League One Revisited: Stevenage 2-1 Brentford

There are a vast number of reasons that I'd rather Charlton were in the Championship as opposed to League One, but there is one particular drawback we have to endure.

The Preamble:

International weekends have always been difficult to cope with. Not only are fans of the top two leagues deprived of their three o'clock kick offs, but there's no Super Sunday to watch either. League One downwards does not suffer this inconvenience, and as a result, the flow of the season is not disrupted.

Waking up this morning I realised that I had an entire day of boredom at uni awaiting. No sport to watch, or play, and not even international fixtures to watch given the recent change which has moved games to Friday evenings. I decided to trawl through the BBC fixture list and find the closest game to Cambridge that I could find. The U's were away to Chester, so a trip to the Abbey had already been ruled out. There was little else given the second FA Cup qualifying round was taking place, but the Stevenage v Brentford fixture stood out. It was on the way to London, so not too far to travel. Entry to the ground was also quite reasonably priced. And so it was decided. Broadhall Way beckoned.

It's quite an interesting experience to plunge yourself into a completely different footballing environment for an afternoon. Non-league games at Bromley do have that element of familiarity to them, despite my rare attendances. Stevenage, however, was completely new.

It had only ever been a town that had flashed by whilst on the train back to London, as well as the place that Charlton lost their first game in the 2011/12 promotion season. Now I felt like I ought to develop some sort of attachment to its football club. That proved a tricky task, given the functional, long-ball nature of Graham Westley's side, but I decided to stand on the home terrace nonetheless. (Price was the determining factor...)

Not even the monumental shambles that First Capital Connect had managed to create could stop me making the journey. The somewhat irrational desire to watch whatever football I could find had taken hold. The train south was delayed by a calamitous signal failure at Finsbury Park, and everyone was packed in like sardines. But I was going to watch some football, so I didn't really care.

It's quite hard to explain why you have such an attachment to a sport. On the surface at least, football appears to be an incredibly simple game, yet there's something about how it manages to become such an important factor in people's lives. The loyalty, the highs and lows, the friendship and the banter all seem to play a part in creating an atmosphere. It's easy to pick teams you like by watching them on the tele, but by investing time into a side you discover far more. Behind the simple desire to watch a game of football and avoid a dull afternoon was a wish to experience a whole new footballing environment. Looking back, I'm glad I went. 

A moody backdrop as a fan tries to read the word 'Stevenage'

After a fairly lengthy walk from the station, Broadhall Way came into view, though it's called the Lamex Stadium these days. Quite a small and compact ground, it was fairly modern and smart. After a quick visit to the shop to buy a programme and a pin, I chose the East Terrace as my stand of choice. I took up a position close to the edge of the penalty area and waited for the start.

A quick glance at the programme revealed some interesting phraseology used by Graham Westley. He was apparently very pleased with his side's "attacking display of both football and defending." Attacking defending is one of his more interesting concepts.

The Match:

Stevenage were struggling at the foot of the table, with just one win all season and one point from five home games. François Zoko had been snapped up by Borough following his release by Notts County in August, and an impressive display in midweek had the terrace murmuring with slight optimism. Brentford, meanwhile, were stuttering in mid-table, hoping for a win to reinvigorate their playoff push. They had former Addick David Button in goal, as well as the one and only Alan McCormack, who somehow has managed to become captain. They also had former Birmingham defender Martin Taylor at the back - still a towering presence - in an attempt to disrupt Stevenage's long-ball style. 

Home fans await the start of the game, as Brentford warm-up

Brentford started brightly, whilst the home side were struggling badly. Within two minutes Donaldson had been played in by a simple through ball, wrong footing the entire back four, but a good save from Day denied him. The rebound eventually fell to McCormack who shot tamely at the keeper.

Another half chance for the Bees was soon followed by a deserved opening goal. A simple through ball caught out the left back, and Douglas chipped niftily over the keeper towards the far post, where Donaldson bundled the ball home into an empty net.

Stevenage looked bereft of incision, with Burrow up front struggling to lay the ball off for Zoko. But out of nowhere the home side were level. A number of the crowd, including myself, had allowed their attention to drift from the ball, given it was with Button in the Brentford goal. The keeper realised he was under pressure, and tried to trick past the advancing Zoko. He tackled the keeper, with the ball going straight into the back of the net. Everyone was stunned! Just the eight goal that Stevenage have scored this season, and comfortably the strangest.

Westley's side grew into the game, hassling Brentford much more effectively, which broke up their passing game and forced them to aim down field for Donaldson. Soon came a third goal. A Stevenage corner was partially cleared, but the ensuing cross was poorly dealt with, and after a scuffed shot was saved, the ball fell again to Zoko, who hit his shot down into the turf so that it bounced up into the top of the net. Joy for Borough!

A Brentford set-piece

The mood on the terrace was a happy one, but that didn't halt the cries of many aimed at the linesman. His lack of offside decisions led many to turn on him, such that he was informed his next game would be in the Sunday league. Encouragement for the home side continued to be dealt out.

Tempers flared as half time approached, with what appeared to be a strong body check by Douglas going unpunished, a cynical challenge by Diagouraga receiving yellow. Donaldson had another chance from an angle after a through ball released him, but Day dived superbly to tip the effort past the far post.

The second half is not one that will go down in history for its quality. It quickly became evident that Westley would defend his side's lead, and sparingly commit players forward on the counter. Jones and Ashton at the heart of the Borough defence were immense, winning everything in the air. The intense pressure that the Stevenage midfield put Brentford under when they had the ball forced them to look for the long ball, with limited success.

A couple of times Stevenage felt it necessary to commit fouls to break up Brentford's attacks. Amidst the loud mutterings of discontent after the ref awarded one of these free kicks came a loud shout of "DON'T PANIC" from further down the terrace. A glorious line. As with most of the away side's efforts, the cross came to nothing.

One ball forward did find its way to Donaldson in a threatening area. He managed to round the keeper but the resulting angle was too acute, and the effort crashed into the side netting.

Donaldson had gone ground too easily on a couple of occasions earlier in the game. When back defending in front of our section of terrace, one inspired shout came from the stand - "Why are you still on your feet Donaldson! I can't do justice to the frequency and quality of the heckling, but I doubt I've witnessed a finer terrace display before. 

McCormack challenged

My personal highlight of the half came when a good shooting chance fell to Alan McCormack. He got under the ball and cleared the stadium's roof. It was one of eight balls lost during the game, and led to some amusingly rude chants aimed in his direction. I rather enjoyed that.

Westley's men closed out the game successfully. The result seemed fairly inevitable, but clearly that's not the case when you consider their home form this season. That said, Stevenage were imperious when dealing with the long ball, and also time-wasted relentlessly. Whilst I can never really accept this practice, it was clear why Westley felt it useful.

