The Addicks sent their visitors from down the North Kent Line packing on a nervous night at The Valley. KEVIN NOLAN was there.

On a chilly evening when the result was all that mattered, an opportunistic strike by Alex Gilbey – his second goal of a stop-start season – was enough to settle this scruffy game and all but dismiss Charlton’s lingering fears of relegation to the unspeakable horrors of League Two.

Unable to exploit the Addicks’ alarming second-half disintegration, Gillingham were at least favoured by other results, leaving them a precarious fourth from bottom and still under severe pressure to survive the drop.

To be brutally frank, this downmarket clash between substandard teams went largely unnoticed elsewhere. But at The Valley, the nerves were palpable, mistakes rife and the mood tetchy.

A disappointing home crowd, bolstered by a lively contingent from the Orchard of England, saw Charlton start brightly, control much of the first half and take a deserved lead into their dressing room at half-time. The second half told a different story as the Addicks, increasingly aware of the stakes on offer, appeared to freeze. The visitors sensed their vulnerability, grew in confidence but lacked the quality to press home their growing advantage.

As the tension affected Johnnie Jackson’s men, their ability to hold on to the ball disappeared. Clearances were inconclusive and their pre-interval grip on the game loosened. An equaliser seemed, if not inevitable, then more than likely.

As they battled to hang on to their lead, Charlton rediscovered the spirit so frequently lacking during a seven-game winless streak. They ran, pressed and covered for each other with almost manic enthusiasm.

Up front, Conor Washington and Jayden Stockley set an example of unstinting effort, while Corey Blackett-Taylor’s frequent bursts of pace pinned the Gills back and provided respite for his nerve-shredded side. Behind them, George Dobson supplied his usual energy, the often unfairly maligned Gilbey did his bit and Scott Fraser showed enough to suggest there’s more to come from this talented playmaker. His 66th minute substitute, Elliot Lee, shook off a shaky start before providing a masterclass in how to run down the clock with several cameos, of which the storied Tony Watt would have approved.

It was Gilbey, restored to the starting line-up after being dropped for the last two games, who provided the 40th minute breakthrough. He had already gone close by capping a blistering run with a shot which whistled narrowly wide and was clearly in the mood to try his luck. In support as Blackett-Taylor’s drive was spilled by Pontus Dahlberg, he pounced on the rebound when the keeper bravely parried Stockley’s follow-up, and netted on the turn from 14 yards. His goal ended Charlton’s failure to score from open play since Lee headed the Addicks in front at Wigan on February 12th – a barren run of five games.

Though they beavered away industriously, Neil Harris’ men created little of note to bother Craig McGillivray. Top scorer Vadaine Oliver headed Ben Thompson’s first half cross tamely into McGillivray’s hands and Conor Masterson sent a 25-yard snapshot whistling wide after the break.

His keeper’s relative inactivity didn’t dissuade Jackson from singling out McGillivray for special mention. “I thought Craig was excellent. I’m pleased because obviously we’ve conceded a few goals and I know he took that pretty hard so he deserved that clean sheet. And the win came from hard work and heart and they showed that in abundance today.”

It’s been a rough ride recently for Charlton’s popular boss – ringing the changes as his depleted team hit the skids. Seven games without winning sent them into dangerous freefall and Jackson spoke for everyone in stressing the overriding importance of this result.

It hadn’t been about the elegance of the performance – which was just as well – but winning, however ugly it was. “We’ve had important players missing and that’s impacted on results,” he remarked. “We’ve had to try another way and it’s been difficult but I think you saw tonight when we get those guys on the pitch, we’re going to win football matches.” Amen to that, boss.

And a word to the owner. You don’t buy a dog and bark yourself. Johnnie Jackson is the right man for the job. Give him the right tools and he’ll do that job.

Just make sure those tools can play 90 minutes and can turn out regularly. We have more than enough part-time players as it is. We’re lucky to have this bloke in charge. So don’t screw it up.

