Incredible finale rewards superb Addicks performance

Charlton Athletic    2-1    Leeds United
Jackson (47)                      Varney (81)
Obika (90+5)

Jonathan Obika's stoppage time header won the game for the Addicks, sending both the fans and Chris Powell absolutely mad with joy. A competitive game in which Charlton held their own, competed throughout, and deserved their victory.

The same XI that beat Bolton lined up for Charlton against a Leeds side struggling for points, and finally rid of everyone's favourite Colin, Neil Warnock. The game was a vital one for both sides, given they were poised 4 and 5 points above the dreaded drop zone before kick off. Despite the prospect of a cagey affair, Charlton played some of their most fluent football of the season. Leeds, given Warnock had drilled the outfit, were very physical, often pushing off opponents when going for headers. But the home side stood up to the test and created a number of chances throughout.

Leeds started the better side, with a cute backheel opening up the back four, but the shot came to nothing. Further pressure caused pockets of restlessness among the crowd, but the general tone of encouragement could be heard, and fortunes picked up for the home side. The chief outlet of opportunity for Charlton was Yann Kermorgant, so often the talismanic fighter leading the line, fighting for the ball. He won so many headers, but the most impressive aspect was his technical ability in controlling the ball in the air and laying it off. He threatened to release Fuller and Harriott with his sublime play, and although things didn't quite click, the free-flowing nature of Charlton's play once he'd won the ball was a joy to watch. On one occasion, he won the ball, escaped from the challenge, and skilled up a midfielder with a quick left right double tap. On another, he brought down a cross and attempted a mid-air left footed scissor-kick from the edge of the box, which wasn't quite powerful enough and was saved. Quite simply, I bloody love the man.

Two attacks stood out as the best chances hat fell to the home side. From a melee in the box from a set piece, Dervite hit a 12-yard left footed volley low towards the bottom left corner, which was seemingly well saved onto the post, and Michael Morrison spurned a glorious chance, blazing his close range left footer effort over the bar. The other chance was Harriott's, whose attacking skill worked himself some space before he drilled a fearsome shot, which at first, given I was sat directly in line with it, looked like it was flying into the top corner. But the ball swerved late and presumably decapitated an unfortunate Leeds supporter.

Half time was greeted with a welcoming, warm applause for the home side, who had impressed without being rewarded. Fuller was working well up front with Kermorgant, who continually won the ball to kick-start attacks.

Shortly after the break came a decisive moment in the game. Charlton worked the ball down the right, but it was defended, cleared as far as Hughes, 30-yards out. He lined up a shot, hitting it hard and low towards the left corner. It was a great effort, but the ball was blocked. Yet the ball looped to a totally unmarked Jackson, who controlled it, sized up his shot, checked if he was offside, sized the shot up again, and finally fired the ball gloriously home, over Paddy Kenny. The net bulged. Happiness.

I will admit, I thought he was offside. Whether he was from the moment of Hughes' shot, which matters, remains to be seen, but the linesman had an age to raise his flag, but didn't. Jackson seized his opportunity, scoring his 10th goal of the season. His finishing this season has been excellent.

Somewhat understandably, from the 50-odd-th minute when that goal went in, Charlton invested less players in attack, defending with more miners to preserve the lead. Few chances came at the Covered End, but a huge let-off came when Dervite completely missed his kick, allowing Steve Morison clean through on goal. Fortunately his rasping effort clipped the outside of the post and went wide.

The free-flowing attacking play of the first half was shelved as time progressed, replaced by the frantic defending we have grown so familiar with. I meet hasten to criticise Powell, but it did seem too early to call off the assault on the Leeds goal, given how many chances had been created. The change on 75 minutes seemed worse than it actually was. Kerkar was introduced in place of Ricardo Fuller, back to his troublesome best up front, but clearly tiring. You thought immediately that Powell had decided on 4-5-1, but actually Harriott had been sent up front to play ahead of Kermorgant. Still, shortly after the substitution, Leeds scored a somewhat predictable goal. The ball pinged around the box, and with the Addicks unable to decisively clear the ball, substitute Luke Varney shot, which dipped below the bar having taken a deflection off Andy Hughes of all people, landing in the far corner of the net. To be fair to him, he celebrated initially but ceased quickly, respecting the home crowd that had welcomed him on (largely) positively. But 1-1 with little time left in the game. Nerves returned, badly.

Harriott was quickly withdrawn and replaced by Jonathan Obika, who'd had a frustrating time since joining on loan from Spurs. Inexplicably, and somewhat ironically, a small pocket of 'supporters' behind booed him. Sensible.

Charlton reignited their attacking desire, suddenly creating fresh chances. Leeds seemed to have accepted the point, bringing Michael Brown on to kick people in midfield. He was booked inside 30 seconds for a dreadful lunge on Kermorgant. Chances came: Kermorgant headed a Kerkar cross wide. Another cross saw Yann hauled to the ground, as defenders resort to doing given his aerial prowess, with the ball eventually finding its was to Chris Solly, who fired a shot from the edge of the box agonisingly across goal, and wide. Not long after, he had another shot from a similar area, this time slightly closer to the goal, which he really should have scored. It was agony. Obika had worked well down the right and got into a position on the byline to cut the ball back, but the defence cleared up and defied the home side again.

4 additional minutes were declared, but this coincided with an injury to Lee Peltier, and an ensuing substitution, delaying the start of the injury time by about 2 minutes. All hope seemed lost, but Charlton didn't give up. They worked the ball into the left hand corner of the pitch, winning a throw-in. Wiggins flicked the ball to Kerker from the throw, who immediately gave the ball back. Wiggins looked up at his options in the box, before looking down again and swinging across a powerful but perfectly weighted right footed cross. Obika rose to meet the ball, which flicked his head when at maximum height, before slamming into the back of the net, top right corner. A late winner! WHAT A GOAL! 

Pandemonium. 

The whole Valley went absolutely bezerk. Utter joy, everywhere. I haven't celebrated a goal like that for a long time, a solid half-minute of going bonkers. Charlton rarely score late goals, which was why that frustrated feeling of an opportunity lost had crept in come stoppage time. But, as they have done all season, Charlton did not stop fighting, and the result was a testament to the desire to play for the shirt that has typified this season. 

Full time arrived soon after, with a tidal wave of relief and joy spreading across the Valley. You cannot beat late winners. Sublime.

Andy Hughes, being the gentleman and legend that he is, went to the Leeds fans to show his appreciation of them, given his cult hero status at the club. And yet he was still cheering with the Addicks fine, a broad grin on his face. Obika offered a worship gesture to the fans. Hamer came over and did his usual pumped-up celebration. The whole squad were celebrating. The moment lasted a good while as the players gradually made their way off the pitch. 

Last of all to leave, of course, was Chris Powell. I absolutely love the man. He tactically shakes hands with everyone before making sure he's the last off. He applauded the crowd in response to the adulation he was receiving. It was incredible how all the doubts about going defensive had ceased, to be replaced with such a pure feeling of happiness. You could see how much the result meant to him. Previously, his tunnel jump has been reserved, but today, it was sublime. He charged out, leapt into the air, to the roar of the crowd, and stayed out clapping them, as a gloriously noisy chant of "Chrissy Powell's Red Army" rung around the ground. He eventually went back down the tunnel, only to reappear once again. Special moments shared with a great man. His man-management above anything was demonstrated today. Motivating Obika to come on and play well after a frustrating time is a true testament to the greatness of our manager. 