The crowd erupted when the final whistle went - the referee never really got to grips with the time-wasting, and the frustration of the away fans had turned to apathy, with many filing out before the end. A first home win of the season for Westley's men, who came over to the core support of the East Terrace to show there appreciation. It was a big mutual love-in, with Westley looking pumped up and overjoyed. He might come across as a bit of a clown, but it was evident that he had built a very good team spirit. He creates a siege mentality which has found success at Borough. The players did a warm-down, which appeared to be a lap of honour, but the crowd were heading home happy by that stage.

Stevenage applaud the home support after the full-time whistle

Uwe Rosler spoke afterwards of individual errors costing Brentford dearly, and he was right. They had the chances to win the game, and without the alarming error from Button at 0-1, they would have been good value for a draw. He is said to have locked his side in the dressing room for an hour and a half post-match to undergo a frank review of where they are at as a team. Understandable, given the way the game went for them. But as a few years in League One demonstrated to me, its not about what you deserve, but what you achieve. Its a physical league where results have to be ground out, however ugly. This was what Charlton did so well towards the back end of their promotion season, when teams were less willing to attack them. Broadhall Way is a very tough place to get a result, given the way Stevenage play their football, and it proved especially frustrating for Brentford today, who instead of taking three points home with them, had to endure long-ball tactics and time-wasting before eventually falling to defeat. 

The Summary:

The addiction to football may seem tragic from a distance, but my trip into the unknown today was one I would thoroughly recommend. Stevenage is by no means the nicest town you'll ever see, but its more the unearthing of a new footballing environment that provides the value. You find yourself far less cynical than you would watching your own side, as you aren't as consumed by the desire for victory. You also discover a new set of players, as well as legends of the terraces.

Most importantly, though, you get your fix of football for the weekend. It might not be the most high-quality 90 minutes you'll witness all season, but the whole package is one that most would find enjoyable. Even with the style of play employed by Stevenage, I'd happily return for more. But not instead of seeing the Addicks, of course...

Revitalised Addicks Desperately Close to a Deserved Win

Charlton Athletic 1-1 Nottingham Forest

Following a difficult start to the season, and particular hardship in the last two games, Charlton rallied to produce a sensational performance which fell agonisingly short of victory. 

Forced into more changes to his team, the initial feeling was one of worry. It was going to take a spirited effort to get a result against what looked like a strong visiting Forest side. Bradley Pritchard was out following concussion on Saturday. Kermorgant wasn't deemed fit enough to make the squad, and neither was Jackson. With Cort and Solly still absent, Powell was once again forced to experiment tactically with the players available. Hamer remained in goal, whilst Richard Wood was preferred to Dorian Dervite at the heart of defence. Powell went with a central midfield trio of Cousins, Stephens and Gower, with Callum Harriott deployed behind the strike pairing of Church and Sordell.

The Match

The atmosphere built superbly, with a chorus of 'Chrissy Powell's Red Army' ringing around the ground. But the game got off to the worst possible start. Cousins was deemed to have made a very soft foul wide on the right, level with the 18 yard line. Andy Reid swung the kick in towards the far post, lobbing Hamer, kissing the post and landing in the back of the net. It was typical of our lack of fortune of late.

Ben Hamer stares aghast as Reid's free-kick goes in off the post

Despite the setback, the home crowd remained positive and noisy, continuing to back the team and refuse to give in to the negative minority that has been vocal recently. And despite the goal, the Addicks looked hungry, their spirit unwavering. They created a number of chances, many of which could (and probably should) have been taken: Wiggins crossed for Church, a deflection making the flight of the ball more favourable, but his header was weak and the ball cleared. Similarly, Sordell was on the end of a Harriott cross but couldn't score. Then followed an agonising quadruple-chance: Stephens shot from range but the keeper could only parry. A couple of scuffed Sordell efforts were blocked before the ball fell perfectly to Stephens at an angle about 10 yards out. He went for power but blazed the shot well over the bar.

Forest were clinging on, but almost doubled their lead following some very fortunate ricochets that almost took the ball into the net. Wood headed clear but only to Mackie, who stumbled into the box and had his low shot well saved. The ball bounced up into Wilson's chest and was heading in, but he managed to chase it and avert the danger with a clinical left footed clearance.

Half-time arrived, with the Addicks applauded off the field. The home side had been by far the superior team, but when you're struggling for points things don't always fall your way. The early goal could well have punctured the spirit and belief of Charlton, but they had admirably fought back, and were unlucky not to have at least been level.

Little changed after half time, with Charlton still creating chances and the home crowd continuing to be very vocal in their support.

After some clever interplay, Harriott was released into the area with a chance to shoot. The defender just got a boot to it, forcing the ball across the face of goal. Sordell slid but couldn't reach it. The ball ran towards Wilson in acres of space near the byline. Sordell was quick to his feet and free. Wilson swept in a low cross, and the striker turned the ball into the net with a clinical and powerful side footed strike.

GET IN THERE!

The goal had been a very long time coming, and was nothing less than the home side deserved. Sordell was joyous, running over towards a leaping Wilson and sliding toward the North-East corner. The crowd had erupted - each chance had built the pressure and it was finally released in one explosion of ecstasy. For five full minutes the Covered End was so loud that you couldn't hear yourself think. The spirit of Cardiff rekindled.

Spurred on by the phenomenal home support, Charlton almost stole a second. Church applied the pressure out wide left, forcing a hasty clearance which bounced off Mark Gower into the path of Sordell in the area. Stephens was making the perfect run into the 18 yard box to be fed the ball, but Sordell - now brimming with confidence - turned and shot with his left foot, but couldn't beat the keeper.

Billy Davies was forced into a double change, and ordered his side to calm the game down, as they had been startled by the tempo and noise in the early stages of the second half. He succeeded to an extent, as Andy Reid had an opening but stabbed his shot over.

The home crowd began to waver, suddenly filled with nerves. But still Charlton created chances. A Harriott cross was almost turned in at the back post by Richard Wood, who stretched but couldn't reach the ball. Forest hit back, with Mackie's back heeled effort at the other end soon after was well saved by Ben Hamer.

Sordell was clearly on a high following his goal, as he turned to fire a 30-yard strike just wide of goal. Powell made his first change fairly late in the game, with Andy Hughes replacing Gower in midfield.

Charlton once again came agonisingly close to winning it. The ball was bouncing around in the Forest area, until Cousins flicked it goalwards with a technical left footed effort. It curved and crashed into the bar, and the ensuing scramble saw two more half chances blocked and cleared.