Charlton: McGillivray, Clare, Lavelle, Purrington, Matthews, Dobson, Gilbey, Fraser (Lee 66), Blackett-Taylor (Pearce 88), Washington, Stockley. Booked: Gilbey, Stockley. Not used: Harness, Gunter, Jaiyesimi, Leko, Burstow.

Gillingham: Dahlberg, Tutonda (Dickson-Peters 81), O’Keefe, Ehmer, Tucker, Thompson, Lee, McKenzie (Lintott 59), Masterson, Oliver, Kelman. Booked: O’Keefe. Not used: Chapman, Maghoma, Akehurst, Chambers.

Referee: Will Finnie. Attendance: 9,728 (1,559 visiting).

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After the turmoil of recent weeks, a goalless draw with Sunderland came as a relief for The Charlton Champion‘s KEVIN NOLAN…

No doubt you’ll have noticed that Charlton never lose any of those past games they show on the big screen before kick-off. They win ’em all.

It must rankle among fans in the adjoining Jimmy Seed Stand to be force-fed so much failure. Having said that, it was hard to identify what games they picked when Millwall were the visitors a couple of years ago; those grainy pre-war pictures are tough to make out.

Be fair though, what brings a glow of pleasurable nostalgia to SE7 is still a bitter pill to swallow on Wearside; no wonder Sunderland live and breathe vengeance, with those play-off finals sticking in their craw.

They came south on Saturday, confident that revenge was there for the taking against their nemesis but instead met a side prepared to dig in and redeem themselves after a miserable run of results; a modest side (with much to be modest about recently) but one with their backs to the wall and spoiling for a fight. The point they took from this dour but competitive encounter will be of more satisfaction to Charlton than the one taken home by Sunderland, who slipped from sixth to no-account seventh in the table.

Heartened by the return from injury of Jayden Stockley and by the eagerly anticipated full debut of Scott Fraser, worried manager Johnnie Jackson will draw quiet encouragement from the excellent contribution made by Diallang Jaiyesimi. The mercurial No 7 only rarely crossed the halfway line but tackled, intercepted and read the game like a seasoned defender. His was an unselfish, disciplined, performance which placed his team’s needs above his natural impulse to go forward.

Also worthy of special mention in a generally solid display were Jason Pearce and Craig McGillivray. You know what’s on offer from the redoubtable skipper and he invariably delivers. There’s nothing he relishes more than a no quarter-asked-or given encounter with a physical opponent and, in prolific Scot Ross Stewart, he was evenly matched.

With 22 goals already this season, Stewart was unable to add to his tally but posed a constant threat. Several chances were either directed wide or saved by McGillivray. But Pearce kept him relatively quiet, something few centre backs have achieved this season.

McGillivray’s excellent statistics took a battering in February, during which Charlton shipped 14 goals in six games, the last three of which yielded 8 of those goals. Those statistics, however, don’t register the often stunning saves he made to make the margin of defeat manageable.

Against free-scoring Sunderland, he made a string of defiant stops to keep the Addicks level. The best of them was the athletic tip-over which kept out Bradley Pritchard’s swerving first half free kick, though the full length dive he made to tip Stewart’s corner-bound shot to safety had its admirers.

In between the spectacular was the competence he showed in repelling Patrick Roberts’s one-on-one effort and the sound positioning which made Elliot Embleton’s crisp daisycutter a matter of routine to handle.

The Addicks’ chances were fewer, though they came close to collaring all three points in a hectic finish to an otherwise attritional struggle. Stronger than their visitors during the closing minutes, they forced a series of setpieces which had the Black Cats wilting. Elliot Lee’s much-improved performance culminated in a salvo of late free kicks conceded by the tiring Wearsiders.

Following Roberts’ foul on substitute Jonathan Leko, Lee’s inswinging delivery from the left was headed narrowly wide by an unmarked Sam Lavelle. A mere minute later, Bailey Wright wearily impeded Stockley in the same area and Lee’s free kick picked out the blond centre forward wide of the far post. A venomous volley whistled across the six-yard area, left Anthony Patterson helpless, but eluded the sliding Lavelle by agonising inches. “Would have been harsh on Sunderland,” admitted Jackson. Be honest, John, would you have cared? Or shown a grain of sympathy?