Individual Performances:

Hamer was solid if unspectacular. His goalkick to the opposite side of the field for Wiggins, who set up Harriott's fierce shot, was excellent, and he collected everything that he needed to. Very solid.

Solly probably should've been the man we are all praising for scoring the winner late on, but he was still at his belligerent best, fighting for the ball and often coming out on top. Nothing typified his efforts more than him charging down the goalkeeper in the Leeds penalty area after running 80-yards to try and force a mistake. 

Wiggins was also solid, he struggled to get into the game, but was good in releasing the talented Harriott. But that cross at the end was absolutely sublime. I really like him at left-back.

Morrison was excellent in the air, dealing with pretty much all that was thrown at him. As was Dervite, who was far better than he was in the first half against Bolton, although he was fortunate to get away with that one glaring error that almost allowed Leeds to score.

Pritchard was at his energetic best, although I reckon he gets too excited when in the opposition penalty box, hence the lack of end product. He won headers and put in some good balls, despite at times struggling for control. His work rate is just fantastic.

Harriott was also superb, creating chances  and causing problems for the Leeds defence. His first-half shot was spectacular, but inaccurate. He fully deserves to carry on playing left-midfield for the season as he's learning every game.

Andy Hughes is a legend. He didn't have his best game today as a few clearances were sliced and he - unfortunately - deflected Varney's shot over Hamer and in. But would I have wanted somebody else playing instead? No. His brilliance was demonstrated by his diving header, under pressure, to get the ball back to Hamer. Even the Leeds fans sung "Hughesy" after he shepherded the ball off for a goal kick late on. He motivates, leads by example, and tidies up the play extremely well in the middle. A great asset for our club. As is Johnnie Jackson, who took his goal incredibly well, and despite his poor challenge that brought the yellow card, he worked really well with Hughes centrally once again. After a shaky start in the Championship he has become one of our better players, and he is a superb leader. Love the central duo, they were great today.

Fuller worked very well today, threatening to create chances throughout, and getting onto knockdowns from Kermorgant superbly. He was unlucky not to get a chance on goal, but with him playing like that, we look a constant threat in attack.

Lastly of the starters, we come to Yann Kermorgant. Quite simply, he is a brilliant footballer. He won so many headers, and as I mentioned earlier, his technique in playing the ball from awkward positions is sublime. He was unlucky not to score, with a header saved and another denied by a blatant foul, but as the man who created so many opportunities today, he was great. I know I'm biased because I love the man, but I think he deserves Man of the Match for his efforts today. Heroic. 

Of the substitutes, Obika made the greatest impression, with an excellent run to create a chance, and of course that perfect injury time headed winner. Powell's ability to keep the morale of players up is one of the reasons he is indispensable as a manager. Kerkar came on and you can also see why Powell is once again considering him for the first team. Involved in the goal, but worked hard and kept the play going. Both show the value of maintaining a good squad, and crucially, keeping morale high. 

A brief point, which is that Stuart Attwell was terrible. He missed countless handballs and refused to give free-kicks for pushing and pulling when players challenged for headers. Yet he gave a foul for Kermorgant's attempted challenge which led to the Leeds goal. An incompetent performance, which thankfully didn't prove costly for us.

The tactics between the Charlton goal and the Leeds equaliser were a tad suspect, but I don't think that should reflect badly on Chris Powell. He went defensive too early, but still inspired his side to a second home victory in as many game - quite frankly a miraculous achievement the way this season has gone. He continues to bring the best out of his players, and in motivating the whole squad to keep at it, his side are deservedly moving away from the relegation places. 12th place is a fine effort, even if the season is not yet over, and safety not mathematically secured. Results favoured Charlton today, and whilst that is to be cheered, there is still work to do. Have I got faith in Powell and the team to win more games though? Of course. 

A great afternoon at the Valley, despite the gloom when the game was seemingly headed for a draw. You don't need to look further than Chris Powell's post-match celebrations to work out how much the result means for our football club. I felt earlier that 54 points would be enough for safety, and whilst that is obviously by no means a factual statement, the team is well positioned to keep picking up points and move away from the drop zone.

A famous victory in SE7. Up the Addicks.

The Championship Relegation Battle begins in earnest

In modern day sport, it is increasingly common that tense occasions are over-hyped. Take for instance the Premier League Darts on Thursday evening. The massively exciting prospect of "Judgement Night", where four players faced elimination from the competition, essentially boiled down to those four players all losing, and the two players with the least points going into the night went home anyway. That's not really drama. What's often more intriguing is something that goes unnoticed for a great length of time, before gradually culminating in a very exciting finish. Like a good Test match. For that, you need to look no further than the Championship.

The league table at this stage, with the majority of teams having six games remaining, is one that either excites, or horrifies. 11th placed Birmingham, on 52 points, are only 5 places above the relegation zone. Teams such as Barnsley and Peterborough keep churning out results to keep their survival hopes alive, and crucially, prolong the battle for safety that the rest of the division faces. Charlton have had a great season in many respects. Few additions to a League One squad, some brilliant results along the way (the 5-4 win at home to Cardiff, and 4-3 at Watford especially), and yet the total of 51 points - good enough for 14th position - leaves the side only 4 points above the drop. It really is an incredible table.

I would argue that today is the first Significant Day in this crazy relegation dogfight. Forget the ludicrous clamour for coverage of Di Canio's political history, or the mad frenzy surrounding England's supposed failure out in Montenegro (it was a good point, honest), the Championship is really where there should be great intrigue. Yet, as the 'big clubs' are supposedly where the media feel they ought to devote their coverage, there is a risk that this superb battle for safety won't be covered anywhere near as much as it deserves. 

Significant Day, no. 1 then. There are some huge fixtures in the Championship, and not just at the bottom. Cardiff travel to Watford for the evening kick-off, with the visitors struggling to cross the line required to reach the 'promised land', with its high-quality football and incessant media coverage. Leicester also travel to Brighton, in the fight for one of the coveted play-off spots. Naturally, the games between the lower-placed sides won't be given as much notice, and you could argue that's fair - people want to know which teams will be playing Premier League football next season more than they want to know who will be playing in League One. And yet that's a cheap way of arguing that we should just ignore the battle because the stakes aren't high enough. But they are. The Championship, evidently, is such a competitive league that teams lower in the table this season can suddenly leap forward and challenge for the Premier League. Look at Crystal Palace, seemingly perennial relegation candidates, yet they are up there challenging for promotion. As Charlton found out, League One is an equally competitive league, and it takes time for teams to readjust to it before they manage to clamber back out of it. Hence, this fight matters.

