality for just three more minutes.

Scorer of two stunning long range goals during the 2-2 draw these sides shared at Elland Road in November, highly rated academy graduate Mowatt came desperately close to punishing a foul committed by Yoni Buyens with a curling free kick which the indiarubber Henderson turned aside at the expense of a right wing corner. Charlton’s luck, as it turned out, had unfortunately just run out.

Murphy’s outswinger was aimed deliberately for the penalty spot where Morison met it with a searing sideways-on volley which the defiant Henderson managed to touch as it screamed into the top left corner. Morison’s habit of scoring against Charlton remains unbroken. Mind you, he also scored for the Addicks in a 4-4 draw with the club that dare not speak its name but that hardly balances the books.

Also twice a scorer in the 2-2 draw last year, Johann Berg Gudmundsson was oddly benched while Charlton sleepwalked through a dire first half. With only three games left in the season, the hungry playmaker hardly needs rest as he proved by replacing the subdued Chris Eagles and inspiring a stirring rally. The chances arrived thick and fast as first Vetokele badly sliced Tony Watt’s clever pass wide, then Yoni Buyens’ curling effort forced Stuart Taylor to produce a smart diving save. United were beginning to creak by the time Gudmundsson stepped inside Scott Wootton to pick out Watt wide of the far post with a sumptuous centre. The Scot’s neatly cushioned volley beat Taylor on its way into the far corner and Charlton were level. But parity was not enough for the hungry Gudmundsson.

Pursued by a posse of anxious defenders as he dribbled parallel to their goal, the Icelandic playmaker found space to unleash one of those stinging left-footed shots which have brought him eleven goals this season. Diving to his left, Taylor could only push the ball away but looked favourite to complete the save as he sought to regain his feet. Reaching the rebound before the struggling keeper, however, Vetokele nicked possession but was clumsily brought down by Taylor as he moved clear of his challenge.

Watt briefly fancied the penalty but in Yoni Buyens, the Addicks already have a deadeye spotkick taker. Taylor became the eighth goalkeeper this season to head one way as Buyens’ perfect penalty was stylishly clipped home in the opposite direction. The matchwinner crowned an excellent contribution from the rangy Belgian – one of many during Charlton’s “meaningful” second half. Comfortably mid-table or not, winning always beats losing. Its a good habit to get into…the alternative’s an equally hard one to break.

Charlton: Henderson, Solly, Ben Haim, Gomez, Fox, Eagles (Gudmundsson 46), Diarra (Cousins 11), Buyens, Bulot, Watt, Vetokeke (Church 90). Not used: Etheridge, Wiggins, Johnson, Lepoint. Booked: Vetokele, Watt.

Leeds United: Stuart Taylor, Wootton, Cooper, Bamba, Charlie Taylor, Murphy, Austin,
Byram (Dawson 88), Mowatt. Sharp (Montenegro 84), Morison. Not used: Cairns, Ngoyi, Berardi, Sloth, Phillips.

Referee: T. Harrington Att: 18,053 (3140 visiting).

Charlton 1 (Gudmundsson 16) Fulham 1 (McCormack 8).

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.

The point earned by each of these sides from this lively derby had wider significance on sober reflection. Not only did this result rubberstamp Charlton’s place in the Championship next season but it moved Fulham eight points clear of the choppy relegation waters beneath them. Millwall and Rotherham look likely to dispute the last place in the lifeboat, with Wigan Athletic not yet drowning but waving feebly in struggling to stay afloat.

Having contributed their usual three points to Millwall’s fighting fund on Good Friday, Charlton pulled themselves together sufficiently to keep Fulham still hanging on for safety. A predictable draw was accepted as fair by all bar Fulham boss Kit Symons, who might have had a point in complaining about Charlton’s “offside” equaliser but was possibly massaging the truth a little in claiming that the officials had apologised for their “mistake.” Any witnesses, Kit? It just seems a bit unlikely.

Symons’ side, with so much more to play for than their hosts, were still enjoying their early lead when Tony Watt’s clever dummy over Igor Vetokele’s pass made space for aggressive left back Morgan Fox to cross dangerously from the left touchline. From a suspiciously offside position near the penalty spot, Federic Bulot swung and missed, leaving later arrival Johann Berg Gudmundsson to filch his 10th goal of the season at the far post. Had Bulot made contact, no doubt the goal would have been disallowed but he didn’t and under the wider interpretation of the offside law, was considered inactive. Try telling that to goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli, who was clearly distracted by Bulot’s presence in his eyeline.Those are the breaks, of course, and Symons might be seeking explanations from an arms-aloft defence which was conspicuously absent as both Bulot and Gudmundsson confronted Bettinelli.

Though it seemed unlikely at the time, the talented Icelandic’s effort ended the scoring, with the few chances created but spurned by both sides under an equal opportunities system.

Off to a positive start, the Cottagers adopted Route One as the best way forward in grabbing an 8th minute lead. Centre back Michael Turner, once of this parish, launched a lusty clearance into Charlton’s penalty area, which lured Stephen Henderson into rashly leaving his line. Beating the stranded keeper to his punch, Matt Smith backheaded cleverly for Ross McCormack to loop a precise header into the far corner of a vacated net.

Sent through by Danny Guthrie shortly afterwards, McCormack’s angled shot was splendidly blocked by Tal Ben Haim before Gudmundsson missed a chance to double his tally in circumstances almost identical to his opener.

Bewildering footwork by Watt inside their 18-yard line panicked Fulham’s defence, with Vetkele picking up the pieces and squaring unselfishly for Gudmundsson to tap in at the far post. This time, the prolific midfielder missed the target with a right foot which suffers in comparison with his wand attached to his other leg. He hit the net but sadly on its wrong side.

Scott Parker, another bygone graduate from Charlton’s Sparrows Lane hothouse, kept the West Londoners ticking with his usual repertoire of cultured passing. Dutifully booed for every touch, the still youthful veteran shook off the frankly embarrassing abuse until, in the last minute, after being chopped down by Fox near the right corner flag, he chose to react. A lecture about swearing in front of kids was delivered to some local hero, who was running off at the mouth. Where’s the anonymity of a crowd when you need it most?

There was still some life left in the action, meanwhile, and the best chance of nicking all three points fell to the towering Smith, who snatched at a glorious close range opening but blasted it over the bar. And then, in added time, a needless foul on substitute Alex Kacaniklic gave McCormack a last gasp free kick, which he sent spiralling over the bar. So a draw it was despite Symons’ plaintive cri de coeur about the offside law. You feel for him but he really must keep up. It was amended years ago and has created confusion ever since.

Charlton: Henderson, Gomez, Johnson, Ben Haim, Fox, Gudmundsson, Diarra, Cousins, Bulot (Eagles 69), Vetokele (Church 79), Watt. Not used: Dmitrovic, Bikey, Wiggins, Lennon. Lepoint. Booked: Ben Haim.

Referee: A. Madley. Att: 16,521 (1620 visiting).