Charlton 2 (Wilson 9, Pritchard 70) Brighton 2 (Mackail-Smith 28, Lua Lua 75).
Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.
On an afternoon of high drama, during which the celebration of Charlton’s emotional return to The Valley in December 1992 dominated the early agenda, Chris Powell’s Class of 2012-1 concentrated responsibly on the most immediate challenge facing the club – namely the visit of Gus Poyet’s talented Brighton. Arguably the best footballing side in the Championship, the South Coasters clearly had no intention of following any script calling for them to play plucky but inevitable losers. They were a skilful, well motivated handful.
This was Albion’s second visit to South East London on successive weekends. Their controversial loss at Crystal Palace saw an avian clash of Eagles and Seagulls which generated a hotly disputed cleaning bill for the disposal of huge mounds of guano deposits. Lawyers representing both bitter rivals are expected to produce samples in High Court to resolve responsibility. It promises to get messy.
Closer to home, Chris Powell was confronted with his customary selection dilemmas by the withdrawal of tonsillitis victim Dan Seaborne and the excellence last week at The Den of Dorian Dervite. No doubt reluctantly, the gaffer solved the first problem by switching the ever-willing Chris Solly to cover Seaborne’s absence at left back and recalled fit-again Lawrie Wilson at right back. Emmanuel Frimpong replaced Salim Kerkar in midfield, with Johnnie Jackson moving wider left. Danny Haynes was preferred to Yann Kermorgant in a 4-5-1 formation but the real surprise was the choice of Dervite over Leon Cort to partner back-from-suspension Morrison at centre back.
While Morrison made an uncharacteristically shaky contribution, Dervite vindicated Powell’s faith in him with an outstanding performance. His timing, heading and distribution were superb as he held the Addicks together under Albion’s naggingly persistent attacks. The big, dominant Frenchman will be hard to drop following this confident display.
A little left out by the pre-match histrionics, some 3,400 twittering Seagulls in the away end were further mystified by the spontaneous applause which broke out in the seventh minute to salute Colin Walsh’s timeless goal at the same time on December 5th 1992. Only two more minutes were required for the Addicks to almost uncannily mark the occasion with a somewhat lucky opener.
After Haynes had forced a left wing corner off Gordon Greer, a short-passing routine between Jackson and Dale Stephens created a more favourable angle for the latter to swing over a right footed cross which skidded through a congested penalty area before Wilson’s faint touch carried it beyond Tomascz Kuszczak into the far corner.
With the visitors still stung by the reverse, Rob Hulse’s header from Jackson’s centre was smartly tipped over the bar by Kuszczak, who was then left standing as Morrison’s free header sent Stephens’ cross harmlessly off target. Charlton’s opening bolt had been shot.
Pulling themselves together, Albion hit back. Greer lifted a sitter over the bar before an incredible point blank save from Ben Hamer defied Stephen Dobbie. But for all of Brighton’s artistry, their increasingly inevitable equaliser resulted from a combination of route one tactics and a defensive howler. Not that the finish was less than clinical.
Struggling under an agricultural clearance, Morrison could manage no better than a weak, sideways header that the alert Mackail-Smith eagerly pounced on. Moving away from the stricken centre back, Brighton’s sureshot drilled a low drive unerringly inside the right post.
Before the break, as the visitors cooled off, Haynes drove Wilson’s astute cutback into the sidenet and Frimpong blasted Stephens square pass into the crowd behind Kuszczak’s net. Immediately following resumption, Hamer added another fine save from Will Buckley’s angled effort and Dobbie’s wildly sliced shot wasted Mackail-Smith’s cleverly chested pass. Mackail-Smith himself made a mess of converting Buckley’s low delivery at the near post, then saw his close range blast brilliantly blocked by Wilson.
On 70 minutes of this rousing game, Bradley Pritchard put Charlton ahead again with one of The Valley’s especially popular goals. The early running was made by Stephens’ pass to Hulse, who accurately picked out Jackson moving wide on the left flank; the skipper’s first-time low cross was squeezed past Kuszczak at the second attempt by Pritchard to spark euphoria among the crowd and his teammates. It’s impossible not to like the kid.
Unfortunately, the Addicks lead was again shortlived. And again Morrison carried the can. His despairing challenge from behind on lively Ashley Barnes illegally halted the substitute’s determined run on the very edge of the penalty area, a position from which Kazenga Lua Lua had little choice but to chance his arm with a free kick directly into the wall. It turned out to be his lucky day because a wicked deflection sent Hamer the wrong way and trickled past the hopelessly wrongfooted keeper’s left hand.
Unbeaten now in six games, Charlton are coping well in a tough league. They have inched into the top half of the table and the confidence grows. Powell’s battling side are worthy heirs to those marvellous men who began the new era at The Valley almost exactly twenty years ago. And the firm but fair manager personifies what the club is all about. In that dopey modern speak, they are in a good place.
Kevin Nolan’s Match Report is brought to you in association with , 294 Burnt Ash Hill, London, SE12 0QD.
Charlton: Hamer, Wilson, Morrison, Dervite, Solly, Haynes (Kermorgant 74), Stephens, Frimpong, Pritchard, Jackson (Kerkar 80), Hulse. Not used: Button, Taylor, Green, Wright-Phillips, Cort. Booked: Wilson.
Brighton: Kuszczak, Saltor (Calderon 75) Greer, El-Abd, Hammond, Bridcutt, Dobbie (Barnes 62), Bridge, Buckley, Hoskins (Lua Lua 68), Mackail-Smith. Not used: Brezovan, Crofts, Harley, Lopez. Booked: Hammond.
Referee: Darren Sheldrake. Att: 19,080.