Today sees the following crunch games:
Huddersfield (47pts, 22nd) vs Peterborough (46, 23rd)
Sheffield Wednesday (47, 21st) vs Blackburn (47, 19th)
Whilst these are the most significant given the proximity of the teams to the relegation zone, others are not safe. Charlton v Leeds is a big game, as there is a risk that the loser slides closer to the drop. Its about time the Sky people stopped talking about how far off the playoffs Leeds are, and instead focus on how far above the drop. Both should be safe, with 51 and 52 points respectively. Yet with the chaos this season has served up, who knows where safety will prove to be. Burnley also host Bristol City, in a game that could compound the misery of the visitors, who are already 7 points off safety, and see the hosts climb clear of trouble. Blackpool travel to Forest, Ipswich travel to Derby, and Barnsley - the form team, really - visit Palace. Two games where points could prove a real boost given wins are not expected. Wolves also travel to Bolton, and with three victories on the spin, the team spirit should give them hope of stealing something from the game.

So, a big day in the Championship. Typically, we won't be much closer to finding out which teams will eventually go down after today, as there are still clashes to come between bottom-half sides. But despite that, the cluster of teams at risk of being dragged down is large enough for today to mean a great deal to many teams. A few can claw their way towards relative safety, while others could find themselves drifting towards the impending doom of Carlisle away. (Its a distance thing.) 

Completely randomly, I think 54 points will mark 21st position come the end of the season, and hence mark safety. With 13 teams not yet reaching that mark, and lots of matches still to be played, nobody can afford to relax. 

Watch this relegation battle, because its going to be exciting. And if you're involved, good luck, it feels horrible for us as well.

-

My match report from the subsequent 2-1 victory over Leeds can be found here. 

Addicks collect three vital points from lively Bolton encounter

Alarming home form this season and a couple of bad results has seen the Addicks slide towards that frightening relegation scrap, and though the three points were well deserved and incredibly welcome, more wins for lower clubs means there is still no justification in relaxing - and Chris Powell will certainly know that. Whilst the scrap is a frantic one, the game today highlights the spirit, hunger, desire and determination that the squad possess should mean safety isn't too far away.

Hamer returned in goal, whilst Dervite filled in for the presumably injured Matt Taylor at centre back. Pritchard played right midfield with Jackson accompanied in the middle by Andy Hughes, after a lengthy injury absence. Harriott continued on the left whilst Kermorgant and Fuller started up front. Bolton fielded a strong team, including David Ngog, who scored twice in the reverse fixture, and Jay Spearing, in on loan from Liverpool. 

Charlton got off to a terrible start, with Bolton's inter-linking play between midfield and the forward line cut the Addicks apart. Hamer was forced to make an excellent early save to his left, but a goal was coming. Sordell was free in space near the edge of the area - Dervite leaving too much room for him - and the striker took the ball, beat his man with ease and fired home. 0-1 inside four minutes. 

Charlton improved after initial lifelessness, but Kamara wasn't closed down on the edge of the box, and his shot curled into the bottom corner, in off the post. Hamer scrambled but couldn't save it. A good shot, probably too easy for him to hit it. 0-2, with some pockets of booing heard above the cheers of the travelling Bolton fans. 

The two goals had thankfully shocked the hone side into life, with the greatest threat being posed down the left. Harriott was a livewire, and Wiggins arrived on the overlap. A number of crosses and shots came from that side, until the half hour mark arrived. Jackson made a darting run through the centre, and Fuller managed to avoid obstructing his progress and instead laid the ball off nicely for the skipper who fired a left-footed shot across goal into the bottom right corner. 1-2, the crowd roaring encouragement.

The sides traded blows until half time, with the Addicks seeing a couple of shots deflected behind, and a frantic mis-punch from Lonergan almost presenting a chance from one resulting corner, but the sides went in at the break with the score 1-2. The home side were applauded off after their positive efforts to get back into the game, drowning out any who thought booing would be a good idea. The game was well poised, and almost irrationally I still felt Charlton could win it, despite the dreadful home form. 

Charlton threatened, and continued to trouble down the left. Harriott enjoyed perhaps a few too many shots, but he was the most creative player, and his performance was a real plus. 

It could be argued that just before the hour mark was the game's real turning point. A long ball towards Fuller saw Knight and Ricketts close towards him. The Charlton striker won the header and was brought down immediately after by Ricketts in attempting to play the ball. A free-kick was given 30 yards out, and somewhat to the displeasure of Dougie Freedman, the defender was given a second yellow card. It definitely looked like a yellow card offence, given Fuller had nodded the ball towards goal and was looking good to get on the end of it, although all three had made an honest attempt to get the ball, so perhaps you could argue it was a tad harsh. Immediately Sordell was brought off and Butterfield sent on. It presented the Addicks with a golden opportunity to steal the three points.

Jackson and Kermorgant were both poised, ready to strike the free kick. The whistle went. Yann stepped forward and curled his typically sublime effort towards the bottom left corner of the goal. Lonergan sprawled. The ball clattered the post. Players flung themselves towards the rebound, the ball deflecting slightly off Pritchard, making Hughes attempt at a header look comical given the ball was nowhere near when he completed his dive. It travelled past them. Dervite, free in the area, rolled a first time left footed shot, resembling more of a pass, into the wide open right side of the goal. A frantic few seconds capped off by a calm finish, and another great roar from the home crowd. One man advantage, with half an hour to play. What an opportunity.

Not long after that, Fuller again won the ball in the far corner, and flicked the ball past Butterfield into the penalty area. In the process of chasing back, Pratley clipped the leg of Fuller who was forced to ground. Trevor Kettle pointed to the spot. What a chance. After the initial protestations, it became clear who was going to take the penalty, although a couple of double-takes were necessary. Yann Kermorgant was waiting by the spot. It would be his first competitive penalty since the infamous chip that was saved in the playoff semi-final - the reason Leicester gave him so much stick. He placed the ball confidently on the spot. It was the pressure of a normal penalty, heightened by the terrible home form this season, the desperation to secure three points to climb away from the dropzone, and yet the overriding feeling was that of fear, for the talismanic striker who was about to take a step into the unknown. 

The whistle went. Kermorgant charged towards the ball, side-footing a powerful effort that curved away from the diving Lonergan and crashed into the back of the net, sparking an even greater roar than before from the home supporters. Yann celebrated properly, once again illustrating his commitment to this club. The goal completed the comeback, from the depths of despair at 0-2, to the joy and ecstasy of 3-2. However, there was the small matter of defending for the next 25 minutes, which Chris Powell unfortunately seemed all too eager to do. 

Hughes was withdrawn after a fine comeback on 70 minutes, replaced by the impressively calm and clinical Mark Gower. Kermorgant dropped off Fuller and played more of a covering central midfield role. Charlton sat deep. Worryingly deep. 

The chances still came, but the intensity in attack was significantly reduced, given the desire not to give a goal away. Kermorgant had acres of space on the right and chose his target when crossing for the far post, only to see Harriott mishit the shot which went wide. Pritchard almost turned in a cross from the left but the effort was superbly blocked by a flying Wanderers defender. Towards the end of the 90 minutes, Kermorgant rose above Butterfield at the back post and his header was touched superbly over the bar by the jumping Lonergan. 