Jackson was easier to believe in his comments about his side’s performance. “It came from hard work and heart”, he remarked, “and they showed that in abundance.” They did indeed, boss, none more so than Pearce, whose defiance inspired Chris Gunter to resourcefully clear off the goalline from Dennis Cirkin during a period of Sunderland pressure early in the second half. Also, George Dobson kept hustling, as did Lee and Ben Purrington.

This was a worthy point, with Mason Burstow’s extreme youth mitigating the tame finish he applied to Stockley’s deftly headed flick. Mason’s not the finished article but he put in the same effort as his more experienced colleagues.

Anyway, I think we can safely say this point – and other results – remove any possibility of relegation. That’s not something we should be celebrating but it’s some sort of relief.

At least we can embark on our owner’s five-year plan from a League One, rather than League Two, starting point, something he hasn’t mentioned lately. Probably in the recording studio. Anyone know if we’re still on?

Charlton: McGillivray, Gunter, Lavelle, Pearce, Purrington, Jaiyesimi, Dobson, Lee, Fraser (Gilbey 66), Stockley, Burstow (Leko 73). Not used: Harness, Famewo, Morgan, John, Matthews. Booked: Purrington, Dobson, Lavelle, Lee.

Sunderland: Patterson, Evans, Broadhead (Clarke 70), Gooch (Roberts 81), Stewart, Winchester, Cirkin, Xhemajli, Pritchard (Embleton 75), Wright, Matete. Not used: Hoffmann, Doyle, Neil, Hume. Booked: Clarke, Cirkin, Wright

Referee: Anthony Backhouse Attendance: 13,716 (2,702 visiting).

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The Addicks sank to another defeat last night as their slide down the League One table continued. KEVIN NOLAN reports.

Bang in form and full of themselves, Milton Keynes swept into The Valley on Tuesday evening, intent on proving that whatever Oxford United could do, they could do better.

Four days previously, Oxford had barely broken sweat in cutting Charlton to ribbons; MK confidently expected to mop up the debris left by Saturday’s conquerors and bank three similarly easy points. They didn’t quite emulate their predecessors but their victory was achieved with the same casual swagger.

Liam Manning’s promotion hopefuls were followed down from the Buckinghamshire boondocks by just over 600 fans. They were cocky, entitled and relished the reversal of roles which made them the warmest of favourites, with the bedraggled Addicks prohibitive underdogs.

They huddled together in the Jimmy Seed Stand, and, without any sense of irony, confirmed their club’s reputation as football cuckoos by shamelessly adopting Millwall’s “no-one likes us” anthem as their own. This bunch of empty-headed arrivistes hardly deserve the fluent, gifted side that Manning dexterously manages.

Bereft of three experienced strikers and riddled with weaknesses elsewhere, meanwhile, Johnnie Jackson made several changes from the shambolic side with which Oxford had toyed. A full debut was handed to Juan Castillo – a dubious honour in such discouraging circumstances – and Sam Lavelle made a welcome return from injury.

Chris Gunter resumed at right-back with Sean Clare beginning a three-game suspension after being sent off against Oxford. Adam Matthews operated at right wingback, while Mason Burstow was partnered with Jonathan Leko up front.

Jackson’s frustration was easy to imagine when Burstow limped off in the second half with what looked ominously like hamstring trouble. And there was still little sign of Covid victim Scott Fraser, so briefly impressive at Bolton.

Jackson had every right to be pleased with the first-half performance of his sorely depleted side. They held their own, made one or two chances and apart from an early scare when Troy Parrott’s poor control allowed Craig McGillivray to pounce on Conor Coventry’s pinpoint pass over the top, were comfortable defensively.

At the other end, Matthews’ hard, low cross proceeded untouched through a crowded goal area before being blasted over the bar by George Dobson; then Lavelle’s sprawling header sent Albie Morgan’s right wing corner spinning wide, with Jamie Cumming a concerned spectator When Akin Famewo’s last-ditch tackle foiled Scott Twine’s attempt to exploit a precise through ball from Harry Darling, Charlton seemed to have emerged unscathed from a low-key first half.

