Charlton’s first home match of the season ended with a welcome win for the Addicks. KEVIN NOLAN returned to the press box at a blazing hot Valley.
Having spent almost all of a torrid first half with their backs against the wall, Charlton re-emerged after the interval to carry the fight to ragged-trousered aristocrats Derby, scored midway through the second session and had enough about them to make their single strike count.
County were left to rue missed chances and a fatal lack of killer instinct. They paid a bitter price for failing to crown their effortless superiority with at least one goal because if football teaches us anything, it’s that there’s almost inevitably a price to pay for profligacy. Charlton missed a couple of sitters themselves but when the chips were down, they were sufficiently clinical on one critical occasion. And once was enough.
The momentum was with the Addicks as they broke swiftly after clearing the latest of Conor Hourihane’s numerous, dangerous corners. Picking up possession in his own half, Scott Fraser swept into the Rams’ half before finding Charlie Kirk close to the left touchline. Kirk’s deft flick sent Albie Morgan through to move into shooting range and force a desperate diving save from Joe Wildsmith. Following up alertly, Corey Blackett-Taylor made easy work of planting the rebound into an inviting net and Charlton had a vital lead they proceeded to defend stubbornly.
The early running was made exclusively by Liam Rosenior’s talented side, who had little difficulty in creating opportunities, but they had considerably more difficulty in converting them. To be fair to them, they faced, in new Charlton signing Joe Wollacott, a goalkeeper in outstanding form.
A string of splendid saves began with the instinctive reaction which kept out James Collins’ point-blank effort and was continued by Wollacott’s unorthodox response to a clever backheel from Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, a victim again when the resourceful keeper dived to reach his low drive as it headed towards the bottom right corner. And when Collins finally beat Wollacott a minute before the break, his crisp daisycutter rebounded back off the foot of a post.
Very little had been seen from Ben Garner’s men up front but Kirk was an intermittent threat, alertly but inaccurately trying his luck from distance after a slip from Curtis Davies, then producing the juiciest of crosses from the left which Jayden Stockley, despite making meaty contact, headed straight at Wildsmith.
Outplayed and outclassed, Charlton sheepishly retired for what was surely the rough side of new boss Ben Garner’s tongue. His message, however couched, was probably short but certainly less than sweet. According to Garner, nothing discussed and rehearsed in training had been implemented by his wayward charges – his only consolation being that they could hardly get worse.
But on the half hour, whether or not he realised it, he received a break which had much to do with Charlton’s dramatic second-half recovery. Preferred to George Dobson, last season’s player of the year, Conor McGrandles has shown promise but struggled to get into a game all but totally controlled by the visitors. Coming off worse in a shuddering collision with Korey Smith, the willowy midfielder suffered a head injury which forced his withdrawal and replacement by Dobson.
No criticism of McGrandles is implied in commenting that Dobson’s arrival immediately challenged County’s midfield domination. There was a subtle but noticeable shift in physical superiority that was to turn around the one-way traffic which threatened to engulf the Londoners. And Dobson was at the root of it.
On the right side, meanwhile, Blackett-Taylor began to use his blistering pace and leave hapless defenders in his slipstream. Shortly after the re-start, he ghosted past his marker and supplied Stockley with a precise cross, which the misfiring centre forward again headed straight at Wildsmith.
Rosenior’s East Midlanders had been duly warned that Blackett-Taylor was briefly on fire. Shortly after the hour mark, his speed and anticipation carried him into the perfect position to convert Morgan’s partially saved shot; significantly he was unaccompanied as he did so.
Soaking up pressure but no longer buckling under it, the Addicks were well served by full backs Steven Sessegnon and Sean Clare, a Mutt and Jeff pairing which resisted stubbornly while finding time to turn defence into attack. In front of them, Morgan continued his encouraging improvement, adding another on-target shot before the end, which Wildsmith saved with difficulty.
Late substitute Jack Payne was an energetic influence but it was the romantic introduction of Miles Leaburn which especially delighted the home crowd, Leaburn the Younger provided a keep-ball cameo which saw the Addicks over the line for a belt-and-braces victory. Their cause was boosted by the incredible mess Jason Knight made of Max Bird’s tape-measured cross. With Wollacott’s goal at his mercy, Knight almost deliberately headed yards wide.
Charlton: Wollacott, Clare, Inniss, O’Connell, Sessegnon (Lavelle 90), Morgan, McGrandles (Dobson 31), Kirk (Jaiyesimi 81), Fraser (Payne 81), Blackett-Taylor (Leaburn 80), Stockley (Clayden 90). Not used: MacGillivray. Booked: Sessegnon, Morgan.
Derby: Wildsmith, Cashin, Barkhuizen (Dobbin 70), Bird, Smith (Sibley 55), Roberts (Forsyth 84), Davies, Knight, Mendez-Laing, Hourihane, Collins. Not used: Loach, Thompson, Stearman, Oduroh. Booked: Mendez-Laing.
Referee: Chris Pollard Attendance: 17,046
LIKE KEVIN’S REPORTS? SUPPORT THE CHARLTON CHAMPION
– We publish Charlton Athletic match reports from home games. You can help us by becoming a supporter at presspatron.com/charltonchampion
– You can also support us via Patreon
– Can your company sponsor these match reports? Get in touch
The Charlton Champion 