Bolton attempted to salvage something from the game, bringing on Craig Davies. It was an odd change as his sole objective throughout the short period he spent on the pitch seemed to be to just act like a complete idiot and make as many fouls as possible. He used his arms, elbows and all to try and get the ball, all to no avail. He was booked for shoving Michael Morrison, and when the ball dropped for Wiggins to hoof clear, his lunge from behind flattened the left-back, and earned him a deserved second yellow card. A quite magnificent display of incompetence and ineptitude from the former Barnsley front-man. 

The final 20 minutes weren't entirely pleasant to watch. The Addicks initially held the ball well up the field, but that soon turned to panicked clearances and brave headers as Bolton heaved the ball forward in an attempt to steal a late equaliser. Hamer collected a fierce low ball across goal, as well as a couple of tame shots, while dealing with crosses well. With a linesman being replaced injured, we knew there would be some added time to come, but we weren't prepared when the board was raised and the number 7 was staring back at us. SEVEN? I clicked my stopwatch into action and let the panic commence. A couple of nervy moments were well negotiated, and the sending off occurred too, but despite Bolton's best efforts, the Addicks defence held firm, and three points were secured. Get in.

-

It was a superb team performance, one where picking a standout player proved extremely difficult. 

Hamer dealt with everything he had to, and save for one dubious moment when challenging for a high ball, he was very solid on his return to the side.

Solly was immense, yet again. He cleared up at the back when Bolton threatened to break, proved extremely difficult to beat at right back, and made one of the most heroic charging runs late on that you'd wish to see. The ball was hoofed clear, with nobody chasing, so Solly took it upon himself to sprint after it. He managed to win the ball, before being spectacularly hauled to the ground, winning a free kick. He really is f---ing quality. 

Wiggins was superb as well, defending solidly and linking up beautifully with Harriott down the left. Though his crosses didn't find the target, the main threat came down the left and he deserves credit for creating space for Harriott to exploit. 

Morrison had a tough task in dealing with Ngog all game, but he did so resolutely. There were a number of balls contested where fouls could have been given either way, but weren't, hence it was a real scrap to win. He did so more often than not. 

Dervite had a rather terrible first half. He was five yards off Sordell and was beaten too easily in the process of scoring the first goal, and threw himself into 50-50 situations where he was taking too much of a risk, many of which he came off second best. But come the second half, he had become far more solid. He took his goal calmly, and won a number of headers to keep Bolton at bay. 

Pritchard was the bundle of energy he always has been, charging up and down the right flank all game. There was some good inter-linking play when he got forward, but the combination down the left showed that an out-and-out right midfielder offers more. However, he's in the team because of his tireless efforts and defensive assistance, and as ever he gave his all. 

Jackson was once again excellent, he leads the team incredibly well. He took his goal superbly, and calmed the game down when he got the ball by spreading the play, as well as tackling when necessary. A great leader.

Hughes played a similar role. A number of first-touch passes opened the play up nicely. His strength is that he brings other players into the game, and it was clear he plays a big motivational role in the centre as well. We've missed him. A great guy to have in the middle, and at the club.

Harriott was lively for the whole game. He runs around ceaselessly like Pritchard, and had a number of efforts on goal. Only one really found the target, which was well saved, but the number of chances he created with his trickery down the left prove he really is a valuable asset to have, and a threatening attacker. Really promising performance. 

Kermorgant was superb, as ever. He made two excellent sliding tackles and managed to somehow swing round the other leg when on the ground to pass the ball. His free-kick was quality, desperately unlucky not to go in, and he showed his bravery when stepping up to take that penalty. It was an emphatic finish. He won headers to link the play up, and put himself about like he always does. Great man.

Fuller flitted in and out of the game. In the first half he did nothing until getting the wrong side of Knight and firing a shot wide. In the second half, his trickery won the penalty, and his header won the free-kick that resulted in the sending off. Apparently he popped his shoulder out again, so to fight through that pain was a truly brave effort.

Gower showed he is a composed midfielder during his 20 minute spell on the pitch, offering a lovely calming influence, similar to the role Hughes had carried out, but with a little more conviction in the final ball. Haynes came on and should probably have outpaced the defence to score, but slowed the ball down and passed the ball wider to create a chance. Wilson did his duties.

Chris Powell was prevented from doing his usual celebratory tunnel jump by a grumpy Trevor Kettle, who had been heckled by Freedman continuously on his way off as a result of the first red card he'd given. The manager deserves great credit for instilling that confidence and belief in his Charlton side. They showed superb fight to come back from 0-2 down, and though there was a red card to assist the victory, we were very much in the ascendancy before that red was given. Powell really deserves a lot of credit for his work this season.

Though ultimately the result did not alter the points difference between us and the bottom three, a performance like that illustrates that the squad has the fight to come up with another few results to make Championship status secure for next year. Hopefully we might be treated to the luxury of another home win in the process!

A vital three points, well deserved. Up the Addicks. 

-

Video of Kermorgant's penalty can be seen here. (Credit to @Strayslacks for uploading it.)

An excellent article from Valley Talk on Chris Powell's position can be read here. 

Peterborough 2-2 Charlton: Industrious Addicks fight for Posh point

A large Charlton following travelled to Peterborough hoping that the excellent away form this season would continue. One win in the last seven games, and no clean sheet in 15, it was a big game for the Addicks. Add to that Peterborough's plight, sat in the dropzone seven points behind Charlton, which heightened the importance of the game even further.

Chris Powell signs an autograph before the match.

Charlton lined up with an attacking 4-4-2 formation. Button kept his place in goal, Solly came in at right-back, pushing Wilson forward to right-midfield. Matt Taylor played in place of the presumably injured Leon Cort, whilst Wiggins played left back. Jackson and Pritchard were charged with controlling central midfield, and Callum Harriott was given a start after some encouraging cameo appearances. Haynes and Fuller were the strike pairing.

Charlton started much the better side, playing good inter-linking football down the wings. Before five minutes had passed, Lawrie Wilson rifled a shot from the corner of the box which ricocheted off the crossbar. Soon after, a ball across the face of goal had nobody waiting to tap in, and the score remained level. Peterborough grew into the game, taking advantage of space in the middle of the park, and after two threatening attacks, their third brought the opening goal. Swanson ran straight from the centre circle into space, and Morrison's challenge was weak, allowing him a straight one-on-one with Button, who was powerless to stop the lifted effort on goal. After that, both sides pressured but aside from a Haynes header that went wide, there was little action at the far end of the pitch, and despite a brilliant start to the game, Charlton went in at the break one down.

A small patch of fans booed this apparent failure, which I found incredible. It was a frustrating half, typical of our season, where things haven't quite fallen our way, and the efforts of the players only warranted applause and further encouragement. Harriott had struggled, failing to land any crosses in play and getting caught out a couple of times. He clearly had talent and ability, it was just a tough introduction into the side. Peterborough were taking advantage of Charlton's overworked central duo, and the threatening Mendez-Laing and Gayle were playing on the shoulder of the last defender, waiting for aerial balls to be played. Charlton were clearly good enough to compete, they just needed a rallying cry to give them the confidence they needed.
The second half started with an immediate Posh attack, where seemingly Charlton were switched off, and were fortunate not to concede. But after that scare, the following 15 minutes saw a sustained spell of pressure that brought two goals and pandemonium in the away end.