A Wiggins free kick was angled towards the far post, where Andy Hughes was in space. He scuffed his cross, which was chested back by Morrison at the front post towards Harriott, who fired his shot gloriously over the bar and into the upper tier.

For all the enterprise of Stephens, and the industry of Hughes, it was Jordan Cousins who continued to star; the ball broke loose in the Charlton box and it looked like Forest might have stolen a winner, but Cousins flung himself to ground and made a spectacular, vital block.

Despite a nervy string of corners for Forest, the game finished all square.

The Addicks were applauded from the pitch, and deservedly so. It had been a fantastic performance, one which would have seen us score about four or five goals if on a good run of form. But whenever things look bleak, Chris Powell manages to motivate his side to produce performances like that. He was cheered as he left the pitch. The way the game had gone, especially following the past two weeks, it felt like a victory. Powell showed huge appreciation to the Valley faithful, whose support had been flawless all night.

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Player Performances

Few Addicks fans were able to agree on a man of the match, simply because so many had played out of their skins. For me, two players deserve particular praise, given what they were tasked with and what they produced.

Jordan Cousins: After impressing during his home debut in that infamous abandoned game, Cousins again showed his class with a clinical, all-round performance. He was strong in the tackle, precise in his passing and positive going forward. His block was crucial and he was ultimately unfortunate not to score. Not only was he technically very good, but also he was composed on and off the ball. A 90-minute showing that promises a lot to come from him in future.

Richard Wood: One of the less heralded signings, but definitely one of the most shrewd. Wood won everything in the air, timing his leaps to perfection. He was strong in the air, composed on the ball, and robust in the tackle. He even stretched to try and score at the far post. Before the game, you wondered why Dervite had been dropped, but Wood showed why Powell had put his faith in the former Coventry skipper. A classic centre-half performance.

It wasn't just the two above who deserved praise. Wiggins and Wilson were magnificent, especially given the absence of wide midfielders to work with. They always looked to burst forward on the counter, with Wilson creating the equaliser. Wiggins, criticised recently for his performances, emphatically proved his worth. Morrison was again steady at the heart of defence, leading the side well.

Stephens benefitted from the formation Powell had chosen, as it meant he had options open to him in the middle of the pitch. A few times he was able to instigate incisive fast-flowing passing moves, with the help of Mark Gower. He also played well, passing and hassling with energy.

Harriott was once again a live-wire, able to provide the link between the midfield and the forwards. Whilst he's someone that doesn't always offer an end product, the fact that be is constantly looking to create chances is a real positive, and with time he can become a quality attacking threat. 

Simon Church will probably be wondering how he didn't score tonight, but he put in a valiant and important effort up front. He was industrious, and was rewarded in his regular chasing down of the Forest defence by forcing the error that almost allowed Sordell to score. Church was forced off due to a leg injury, his absence allowing Forest more time at the back.

Sordell had a game of two halves. The first largely passed him by, as frustratingly he didn't quite appear to be on the same wavelength as the midfielders looking to play him the ball. But after his superbly taken goal, he was a man transformed. His confidence rocketed, which is what you want from a striker. He kept looking for goal, although he may have been better off looking for Stephens on the occasion that he was better positioned. However, his renewed self belief will give the whole squad a boost, as at last he's given them a reason to be confident in him.

Andy Hughes came on and orchestrated the midfield. He made one exceptional interception that enabled a counter attack, and was often seen motivating his team-mates. Whenever he takes to the field, he always proves his worth both as a footballer and a leader.

--

A word on Andy Reid. Forest as a side struggled to produce the quality they are capable of, but Reid definitely stood out as a professional tonight. His technique is superb, and he looked in better shape than ever. Whilst his goal was probably a fluke, he was unlucky not to score another in the second half. One of the few players who warrants applause on return to the Valley, and deservedly so.

Forest manager Billy Davies was full of praise for the Addicks, recognising that his side had been lucky to pick up a point. His assertion that Forest scored too early, however, was one of the weirder excuses I've heard from opposition managers. It was a fortunate goal, which meant that the Addicks had to rebound quickly and not let their heads drop. They did so magnificently.

Chris Powell is such a hero. Once again he's lifted his squad when morale hit rock bottom, to the extent that even though depleted by injury, his side made one of the promotion candidates look the weaker team. The performance was a testament to his continued belief in his players, and hard work on the training ground shaping them into a strong side.

You'd be a fool to want this club to be rid of Chris Powell. He has taken plenty of stick for recent results, and whilst some of it is justified, we are far stronger as a club with him at the helm than we would be without him.

Hopefully a similarly inspiring performance will be produced on Saturday for the visit of Blackpool. If we can maintain that level of quality, with the addition of players like Kermorgant returning from injury, then we have every reason to be confident of producing results.

Tonight, the passion was most definitely there, both on and off the pitch. It renewed the faith of many, and rekindled the spirit of others. If only we'd grabbed all three points...

Patience...

This is an article I wrote for the excellent Valley Talk fanzine, published in August. Given our current form on the pitch, I feel its significantly relevant going into tomorrow's game with Nottingham Forest. 

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Patience is always an interesting topic to bring up in relation to football. Fans and owners pay a lot of money into their football clubs, and will rightly expect some sort of return on their investment. On the other hand, the football world is a volatile place. Things don't just fall into place and happen immediately. Patience is important. At the moment I would suggest however that there is a serious lack of that trait in football these days.

Take the specific area of management as a case in point. Due to owners ploughing money into their respective clubs, expectations are high. Only so many clubs can be successful in a league structure, so logically a few managers won't be able to deliver. As a consequence, they get the sack.

The problem gets even worse when you factor in the number of chairmen and owners with unrealistic, even wildly ambitious expectations. More and more managers fall foul of displeased owners, and impatient pockets of supporters. When Alan Pardew is the second longest serving manager in the Premier League, you know something has to be done.

As I've mentioned, the culture of impatience has spread into the stands. Obviously it would make me a fool to point at every fellow football supporter and tell them they are the problem. That's obviously not the case. But there are an increasing number who seem to be demanding success too hastily. Booing used to be something of a last resort, when things had been too bad for too long. Nowadays, if you're losing at half time, don't expect to be applauded off.

The same frustrations expressed over the course of 90 minutes are seen increasingly over the course of seasons. Arsenal fans are perennially moaning about not winning trophies, despite finishing in the top four of English football year after year, and getting to see Champions League football each season. It's that kind of inability to accept repeat achievements that annoys me. The idea that a club has to advance every year is a foolish one. Many fans are grounded, but an increasing minority don't seem to be.