The first came from good interplay down the left. Jackson was played the ball on the left corner of the area by Harriott - a lovely ball. Jackson touched it towards the six-yard box and lifted a beautiful left-footed shot over the keeper and into the net. He celebrated in front of the ecstatic away end, and the passion was there for all to see. A comment that he's been our best finisher in the box this season was not far wrong.

"Johnnie, oh Johnnie Jackson runs down the wing for me!" The adoration went on for a good three or four minutes. For all the stick he gets, he's a great captain, and worked tirelessly all game in midfield. He also pops up with vital goals. Write him off at your peril.

Charlton continued to pile on the pressure, and won a corner on the right. Jackson swung it in dangerously. The ball went back out to the right, and Solly took the ball into the box and clipped a cross to the back post. Morrison headed towards goal, and there were appeals that it had crossed the line. The block fell to Haynes, barely a few yards out, who absolutely hammered the ball up into the roof of the net, triggering chaotic joy on the terraces. He had been pumped up all game, and it was great he was rewarded with a goal. Though his pace had nothing to do with the goal, the danger he poses makes him a vital player for this club.

The goal took the noise level up another notch, with sublime chants praising the magnificent effort of the Addicks to turn things around.

Harriott looked like a man transformed - his trickery troubled the defence and he could lay the ball of to the marauding Rhoys Wiggins. Jackson and Pritchard gathered the loose balls and spread the play wide. Fuller interlinked, but it was Haynes causing most trouble, with his pace and determination.

Further pressure came, and a third goal was a distinct possibility. The ball didn't quite fall on a couple of occasions to allow a shot in and around the box. You got the feeling - you always do - that failure to convert would be followed by an opposition goal.

And that's exactly what happened. A mid-range shot from 18 yards low to Button's left wasn't saved and hit the back of the net. I failed to hear who scored, but heads dropped in the away end. Button was slightly late down on it, and many ere disappointed with the effort. The word "Hamer" was at times audible above the groans.

The ensuing 20 minutes saw end to end football. One Charlton chance almost arose after some excellent one touch football around the right hand corner of the box. Haynes chipped in front of Wilson who was beaten to the ball by a defender. But after that, it was Posh pressure, particularly in the final ten minutes of the game. It was familiar backs-to-the-wall defending, with corners being won and free kicks being given. A melee in front of goal invoked a ridiculous sense of panic, and I was expecting the net to bulge and pile on the misery, but somehow the ball was cleared. Dervite came on late, and for all the defensive assurance he brought, there was no outlet, so it was constant pressure. Full time eventually came, with the point secured. All things considered, a good point, and a fair result.

The whistle was part cheered, part applauded by us. There was recognition of the value of denying Peterborough three points, and keeping the gap between the two sides at seven. The Charlton players walked over towards the faithful supporters after shaking hands. Another rendition of the Jackson song was gloriously launched. The warm applause afforded to the squad was well deserved, as the Posh looked a threat for much of the game. Before we turned for the exits, there was time for a song for Chris Powell, who thanked the support. A fairly satisfactory result.

Addicks fans applaud after the final whistle

Jackson gets my man of the match. His goal was taken calmly and clinically, and his tireless effort in the middle was vital to breaking down play and spreading the ball wide. He's not just a quality finisher, but also a hard worker, and a superb motivator. The passion was there for all to see tonight. He truly is a Great Man.
Haynes was the better of the two strikers, winning as much in the air as Haynes, who himself posed a much greater threat in and around the box. After his difficult first half, Harriott was superb, and perhaps a little defensive naivety was made up for by an inability to stop running in the team's cause. I'd definitely start him on Saturday. Wiggins and Solly were useful going forward, as always. Wilson also had a good game, and was unlucky not to score early on. Pritchard also ran himself into the ground in midfield. That the central duo were overrun at times was not through fault of their own, but a consequence of the clever passing play from the Posh. Morrison made the key error that brought the first goal, but he and Taylor did well to win the majority of headers. Posh liked the lifted ball in behind the defence, and largely this was dealt with well. Button made an excellent save to keep the score 1-0, and collected crosses and high balls flawlessly, but most will only remember the second goal, which is a shame, but it happens.

As for Powell, a big thumbs up for the team selection. The scoreline at the break didn't reflect errors in selection or tactics, and the occasional threat through the middle was a consequence of the will to attack and score goals. He must have done a phenomenal job at half time. He's brilliant at instilling that belief needed when things haven't quite gone right for his side. With five minutes to go his decision to go defensive and take the point was brave, running the risk of conceding another late goal, but ultimately it was a great showing from the Addicks, who certainly deserved their point, if not more.

There are always goals at London Road. Peterborough's good recent run highlights the value of a point. More importantly, the fight, desire and energy shown after half time embodied the spirit of the squad. You can never be certain, but the squad seem to have too much fight to go down. The point tonight actually lifts us to 14th, showing how crazily tight this league is. There's no denying that there are big games to come, and that a few more wins are needed before we can rest easy, but after tonight's performance there's no justification in manning the lifeboats just yet.

Charlton 0-2 Forest: Blaming the Players Achieves Nothing

An incredibly frustrating Saturday afternoon, but if you want someone to vent your fury at, spare the players who ran relentlessly all game.

A needless kick from Kermorgant, but the reaction of Halford
and the entire Forest side went unpunished

Charlton started with the same XI who put in an excellent performance at Leicester on Tuesday, which meant a 4-5-1 set-up. The only issue with this style is that success it achieves it away from home, where teams are set up in more attacking formations. But until shortly before half time, it had done its job and kept Forest at bay.

What was irritating about the first half was no necessarily our incapability of stringing passes together. We weren't playing fluently at all, but against a side with the amount of quality Forest possess, it was always going to be a tough ask, and defensively we held our own. The most frustrating part was the impatience, anger and lack of support from many in the crowd. Playing poorly is not an offence worthy of booing. With well over a half of football to play, 0-0 is a perfectly acceptable scoreline against a team of that quality.
Then came the moment that turned, and ruined, the match. A long ball towards Kermorgant on the left flank. Forest had expertly committed niggly fouls as Charlton players attempted headers, and Yann had been targeted all game. They'd been successful in their task thanks to a referee unwilling or incapable of penalising these offences. This time, again Halford blocked him off, twice pushing him dubiously close to a foul. The ball went out for a throw as Kermorgant kicked out at Halford, who went to ground and then reacted angrily to the Frenchman. Forest's players piled in on the referee, who was calming Halford down, pressuring him into punishing Kermorgant. The nearside linesman had little conclusive evidence to go on, but the linesman over by the West Stand apparently had the clearest view in the world. On the word of a man stood 80 yards away, the referee made a decision to send off Charlton's main attacking threat, simultaneously destroying the afternoon for the home side. It was an incredible decision, and the explosion of the Easy Stand should say a lot. I've heard there was a man in the block of flats behind the Jimmy Seed Stand who had an even better view of the incident...

Accuse me of being a Kermorgant-loyalist. Fine, I probably am. Kicking out at an individual and giving the referee an excuse to send you off is incredibly stupid, but so many times you see something like that given a yellow. In the end, perhaps it was the right call, but it was simply unbelievable to see the ultimate decision being made by a man in a different post code to the actual event. From that moment on, though, there was absolutely nothing Charlton could do to salvage things. Give a side of Forest's quality an extra man and of course they will dominate the game.

Half time, 0-0, but little hope as to what the second half promised. Sure enough, Forest could easily dissect the press and create chances. A well taken first goal from Majewski as he burst into the box, and a poor second from Charlton's perspective as Hamer fumbled a tame shot into the path of Lansbury, but in truth if Forest had further ambitions they could easily have scored more. Majewski blazed over when he could've added a third after an excellent counter-attack. Forest dominated, but blaming the 10 men on the pitch for that is ludicrous.

That's what made the final 30 or so minutes so infuriating. Forest had the spare men so that any press Charlton attempted could easily be undone by a square ball. Individuals in the crowd suggesting it was as woeful effort from the chasing players, "showing no passion" made me incredibly angry. What on earth do you expect when you're a man down? Character-assassinations of players left on the pitch who "aren't good enough" did my head in. The speed with which people turn on players in ridiculous. Powell threw on Haynes and Fuller, but because we were a man down, it was almost impossible to get close to scoring. Nevertheless, the referee still had time to further infuriate the crowd. A handball appeal close to the tunnel inside the box was turned down despite frenzied protests from the North/NorthWest stands. Halford scythed down Fuller when arguably he was last man, but it was only deemed worthy of a yellow. Jackson was so knackered you knee his free-kick wouldn't go in, but it wasn't far off the top left corner.

Billy Davies had decided to secure a point, which seemed odd as goal difference can be important in the playoff race. Part of that can be put down to the dogged defending from the home side. Powell switched from 4-3-2 to 4-4-1 as it became apparent all hope of drawing level was futile. Andy Reid was taken off and deservedly received warm applause from the home crowd as well as away. He was excellent in midfield, showing what quality a large amount of money can provide you with.

The game ended 0-2, and the crowd had either completely dispersed or run out of energy to vilify the officials. A few, including myself, applauded the efforts of the players, who trudged off downhearted. Stephens had a poor first half, and was rightly replaced by Fuller to provide us with a focal point in attack. Dervite struggled to pass all game, but defended solidly, and Jackson, Pritchard and Wagstaff ran themselves into the ground in an attempt to steal the ball and prevent Charlton from being cut open. Fuller didn't really have too many opportunities, and Haynes also struggled to get the better of the visiting defence. Wiggins coveted behind the back four very well, and its great to have him back playing again. Hamer made that one costly error, but on the face of it, what is criticising him going to achieve? Forest easily had the upper hand with the extra man, the result was an inevitability. In fact, what is criticising anyone going to achieve?

Ultimately, if you want to point the finger, blame Yann. He made a costly error that prevented any chance of securing a point or stealing all three, but he's been our talismanic figure this season, who's tireless efforts have gained us so many points. A moment of rash stupidity in kicking out. It remains an incredible piece of officiating, given the way the far-side linesman made the call, but ultimately the sending off ruined the game. As Billy Davies has said afterwards, Forest dominated the half before the match-defining incident. But what was the score? And how many clearcut chances had they created? Yes, Charlton were poor, but they were very much still in the game, and a half-time change could've made a positive difference. Instead, the angry brigade are out in force, accusing players of a lack of passion, despite having won at Leicester after one of the best performances this bunch have ever put in.

Comparing the wealth of the two sides, the Addicks were always going to be up against it. Powell has had his hands tied behind his back in the transfer market - there's been no money to build on last year's side. The mid-table position is a testament to the fantastic job he and the squad have done this season. The sending off ruined the afternoon, and decided the result. As a man who asked me the result at London Bridge said, "oh well, there's always the next game." I doubt too many will offer such sensible, measured views after that frustrating afternoon.

Blame Kermorgant if anyone, as ultimately the sending off ended our chances of being competitive in the game. (Or blame the ref, as I did at the time.) Having finally brought myself to see the incident, it was probably red. A lot worse happens on a pitch, but the ball was 5 yards away, and its giving the referee a reason to send you off. But in a league where we are financially inferior to most, have some sense and understand that we aren't going to outplay teams every week. Especially not with one less player.

Edit: If Powell says its a red card, then we have to accept it. I am still not convinced from the view I had, and I still take issue with the way it was dealt with by the officials. I was no closer than the linesman who had the final say, so why did the referee not make the decision initially, and play restarted with a throw, so why was there no foul given if it was a red card offence?

Second Edit: A foolish, rash kick from Kermorgant that brought to an end our chances. Its something he'll instantly have regretted, and pointless vilification of him achieves absolutely nothing. People are suggesting Powell gives him a bollocking or fines him, for "costing us three points." Are some of these supporters serious? He's cost us the chance to get three points, for sure, but missing three games is punishment enough. Both he and Powell know he's made a mistake. Compounding the misery is not the way to deal with a player who has done so well for the club since arriving. Comparisons with Cantona are growing, it seems...

Fantastic fighting spirit sees Addicks win thriller

On a bright New Year's Day, the Addicks travelled to Watford on the back a run of six games without a win. Anxiety had started to kick-in, and the short away trip offered a good chance to get back on track.

Powell was forced into two changes from the side that drew to Derby: the suspended Morrison replaced at the back by Dorian Dervite, and the injured Danny Haynes replaced by Ricardo Fuller, who partnered Kermorgant up front. Watford fielded at least five imports from Udinese, part of the reason for their successes this season.

The Addicks began kicking away from the travelling fans, and were certainly in the game, playing some effective football going forward. But for all their work came no reward, as it was the Hornets that struck first. Some good passing play saw the ball worked into the box from the left, and a shot was well saved by Ben Hamer, but only in the direction of Pudil on the eight, who fired home low across goal to score, and wake the home crowd.

Despite the scoreline, the Addicks grew into the game. Initially a poor touch in the build-up had scuppered any forward progress, but as the half wore on the touch became sharper. For all their attractive passing, Watford could not penetrate into the box and create another clear-cut chance. Forestieri challenged Hamer for a bouncing ball on the edge of the box, was out-jumped but led with his hand, tipping the ball past the goalkeeper. Referee - Trevor Kettle of Oldham fame - booked him for a cynical act. If you asked me whether Watford's Italian influence had brought with it that gamesmanship element, then I couldn't possibly comment.

A good move instigated by a long ball to trouble the Hornet's defence culminated in Jackson running on to a bouncing ball in the box. He controlled it and skirted it home across goal, but the linesman had flagged, suggesting Jackson had handled the ball in positioning it for his shot. From 100 yards away, with the player's body in the way, I had no idea whether it was the correct decision, but naturally you feel hard done by.