Inevitably this leads to me drawing comparisons with Charlton. We are fortunate to support such a fantastic football club. Last season was beyond what I believed we could achieve with the financial problems that arose over the summer, but there were moments where pockets of unrest emerged. A mid-table season, almost by definition, involves good runs and bad runs. Everyone was happy when the team was winning, but what irked me was the tendency of many to turn, almost in an instant, when things didn't go our way.

In October we were steamrollered in the second half by Middlesbrough, eventually losing 4-1. The disquiet was significant. That Tuesday we found ourselves 0-2 down inside 20 minutes to Cardiff at home. With the echoes of dissent still looming from Saturday, what followed was inspiring. The majority refused to give in to the negativity of the minority, and the vocal support did not cease despite the scoreline. We went on to win 5-4. I'm not saying that the result was down to the support, but you'd be mad to suggest the same sort of incredible fightback could've happened had the players been receiving abuse left right and centre.

Later in the season, when we were at risk of slipping into an awfully tight relegation battle, the response was not quite as encouraging. Booed off somewhat inevitability after a poor defeat to Millwall, and then at 0-2 down against Bolton there was real anger. The players were strong enough to turn that match around and win it, none more so than that man Yann who banished his penalty demons by scoring the winner from the spot. What followed was a wonderful unbeaten run to finish the season, lifting us to a superb ninth position. It was an incredible way to finish our first year back in the second tier, which produced some really unexpected and special moments along the way.

And yet some looked at our late surge and decided that we should've made the playoffs, and we'd underachieved. Right...

The inability to be objective, realistic and therefore satisfied with what is achieved is problematic. If you went back to August last year and assessed the financial situation, which prevented any more than a couple of additions to the squad, ninth would've appeared a distant dream. Most of us were rightly thrilled with the fantastic team spirit shown throughout the year, embodied by Chris Powell, that enabled us to bounce back from the low points. I for one couldn't have asked for more last season. 

The retort to that would be that I'm not someone showing enough ambition. You can have all the ambition in the world, but it won't leave you with much satisfaction unless you are coming first. We are not a powerhouse in English football, and inevitability we will lose games. Sticking with a team through the bad times makes the highs feel a whole lot higher. That is the value of patience.

By no means is this a suggestion that we should all be happy to settle for mediocrity. Far from it. But when you are part of a club rebuilding after a tough few years, not demanding immediate success, and supporting the players who are giving their all is important.

Things take time to grow. Be patient. It's often rewarding in the end.

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The original piece had the words "Hopefully we don't have a chairman or owner who loses his patience during this rebuilding process, who fails to recognise that something special is developing at our football club." After the summer we endured in the transfer market, its probably safe to say that its Chris Powell who's showing the patience, given he is deprived of resources to such an extent. Whilst much of the current situation can be blamed on the owners, and their inaction, it is important to point out that they have stuck by their man. Powell remains well backed personally. If only the same were the case financially...

I for one hope that we can rekindle the 'spirit of Cardiff', if you like, and show our support for the players on the pitch. Times have been tough of late, but being hostile about mistakes often creates a negative feedback loop. Confidence is low, so lets get behind the team tomorrow night.

Keep The Faith.

Late fight-back not enough after Addicks Lynched by wonder strike.

A cold Tuesday night game away to Northern opposition never tends to end well for Charlton, and that proved the case once again as a Joel Lynch wonder strike left the Addicks with too much to do to salvage a point.

277 hardy souls, plus myself made the journey Up North for the second game at the John Smith Stadium already this season, following the 3-2 Capital One Cup defeat in August. This time, it was cold.

When the team news finally arrived, the fears of an absent Kermorgant were confirmed. Marvin Sordell was the only change after Saturday's draw at Watford, meaning the 3-5-2 formation would be retained. It also meant that Chris Solly still hadn't recovered from his knee problem. The main concern was that the midfield would struggle to link up with the forwards, given how instrumental Yann is in the air as well as on the ground. Huddersfield had James Vaughan up front, as well as the pacy Sean Scannell out wide, playing a similar formation to ours.

Match Action:

Early on, Charlton struggled to maintain possession, with loose passes often drifting to the opposition. Huddersfield looked to play diagonal balls for their pace-men in the empty full back channels, which was limited in its success by some good one-on-one defending by the back three, with support from the midfield. We also had to avert danger on occasion when Huddersfield broke centrally, and ran at our penalty area. They were largely restricted, but Dervite, and in particular Morrison, were forced to make a number of crucial defensive headers from well placed crosses. Despite the Terriers' threats, Hamer was largely untroubled.

The away side grew into the game, as the composed midfield started to influence the rest of the side. Stephens looked especially confident, often shrugging off an opponent and spreading the play. Pritchard was energetic as always, but couldn't quite form a cohesive link with either Sordell or Church to create anything meaningful. The times we threatened most were when Jackson and Wiggins overlapped down the left, harking back to those glorious League One days.

Huddersfield found it easier to threaten on the break as they had the best striker on show. Vaughan was looking to play on the last man's shoulder and latch onto the diagonal passes. He looked to have beaten his man just after the half hour, but Dervite, in trying to battle and slow his man down, stumbled and brought both to ground. The home fans wanted a red, but as the ball was heading towards the corner flag, and Dervite had been clumsy instead of cynical, it was only a yellow. Church got a crucial flick on Hammill's free kick to prevent the need for Hamer to make a save. Before the resulting set play, Jackson toured the penalty area, attempting to lift his men. They needed a spark to get them going.

Late in the half, Charlton had their first genuine chance of the game. More good play down the left flank saw Wiggins cut the ball back to Church, who headed downwards towards goal, but lacked the power from that distance to beat Smithies, who saved it fairly comfortably.

Stoppage time arrived, and just as the interval approached, Huddersfield struck a significant blow to Charlton's chances. Another cross to the far post this time eluded Morrison, who was just cleared by the ball, and found Vaughan at the back post. He had risen to flick the ball into the top corner with a gently nodded finish. It was tough to take so close to the half time whistle.

We'd been the weaker side but the home team were hardly running us ragged. Powell faced a tough team talk to revitalise his players. The main issue was that the long ball forward was being won comfortably by the defenders, often uncontested. Yann's absence was telling in that area, leaving the Addicks bereft of incision in and around the box. Sordell cut a forlorn figure, often attempting to beat players and make passes, but losing the ball. His work rate flagged as well, leaving little for the travelling fans to feel optimistic about. His waywardness became even more evident shortly after half time. Stephens and Jackson interlinked well before curling a ball to Sordell on the edge of the area. It looked like he had time to take the ball down and move into a better shooting position, but he attempted a first time volley. It sailed hopelessly into the away end.