Soon after, Charlton won a corner. The ball was flicked on at the front post before it ricocheted into the back of the net. The travelling support erupted, the building sense of injustice released. The loose balls from the ensuing kick-off fell Charlton's way, and they were urged on by a rejuvenated support. Three minutes after the equaliser, Evina burst down the left, dragging two defenders towards the by-line before cutting inside onto his right foot. He slid a ball into the box for Pritchard, who stood a brilliant cross up to the back post. One player jumped for it but could not stretch, and with the goal gaping, Kermorgant was able to launch himself onto it and power his header into the back of the net to put the Addicks ahead. The travelling support exploded this time, a quick-fire double, which many would feel was deserved, on the back of such a dry run in terms of results meant this was a big goal. The score remained the same at the break, with Charlton fans far happier with proceedings.

The second half did not begin well for the visitors. Hamer initially denied an equaliser with a brilliant one-on-one save to deny Forestieri, which would have capped a lovely passing move, but more tricky play from Watford's front two - both on loan from Udinese - led to a penalty. Dervite was caught on the wrong side of him, and following a tangle of legs he crashed to the ground. Kettle immediately pointed to the spot, and the penalty was coolly slotted into the bottom left-corner leaving Hamer with little chance. Scores level again. 

Three minutes after the goal, Jackson spurned a golden opportunity to bring the scores level once more. Kermorgant flicked on into the box, and the ball fell for the skipper, but he couldn't slot past Almunia, who denied him well with a solid stop. You got the impression it was a big miss, and on 68 minutes that assumption seemed correct. The hosts struck what felt like a crushing blow. Another good move saw the ball worked into the box for Geijo, who slotted home and made it 3-2. 

The Watford fans, silent all game, suddenly started chants of "you're not singing anymore", which was both untrue and unwise. With the home support still settling after their third goal, Charlton took the ball up the other end. Fuller worked the ball past two defenders on the by-line and cut into the box, his cross angled away from goal. Kermorgant stretched, his effort hammering into a defender on the line, but another ricochet saw the ball nestle in the back of the net. Ecstasy! And, somewhat gloriously, the chant was thrown right back at the home fans, who once again descended into a nervous silence. A great line following our chant of "sit down shut up" was offered by one fan, who shouted "they've been sat down and shut up most of the game." 

The travelling fans were far from quiet, though, as they urged their team on. There was a real feeling that the game was there for the taking, despite the regular threats from the tricky Udinese pairing up front. An offside flag, correctly raised, saved Charlton from going behind for the third time. 

Twelve minutes from time, the decisive blow was struck. Wilson departed for treatment, an apparent broken nose, as Stephens whipped in an out-swinging corner. Jackson ran forward, rose above the defenders and powered his header towards goal. Time seemed to slow down, before the ball crashed into the top corner of the net. Four three up! The crowd went absolutely beserk. Jackson ran towards the fans, his knee-slide stopping right on the edge of the pitch. The players flooded over, with pure joy everywhere. The perfect moment. 

Each goal had been greeted with more vigour than the last, and the culmination of that was a minute of pure delirium. It was as exhausting as it was special. The small matter of holding on to that lead remained. 

Vicarage Road was stunned. Watford took a while to recover from the sucker punch that was the fourth goal, but the rest of the game was not without its nervy moments. Two more disallowed goals for off-side - again, correct - as well as a scrambling save from Hamer as the ball threatened to loop behind him and land in the goal. The Hornets' frustration became apparent, with a number of poorly timed challenges resulting in yellow cards. Arguably one could have been red, with an appalling scissor-kick lunge from Ekstrand that scythed down an advancing Pritchard. Kettle only waved his yellow card. Leon Cort had to go off injured, so Charlton brought on Taylor to see out the remaining five minutes of stoppage time. A large proportion of that time was wasted. Cook was booked for scooping the ball into the away support, but what followed was a very entertaining minute, with the collective refusal to throw the ball back to Almunia. Instead, a bit of volleyball broke out among the superb away support. 

Full-time arrived, met by an enormous cheer. By that stage, I was so drained that the feeling was pure relief. The players skipped over to the us behind the goal where the famous winner was scored, applauding the supporters. Chants of "Chrissy Powell's Red Army" rang out, among others, as the fans gave the players a fitting send-off after their more than valiant efforts. Chris Powell was the last man left, doing his two tunnel-jump-esque waves to satisfy the crowd. His own fighting spirit was embodied in that Charlton performance. A famous win!

Trevor Kettle had a good first half, but a number of his decisions in the second were questionable. The increasingly cynical play from the hosts was not adequately punished, especially when Neuton - who deserves a special mention for his hilarious, and pathetic theatrics - was touched in the chest by Fuller, and then went down grasping his face. Not even booked, predictably given he was already on a yellow. New Year, same old moaning etc, but it really is the kind of thing that needs to be eradicated from football. The Italian influence really did see Watford exhibit a more cynical edge, with late challenges when breaks were launched, as well as the diving of Forestieri, who collapsed for the penalty once he felt contact, and the pathetic attempts to deceive the gullible Kettle. He missed some glaring fouls, but thankfully his assistant on the far side was able to raise his offside flag to rightly deny Watford on occasions.

Aside from the gamesmanship, the Hornets played some very nice football, and as much as Charlton should try to emulate the style, our more direct approach was effective given the inexperienced trio of defenders for the home side. Nobody seemed able to challenge Kermorgant or Fuller consistently, and both were excellent in winning the ball, holding on to it and releasing other players. Yann was especially good today, with some sublime touches, a goal, and a lot of fight to lead the line well. Fuller shone with moments of quality, too. Evina was bright down the left, and having a quick, pacy left-back improves Jackson's game no-end, as he was absolutely superb in leading the side today. Pritchard was once again energetic, making both decisive tackles and probing leads up front. Stephens was good at spreading the play, and he made his fair share of challenges, though a few too many breaks through the middle were allowed.

Solly and Wilson were not quite at their peak as a partnership, but the right-back was again superb, making vital challenges and overlapping runs down the wing. Dervite looked a bit unsteady at times but Cort won pretty much everything in the air before his worrying injury departure. Evina showed how much we have missed a real, pacy left-back.

Chris Powell keeps on invoking that fighting spirit into his side. Twice behind away from home to a team sat in the playoff places, but still the players kept their belief. Scoring the third so quickly after going behind again was one of the great displays of that belief, and provided a wonderful moment for the supporters to mock the suddenly silent Hornet fans. Not since Carlisle has a goal been celebrated to such an extent, but the winner today capped an unbelievable performance from a group of players who just will not admit defeat. A proud day to be an Addick.

Bolton scoreline no fair reflection of battling Addicks performance

Seven games unbeaten, off the back of two good draws against Millwall and Brighton, the Addicks travelled up to Bolton with hopes of extending that record. Bolton, lying eighteenth, possess numerous quality players, and their league position represents a significant under-achievement for the recently relegated side. Managed by Dougie Freedman, who has struggled to make his impact felt, Bolton represent a side who could either unleash their quality, or stutter and fail to produce a cohesive performance. We were hoping for the latter, and whilst it largely came true, it was two moments of quality that determined the result, despite an excellent effort from the visiting side.