Simon Church had also failed to make an impact on the game, and when his chance arose, he blew it. He had his first opportunity to break into the box unchallenged. He flicked the ball past the defender, but instead of chasing it to shoot, he decided to go to ground. With no contact, it was a deserved booking for diving, but what was more frustrating was that he'd been waiting 45 minutes for an opening, but refused to take it when it arrived.

Huddersfield continued to probe going forward, with a long ball down the left channel releasing Vaughan towards Hamer's goal. Dervite did well to block his route to goal, but Vaughan cut inside and shaped to shoot. Dervite threw himself in front of the ball and made a superb block, keeping Addicks hopes alive.

Powell made a positive move by calling on Callum Harriott and the newly signed Cameron Stewart to join the action, but before they could, Huddersfield doubled their lead.

"2-0 would be the nail in our coffin", I muttered. The ball was passed out left to Joel Lynch, who from 35 yards out, struck a devastating shot at goal. Hamer stared, jumped, flapped and fell, powerless to intervene as the ball dipped onto the underside of the crossbar and crashed into the back of the net. Heads dropped. I was mortified, given my incredible, accidental foresight. We'd defended the box well for the whole half, but how often do strikes like that go in? I really can't (and won't) blame any of our players.

Charlton were left with a huge task to salvage something from the game, but valiantly persevered. Stewart replaced Wood, who had been solid if unspectacular, and a little unsure at times. Harriott replaced Sordell, who'd had a night to forget. He'd continued to lose possession, and was on a completely different wavelength to the midfielders looking to play him the ball. His final act had been to inadvertently block a Jackson shot at goal. It was probably curving wide, but it rather summed up his evening. The formation became a 4-3-3, with Stewart out left.

The changes had the desired effect, with a new vigour and spark going forward. Stewart looked a handful on the left, often throwing a step over to deceive his opponent. Harriott too looked hungry for the ball.

Almost out of nowhere, we found that elusive goal. Stewart again looked to beat his man out wide by cutting inside. He glanced up at goal, before firing a powerful dipping strike towards the top corner. It crashed into the underside of the bar, and landed in the back of the net with alarming similarity to Lynch's strike. Get in.

The hope of salvaging a draw was suddenly back. We continued to press, facilitated by an almost Charlton-esque display of defensive sitting-back from Huddersfield. Pigott replaced Jackson, who was somewhat unfortunate to be withdrawn, and the Addicks continued to create openings. Most balls into the box were headed away to the awaiting Addicks on the edge of the area. Stephens came closest, firing two shots towards goal, the second of which appeared to strike a raised arm in the box. Desperate appeals from the away fans were in vain, as the referee waved away the protests. Hamer came up for the corner, but it sadly came to nothing. Full time arrived, and the hopes of the Addicks of stealing a point were finally deflated.

Charlton's players came over to applaud the travelling fans. Jackson in particular showed true gratitude to us for our support. Given the small number that had travelled, it was a struggle to make ourselves heard, but the late surge really lifted the away support, and we almost had a point to celebrate. Alas, it was not to be.

Match analysis:

Fearing a bout of criticism for the performance from many who weren't present, I should emphasise that it was just 'one of those nights'. Our main problem was the absence of Kermorgant. He really is our most important attacking player, perhaps even the most vital altogether. He is the link between midfield and attack that makes the 3-5-2 system work. Without his authority in the air, and the creativity on the floor, we looked toothless in attack. It was only when Powell added Stewart and Harriott that we looked a potent threat. Perhaps, in hindsight, Powell might have gone for a different formation, but his initial aim seemed to be solidity at the back, which worked well enough all game, but wasn't helped by the absence of ball retention up front. The second goal was the killer blow. It came out of nowhere and gave the Addicks too much to do.

 Sordell, as I've said above, was ineffectual at best. Church struggled to make an impact given the lack of service, as well as having to adapt his role to play behind Sordell. Wilson's passing was initially wayward, but he grew into the game.

 There were plenty of positives. The midfield trio really looked cohesive, as the system gives them the space to play through the opposition. Stephens was good on the ball, whilst Jackson roamed out left on occasion to link up with Wiggins. Morrison looked back to his best, winning vital headers in the box. Dervite was superbly calm on the ball, making good decisions, as well as that crucial block in the second half. Wiggins threatened to overlap, especially when Stewart came on. The Hull loanee was confident in his technical ability, and produced a stunning debut goal to spark a revival. Harriott didn't quite have the same impact, but he won the ball and put a lot more effort in than Sordell.

I should also emphasise Jackson's leadership role. He was visibly trying to lift his men, clearly unimpressed by the performance. We needed him to take charge, not through a lack of interest but more a lack of concentration and composure. He adds unseen value to the side in this regard, whilst still being worth his place as a footballer alone. Sadly the result didn't come, but Jackson looked like a man who won't just let performances like this become a regular occurrence.

Huddersfield were probably good value for their win. Whilst they created little in the second half, they were more composed and clinical on the ball throughout the game. James Vaughan was a fantastic addition, and he proved his worth with his goal. But it was Lynch's strike that effectively won the game. It really was an unstoppable effort. Sometimes you just have to accept those as an opposition and move on.

Millwall winning makes Saturday a little more worrying. Charlton need Kermorgant fit, as there was a big Yann-sized hole in our side tonight. Without him, I'm far less confident in our ability to produce goals. Powell would be better off playing Stewart and Harriott if Yann is out, as they have a certain spark about them. Not the best start to the season, but the positives are there. We just have to be patient.

On a cold Tuesday night, up north, Charlton lost. It's happened before, and it'll happen again. We just need to keep the faith and back the players. We've been here before, so there's no need for panic. Unless we lose Yann...

Italian Job: Watford 1-1 Charlton Athletic

Charlton travelled to Italy hoping to steal three points, just as they had done in January after that 4-3 epic. The similarities to the classic 1969 film were stark as the game drew to a close - a group of English players turn up and attempt to get the better of the Italians, but whilst all had gone to plan initially, they were left feeling uncertain during a cliff-hanging finale...

Early Moan: 

I spent most of the afternoon muttering about the way Watford have transformed themselves into an Italian feeder club. Just Troy Deeney and Lewis McGugan in the starting line-up were English, with an almost endless stream of Italian (as well as the odd Spanish) names filling the rest of the team-sheet. Since the changes under Zola, I've always looked at it as a sort of betrayal of English football - the abandoning of the combination of signed players built around a core of local players produced by the academy. But Watford have just shipped in a shed-load of foreign stars thanks to a dubious rule change regarding foreign ownership and the loan system. This summer that ruling was changed, but all the Pozzo family did was transfer their players from one of their clubs to another, meaning the Italian influence is still incredibly strong. Of course, Zola still has done a good job to get his squad playing fluid football, but the disproportionate resources available to him compared to most manages really does make a mockery of things. This, of course, heightens the desire to win, or at least defy them on their quest to reach Serie A-- sorry, the Premier League.

The Match:

Chris Powell stuck with his 3-5-2 formation that had served him well against Leicester two weeks previous. Solly was again absent through injury, whilst Richard Wood came in to make his league debut in place of Leon Cort, who is out for around four weeks according to press reports. Kermorgant started up front with Church, ahead of the central midfield trio of Pritchard, Jackson and Stephens. 

Watford started off the better team, but to say it was one-way traffic would be unfair. Stephens was booked very early, after being caught in possession and cynically pulling back his opponent, preventing a counter-attack. Obviously Watford possess a lot of talent, and they put it to good effect with Deeney through the centre playing good passing football with the two outside forwards Forestieri and Fabbrini. A couple of times there were shots from an angle but the attempts to curl them inside the far post were unsuccessful. Charlton were doing a good job of showing the attackers wide, and preventing them from turning inside and having a shot from central areas. As the half progressed, Charlton grew. A clever free-kick saw Kermorgant loop round at the back post, heading across goal. Another header found Wood, and the ball was bundled into the net, but the offside flag was up. Kermorgant was often looking for a flick on to release Church, eventually this created a chance which saw Church bursting through 30 yards from goal, only to be scythed down outside the area. A booking resulted. From the free-kick, Jackson's effort was deflected for a corner.

Another magical piece of play from Yann came close to half time. A diagonal ball was played too him on the right hand side inside the box. He controlled, and then leapt to perform a mid-air scissor kick similar to that which he scored against Hartlepool in 2012. The ball cut back to Church who was unable to fully adjust and tamely skewed the ball to Almunia. Half time arrived, with the scores level. 

From the kick off, Charlton immediately worked the ball down the right hand side. Wilson passed inside to Kermrogant, who flicked it round the corner to Pritchard. He chipped the ball into the area where Wilson had continued his run, only for Belkalem to lunge in and catch Wilson, forcing him to ground. It was a clear foul and the linesman flagged for a penalty. 

Kermorgant immediately had the look of a man determined to take the spot-kick, and score it. He placed the ball down, took a few steps back and turned to face Almunia. Whilst he took his short run-up, his eyes were fixated on the Spanish goalkeeper, up until the moment he reached the ball. His powerful side-footed effort soared into the roof of the net, putting the Addicks one-up. It was a glorious strike. The power, accuracy and conviction in it was sublime. The perfect penalty, and joy in the away end.

Soon after the goal, Hamer was at full stretch to deny a powerful strike by Deeney. Soon after, McGugan fired wide from a great position. A couple of scares for Charlton, followed soon after by Kermorgant going down clutching his ankle. Often he goes to ground but hauls himself up (after treatment, of course) to carry on battling away, and whilst he did so again today, he was clearly struggling. After another five minutes, he went down again, which was a sign his afternoon was over. He was replaced by Pigott, who would have a tough job emulating the all-round performance that Kermorgant had produced.

The frantic half continued. Stephens had a dipping shot from distance saved by Almunia. Deeney almost scored at the other end soon after, his effort flying just wide of the far post. Anya had come on for Watford, and his pace at right-wing-back was a constant menace for Charlton to deal with. A break on that side resulted in Fabbrini forcing Hamer into another good save, but his rebound only fell as far as Pudil, who was able to slot coolly home and level the scores.

At this point, the momentum was all with Watford. For all my petty moaning about the make-up of their side, they played some very incisive, free-flowing, and menacing attacking football. Clinical passing across the box before looking to slot in one of the forwards meant that Charlton had to commit nine to defence, and the clearances were going straight back to Watford to set up another attack. We did extremely well not to concede again, as our defensive shape and commitment was severely tested by the flair and skill of Watford. Anya down the right wing was particularly frightening, using his speed to get to the by-line. Thankfully, the scores remained level.

Having bravely weathered the storm, Charlton had two threatening attacks in the final ten minutes. A cross from the left by Pigott was on its way to Church at the back post, but it was cleared for a corner by a sliding defender. Soon after, a Wiggins cross found Jackson free at the back-post, but his right footed effort was sliced well wide. It was the best, and last, chance we were going to get. 

Once again the busy defensive efforts were renewed. McGugan fired over once again, and an incredible run from Anya set up Deeney, who spurned a great chance to win the game. A desperate cry for a penalty went up, after a ricochet looked to have bounced up into the body of Dervite. Nothing given, and rightly so, given how it was impossible to react to the deflection. Charlton fans were in all sorts of pain, but it was soon over, as the referee blew for full time. A very determined effort saw the Charlton boys return home with a point. 

Watford's fans were irate with the referee, who refused to buy the attempts to win cheap fouls. He was consistent and sensible in the decisions he made throughout the game, despite heavy pressure from the home fans as well as the Watford players. You can't have things your own way all the time...

Performance Analysis:

Charlton were excellent as a team today - the formation requires a lot of energy from the central midfielders as well as the two wing backs, and although we seemed to tire substantially towards the end, it was a really determined effort from the whole side. 

Wood was a particular favourite of mine. He took a ball square in the face early on, but shrugged it off without flinching. He was as solid as his name suggests, making up for a lack of pace with good positioning and reliable tackling. Morrison and Dervite too coped well with the attacking threat of Watford.

Wilson had an excellent game, threatening well down the right and passing with conviction. Wiggins too was good, although Anya gave him real trouble late on. Pritchard ran everywhere once again, and linked well in midfield with Jackson and Stephens. The formation means the trio do not have to play as a line, so they were able to create triangles and link up going forward, further assisted by Kermorgant when he dropped back.

Yann had one of his Gallic Genius days. He won headers, dropped back to hold the ball up and spread the play, as well as show what a superb technique he has. Although Pigott showed good promise, he lacked the nous that Yann has, particularly in terms of when to use his strength. Pigott created a good chance, and held the ball up well, but Kermorgant showed all the attributes today, and rounded it off with a perfect penalty. It hit the roof of the net before the back, such was the precision with which is was struck.

Church ran tirelessly up front, and looked to have developed an understanding with Kermorgant, who was always looking to feed him the ball. Though sometimes it was out of reach, Church forced an opening in the first half but was brought down. His incident at the far end looked dubious, and if true that he swung a couple of punches at the defender who was holding him, he was lucky to escape with a yellow. That said, he looks a threat and will undoubtedly score goals with the service this side is providing. 

Hamer was very good today. His kicking was good, setting up Wilson a couple of times to attack down the right, but he also made a couple of excellent saves to deny Watford. Often he is criticised but today he really did help us on our way to earning that point. 