View from the away end at the Reebok as the teams emerged before the start

The long trip up to Bolton began before dawn. The Valley Express, driven by a man in an Arsenal hat, departed, carrying hopeful Addicks up North. Typically, it was cloudy and damp - isn't it always up there? Arriving at the stadium with over an hour before kick off allowed us a good time to take in the surroundings. Thankfully, the Reebok is not built in central Bolton, which appeared bleak and miserable - for most of the game, so was the home support. The ground, situated in a retail park, is a smart one, and a good contingent of over 600 Charlton fans filled a few blocks in the away end.

The team selection was again a bold one, but also clever from Chris Powell. Solly returned to right back, with Seaborne on the left. This allowed Wilson to push forward to right midfield. Jackson, Stephens and Frimpong formed the central trio, Haynes starting wide left, and the talismanic Yann Kermorgant up front on his own.

In the opening stages Bolton were allowed possession, whilst Charlton got men behind the ball. The pressing was effective. Bolton passed well but failed to break down the defence, misplacing passes and exhibiting a lack of control in crucial areas. The Addicks took a while to get into the game, but soon were calmly passing the ball round the back. Occasional breaks were made, utilising the width of the five-man midfield. A few corners were won, but none were effective.

The first real chance came after Bolton gave in to the impatient crowd, tired of their inaccurate passing, when they lumped the ball forward to Kevin Davies. A corner was won, and after a flick on the ball fell to Eagles around eight yards out. He fired a shot on the turn that was well saved by Ben Hamer. After more battling between the boxes, two chances fell to Charlton before the break.

Wilson turned brilliantly deep in the visitors' half, and passed in to Frimpong. The right-midfielder continued his run forward, showing his bundles of energy. Frimpong interchanged with Kermorgant, and the ball was worked out right where Wilson ran on to it, having beaten the defender. His cross fell at the back post where Haynes was free, level with the post. His free header was directed agonisingly wide.

Soon after, a long ball was won by Kermorgant, who controlled superbly, turned and fired a left-footed shot that was well saved by Bogdan. Half time arrived, and the hone side were booed off. A mark of their poor performance, but also an indication of how well the Addicks were executing their game plan. You still felt the game could go either way, though, given the quality Bolton possess.

Charlton continued in the ascendancy after the break, another golden chance arriving. Threatening down the right flank, with support found inside, Kermorgant's link-up play was instrumental in the way Powell wanted the team to play. The fiesta chance came when Wilson crossed and Kermorgant out-jumped his marker, but could only direct his header back across goal, wide of the target. A bigger chance came about from the remnants of a corner. Kermorgant from the corner of the box curled a cross towards three Addicks players, all onside. It fell to Wilson, but the header was again wide of the mark. Charlton had let the home side off the hook a couple of times.

As 70 minutes approached, you felt that the first goal would decide the game. The home support was beyond restless, clearly unhappy at their sides showing, rarely singing in support. The Addicks kept the faith as ever, hopeful that the next chance that arrived would this time be taken.

The two managers made their moves. Powell took heart from the success in playing through Bolton's defences, and instructed Haynes to go up front, switching to 4-4-2 from 4-5-1. Freedman put on Martin Petrov and David Ngog - two players who wouldn't look out of place in the Premier League. Add to that Kevin Davies, Chris Eagles and Jay Spearing, and you can see the makings of a potent attacking force. Ultimately Bolton benefited from the changes, taking advantage of one less red defender in their way. Ngog got the ball on the edge of the box and shaped to shoot. He drew a diving slide to try and block the shot from a defender, and turned to pass them. He fired a close-range shot past Hamer and put Wanderers one up.

The relief in the stadium was palpable. Suddenly, from being downbeat and depressed, the home support were cocky and cheerful in poking fun at the loyal away following. Despite attempts to draw level, Ngog found himself in a similar situation minutes later. He again beat a defender, shot, and despite a touch from Hamer, he doubled the advantage.

The Addicks looked crushed, and despite attempting to score, the game appeared to be lost. One moment of controversy remained, however. Kermorgant crossed from the by-line, and Bogdan took an awkward catch standing on his line. He took a couple of steps back into his goal, attempting to hold the ball outside of the goal line. It looked like he failed to do so. We were incensed, and despite our dubious viewpoint perpendicular to the line, the jubilant reaction of the Bolton fans in line with the incident suggested out angered appeals were warranted.

Charlton couldn't create any significant chances, despite the introduction of a lively Wright-Phillips and Jordan Cook with under 10 minutes to go. The unbeaten run came to an end, in a game where Charlton had dominated for large periods. The performance deserved a point, but in this league you have to take your chances, and that process the difference today. With the quality on Bolton's side, its by no means a defeat to worry about, despite the frustrating nature of the match itself.The tactical shifts were key to the change in direction of the game, and Powell's gamble in an attempt to nick a goal backfired. That said, his tactics from the start had been spot on, and had we taken those chances we could well be celebrating on our way home. Instead, Bolton rode their luck, created two golden opportunities and scored from them. As we've found all season, the margins in this league are fine indeed.

Aside from the odd mistake, and lack of clinical finishing in front of goal, you can't really fault any of the players today. The midfield three worked tirelessly all game, Stephens and Frimpong in particular winning tackles, beating players and spreading the play with good passing. Jackson worked well but in advanced positions he struggled. Solly and Wilson worked brilliantly on the break, creating overlaps and putting balls into the box. Kermorgant dropped off in order to link up play, often with Haynes. Not only did he battle hard in the air, but on the ground his skilful touch created a number of openings. Haynes did struggle playing wide left, but a couple of times his pace really threatened to create a goalscoring opportunity. Hamer was solid in dealing with crosses, distributed well, often aiming at Kermorgant who would win header after header, and choosing the right moment to roll it out and set up a counter-attack.

Dervite had again been preferred ahead of Cort, and his efforts alongside Morrison were valiant. They kept Bolton quiet for large periods of the game, but struggled against the niggling fouls that Kevin Davies cleverly makes almost every time the ball is hit towards him. He's an expert in nudging defenders off balance, and making it look like he's the one being fouled. Despite a brief five-minute period after half time, the referee failed to penalise these fouls, and the poring goal came following more physical fouls on the back two. With a stronger ref, Bolton would have struggled, particularly as the same tactics were employed against Kermorgant, who was often nudged off balance prior to jumping, preventing him from rising to head the ball.

A frustrating loss. Charlton needed three things today, but lacked them: a clinical edge in front of goal; a bit of luck; a competent referee. On the whole, it was an admirable, battling performance, and the scoreline didn't reflect the dominance the Addicks had for large periods of the game. Feeling soured after being denied after Bogdan's back-pedalling, and conceding twice from a man I have long maintained is useless, the trio back is unlikely to be a jolly one. But play like that next weekend against a struggling Sheffield Wednesday side, and the travelling fans could well return along with three points. A frustrating result, but I have no complaints with the efforts of the players. Missing those chances proved key.

Powell continues to extract performances from his squad, and playing like that we should be confident of a mid-table finish. All good runs end eventually. Let's hope the next one can start next Saturday.

Up The Addicks

--

Tapped up on my phone on the way back home. A good away trip, just not the result you want. As its my first away trip of the year, it would probably be fair to blame me for the end of the run.
For less long-winded views on the Addicks, follow me on Twitter: @ramblingaddick.
Thanks for reading.