Final Thoughts:

A point was well-earned, and well deserved. Watford clearly feel aggrieved, but it certainly was not the case of the opposition parking the bus and stealing a point. 

Chris Powell spoke highly of his players, praising the efforts they all put in. "I felt my players, to a man, worked hard for that point. “They showed a lot of energy and quality at times and when they had to dig in when we were under pressure they came through. Watford were in the ascendancy and our players showed a lot of character, and a lot of passion and desire for each other to get something for the game." He does have this wonderful ability to motivate his side, the value of which was shown today. A dogged team effort which deserved a point, at least.

The formation we are playing at the minute is a good one with the players we have. One particular aspect which stands out is that the two wing-backs retain width at all times, meaning the midfield becomes slightly more stretched and space develops for the central trio to work in. It also means that play can be switched from one side to the other hastily, without the need for the flat lines of four to shift over. We passed the ball very well today, particularly when on the counter-attack, and retained possession much of the time too. Whilst Watford tested the central defenders, they largely stood up to the threat well. On another day, a couple of those shots might have gone in, but few teams rival Watford in terms of attacking potency. With a little more control in midfield, we would look very solid indeed. All credit to Powell for having the confidence to try out new tactics. Taking four points off Leicester and Watford is a great achievement. 

On to the next game - Huddersfield may be a struggle if Kermorgant is absent with injury. Apparently he only has bruising, but that may keep him out of Tuesday's away game. He is a vital component in this side, as he provides a key link between the midfield and Church, plus he is a great aerial threat, particularly when deployed at set-pieces. Also, we seem to have a knack of raising ourselves for the big games, so hopefully there is no hangover on Tuesday night, and we can continue to play some of the impressive, incisive football on show today. 

Our away form last season was excellent, and the signs today show that there is no reason for that to change any time soon. I'll be there at Huddersfield, getting right behind the boys and hoping for a good result.

Today, we might not have come away from Italy with a haul of gold, but a point will do just fine. 

Charlton A-A Doncaster: Floodgates Open In More Ways Than One

Where on earth do you start?

One of the most eventful afternoons at the Valley in years, yet it all ends without a result. 

Weather: A rain soaked pitch was set to make the game interesting following a significant amount of rain that had fallen. Heavy showers circled overhead, ready to drench the pitch and create scenes very similar to those seen against Hull last August.

Team Selection: Jordan Cousins earned a starting position after his impressive second half performance at Barnsley, whilst Leon Cort came in for Dervite who had been off colour in the same game. This meant a chance for the home crowd to see how Kermorgant and Church coped up front, as well as how Cousins and Gower got on centrally.

The first half of the first half: 

Almost immediately Charlton found themselves a goal down. Doncaster won a throw on the right, but Charlton weren't happy with the roll of the ball on a clearly wet surface. Wiggins and Morrison protested, but the throw was quickly taken, crossed into the box unchallenged and Keegan rose to head home. Not your ideal start.

Charlton looked very encouraging going forward. Harriott used his trickery to set up a shooting chance. Kermorgant was excellent with the ball at his feet, holding it up, passing back into the midfield to allow the ball to be spread wide. Pritchard could easily have levelled things up. A ball to the back post was volleyed to the near post but was denied by a fine Turnbull save. 

After some more panicked defending from Charlton, the ball ended up rolling across the goalmouth. It stopped rolling very quickly. Morrison panicked despite Hamer calling for it, poised to throw himself to the ground. The hacked clearance fell to Doncaster, and after a pass over the top to what looked like an offside player, a squared cross from the byline was tapped in by Brown. 

Back to the other end, where Kermorgant played a sumptuous, skillful left footed ball on the turn that bisected the defence and allowed Harriott a shot. Again, the near post effort was well saved.

Soon after, the third. More set piece problems defensively and a goal line clearance was required. The volley landed square in the face of Brown six yards from goal, and ricocheted straight into the net. You'd be harsh to blame anyone for that as it was a freak goal. 

By this stage much was being made of the increasingly waterlogged surface, with cries of rage from the crowd whenever a ball was stopping in a puddle. The East Stand side of the pitch was particularly unpredictable, with firm passes stopping dead and bounces proving impossible to predict. A heavy shower after about 15 minutes had soaked the surface, and the Charlton players continued their protestations. Naturally, the home fans were delighted following the decision of the referee to suspend the match with 27 minutes gone. It was more like water polo than football, such was the amount of water on the pitch. Players had been kicking up huge volumes of water as they ran, tried to turn and all sorts. It was probably the right decision, as the game had become so unpredictable. Despite that, Doncaster were obviously aggrieved, with the scoreline as it was. 

The first half interval:

For about half an hour, the groundstaff heroically attempted to shift water from the pitch with one super-sopper, a few brooms and some pitchforks. It was never going to be enough, but they tried nonetheless. Soon after the players had been ordered off, Paul Dickov sent his side back out on to the field, presumably to pressure the officials into restarting the game. They stood around for a while before running over to the corner and picking up some tools of their own. 

The main areas of concern was the penalty area. When Charlton's substitutes emerged to muck around, Nick Pope made a point of hurling the ball up in the air and letting it land on the floor. Twice it did not bounce off the ground at all. The goalmouth itself was incredibly boggy, even with the soaking device run over it a number of times. The amount of water on the East Stand side was hardly reduced, and there was no sun to dry the pitch out. It was still raining.

But the referee announced the match would restart. A quite bizarre decision, given the lack of a change in conditions. This was particularly clear when play did resume...

The second half of the first half:

Play resumed in identical conditions. The ball continued to be slowed and halted by huge amounts of standing water on the East Stand side. But the referee was seemingly uninterested in making consistent decisions, and allowed the final 18 minutes of the first half to take place. 

Charlton continued to look good going forward. Kermrogant was skillful in the middle, beating a couple of players as well as the puddle that tried to steal the ball from him. A superb cross-field move saw the ball transferred through the midfield and out left to Harriott, who won a corner. Encouraging signs. As half time approached, Charlton pulled a goal back. Some good interplay looked to release the lively Simon Church, who broke the line and slotted past Turnbull into the right corner of the net. The crowd sensed the result was not a formality, and urged their side on.

Things got even better. Kermorgant used his skill once again to beat Keegan, who hauled him down having realised a far superior player had just made him look silly. He had already been booked for kicking the ball away in the first half of the first half, and was thus sent from the field. With 10 against 11, and at 1-3 down, suddenly it looked as if Charlton had a real chance to win the game. 

Doncaster worked another clever set piece, and the ball was fired into the net, but the player responsible had been offside, and this time it was spotted by the linesman.

So at quarter past four, it was half time.

Half Time / Full Time:

The players left the field with all sorts of noises coming from the crowd. Some cheered. Some booed the players. Others directed fury at the ref. Many, including myself, stood silent, wondering what on earth we'd just witnessed. 

Charlton's substitutes again emerged to muck about. This time it seemed to be a game of 'how far can you get the ball towards the goalmouth before it stops in a puddle'. It was clearly very wet. 

What made the decision to restart an odd one was that it was still just as waterlogged as it had been before the stoppage. The protestations of the crowd died down as the game settled, and Charlton were resurgent, but the point still stood - if the referee had taken them off in these conditions, surely he should be consistent and do the same.

No announcement was made, and Doncaster's players returned just after 4:30. Oddly, they approached the opposite end of the field and started to applaud their supporters. At this point it was clear that a decision had been made to abandon the game. An announcement soon followed, along with Charlton themselves emerging. Doncaster's players graciously threw their shirts in to the away end, as a sort of apology for the lack of a completed match. Charlton were applauded but I sense many will still use today's showing to direct much vitriol at the players. 

The game was abandoned, and as far as I can tell, none of the goals stand for anything. The radio has just said that all of the cards from today's game stand. Seems a little odd... 

The abandonment was a shame, in a way, because I felt that the situation as it was suited Charlton. 10 v 11, with a point to prove, attacking the home end. It felt like we'd be able to press for a draw, or even a victory. To look at it from the other angle, we've been handed a 'get out of jail free' card, given the really poor start to the game we had defensively. So I suppose we can't complain.

One of the most eventful afternoons the Valley has seen for many years, with no result at the end of it!

Analysis: Defensive errors take focus away from impressive attacking play.

Whilst the game counted for nothing, obviously much will be said about Charlton's performances. There were definitely some negatives, but sadly I fear a lot of the positives will be lost, or ignored, as frustratingly we have a vocal minority of dissatisfied supporters.

Firstly, the negatives, which do need pointing out. We still appear to be making basic defensive errors. Doncaster attacked very well down the flanks, passing to eliminate the full backs, but this does not account for the goals. Both Wiggins and Morrison switched off from what they should've been doing defensively, and instead started complaining about the throw in, or the state of the pitch. Whatever the issue, they allowed the quick throw to be taken, a cross sent in unchallenged, leaving Solly at the back post out-jumped by Keegan, who scored a good header, but should not have been allowed the space to do so. Hamer is at fault for this as well - the fact that we seem to have too many individuals that moan at the officials instead of focus on what they should be doing themselves. It was certainly at fault for the first goal, and it is fairly embarrassing when it keeps on happening. 

The second and third goals were less down to glaring errors, and more down to a combination of chaotic organisation and bad luck. The second was offside, from where I was sat. Before Doncaster got into that position, however, Charlton had to deal with the ball stopping dead in the goalmouth. Hamer called but Morrison cleared in panicked fashion, which allowed Doncaster to attack once again. The resulting attack produced a goal, but it was partly down to the pitch conditions that it came about. That said, Morrison struggled to organise a defence that still looks far less solid than it has been in the past. 

The third goal was unlucky. Another set piece caused problems, but when you clear the ball off the line you can't legislate for it flying into the face of an opponent. 

The positives. Yes, there were plenty! I thought Jordan Cousins worked exceptionally well in midfield with Mark Gower. Cousins looked controlled on the ball, and despite a couple of difficulties with the pitch, tackled and distributed very well indeed. The same goes for Gower, who looked confident with such a composed partner. Harriott was very lively, and could well have scored. He is definitely worth his starting position as he has that spark that often makes something happen. The ball played to him by Yann (who was also very good in my view) was exquisite, and he was unlucky not to score. Simon Church again made bursting runs into space looking for the ball, and took his goal very well, although sadly it won't be recorded as his second league goal. Solly was good down the right, and Pritchard was solid if unspectacular. 

The attacking play itself was very encouraging. I was impressed by the use of the ball to Yann's feet. It allowed him to draw in the defence, re-distribute the ball back to midfield and then spread the play. As always, he was searching for that canny, clever, killer pass to set up a goalscoring chance, and in Church we may just have found a player on his wavelength. Harriott benefited from this improved distribution from the midfield, as he was released in space down the left a couple of times.

Going forward, we looked very lively, and I am sure we'd have scored more had the game continued. Defensively, we left a lot to be desired. I don't like calling for players to be dropped, as I'm not that sort of reactionary fan, but Morrison did look to be more of a liability than ever today. Whether the midfield is at fault for allowing the opposition to attack our back for too much I'm not sure, but organisationally we were a little chaotic. 

As a team, we could certainly benefit from a bit more individual focus, and less remonstrating with officials. It was not solely the cause of being 3-0 down, but it does make an impact when the opposition is looking to make quick attacks. 

The season ahead: Plenty still to be done, but I'm not too worried. We need a lot of work to be done defensively, but we definitely have the coaches and the players to improve. What really was encouraging was how we attacked, as well as how Cousins looked completely at home playing Championship football. Perhaps some changes are needed at the back, but the front 6 definitely look like a settled, exciting, productive group. 

Leicester next weekend may be a tricky fixture, but we have the ability and the motivation to bounce back and win plenty of games this season. We might have to wait a while, but the results should come. With Chris Powell at the helm, we have a man who can and will motivate this group to produce. It just needs a bit more time.

A crazy day, all for nothing, but we will learn from the mistakes, and take heart from the positives.

Charlton 4-1 Bristol City: Match Gallery

A great day at the Valley, with the Addicks rounding off a superb 2012/13 season. Here are some of the photos I took before, during and after the game. Do enjoy them, as well as the video of Chris Powell's speech. 

Click here for my match report.

Otherwise, enjoy the photos, and Up The Addicks!

Pre-match

Pritchard and Jackson wave

Yann scores another free-kick

Yann gives some instructions

Wiggins down injured

Wiggins lost due to injury

Dervite heads forward

Kermorgant plays it down the line

Yann scoops the ball forward

Button takes a free-kick

Teams back out for the second half

Kick-off

Yann and Calum after that wonder-volley (copyright Keith Gillard)

Jackson prepares to take a corner

Jackson celebrates the fourth (copyright Keith Gillard)

Full time imminent

The East Stand celebrate

Players embark on their lap of honour

Our squad of 2012/13

The East Stand applaud

Obika

Jackson

Yann bows before us

Yann applauds

CP shares a joke with Alex Dyer

Great Man

Heroic Man

CP shares a joke with MW about not wanting to break his
superstition by walking into the penalty area

Pritchard runs over to hand his shirt to a friend

Said friend lends me said shirt for photograph