Dressing-room sanctuary was but four minutes away when the visitors struck. A quickfire raid through the middle featured another fine ball from Coventry, which left wingback Tennai Watson slipped deftly into the bottom left corner. The first goal is important in any game. Given Charlton’s chronic lack of firepower, it loomed even larger in this context.

Relaxed and expertly organised, Milton Keynes showed little anxiety in seeking a second goal to settle the issue. Twine’s 20-yard free kick beat the wall but missed its target by mere inches; and McGillivray produced a marvellous save to keep out Conor Wickham’s header from Josh McEachran’s corner.

MK’s understandable complacency should have been punished by an unmarked Burstow, who made an awkward hash of driving Morgan’s perfect cross into the ground and harmlessly over Cumming’s bar. It was a bad miss and was promptly punished by an overdue coup-de-grace.

McGillivray’s brilliance seemed to have got his side off the hook when his instinctive save kept out Wickham’s vicious low drive. He was still grounded as Kaine Kesler-Hayden reacted first to convert the rebound. With half an hour still remaining, this result was already guaranteed.

And it leaves Charlton still nervously aware of the relegation battle bubbling beneath them. This isn’t the way it was meant to be. But it is, as they say, what it is. It ain’t over yet.

Charlton: McGillivray, Gunter, Lavelle, Famewo, Dobson (Campbell 88), Morgan, Gilbey, Matthews, Leko (Jaiyesimi 64), Castillo, Burstow (Lee 71). Not used: Harness, Purrington, Pearce, Kanu. Booked: Gilbey.

Milton Keynes: Cumming, Watson, Lewington, O’Hora, Darling, Twine (Corbeanu 80), Coventry, McEachran (Kasumu 80), Wickham (Eisa 64), Parrott, Kesler-Hayden. Not used: Ravizzoli, Smith, Kemp, Boateng.

Referee: Sam Purkiss. Att: 8,807 (605 visiting).

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The Addicks offered little resistance yesterday when Storm Oxford blew into The Valley. KEVIN NOLAN picks up the pieces.

Arriving in the capital just outside the promotion play-off places, Oxford United cruised effortlessly into the top six by becoming the fourth team (Wycombe, Bolton and Wigan are the others) to complete a league double over Charlton.

They barely drew sweat in shrugging aside puny opposition which is rapidly earning a reputation as League One’s softest touches. It will take a dramatic reversal of current form to prevent in-form Milton Keynes from joining the two-timers when they visit on Tuesday evening.

Not that The Valley isn’t a fun place to visit on match days. There’s an abundance of entertainment not only inside but outside the stadium, alongside which the actual game seems almost an afterthought.

On a more clement day than Saturday, you’ve got your trampolining, bouncy castle, disco music and photo ops with a couple of furry mascots. Step inside and Charlton’s starting line-up is announced by a little moppet and a seemingly never-ending list of cuddly birthday dedications is unrolled.

Then just prior to kick-off, you’re treated to the owner’s dreadful heavy metal dirge (self-penned, we assume), which assures fans that it’s “do or die” out there on the pitch. Edge? You want an edge? You’d come across more edge at the Women’s Institute AGM or, as Basil Fawlty famously put it, “the Nell Gwynn Tea Rooms”.

Charlton’s fabled old ground is more playgroup than fortress these days. And don’t get me started on the Crossbar Challenge when you’re two down at half-time!

Well, that’s me done. Rant over. Back to the football, overwhelmingly most of it supplied by Karl Robinson’s smooth, well-organised side.

They calmly weathered a false early storm, during which Alex Gilbey failed crucially to control Jonathan Leko’s dangerous cross and Diallang Jaiyesimi drove an expertly delivered ball from Adam Matthews into the sidenet, before clicking into gear and putting their uppity hosts firmly in their place.

Charlton’s misery began on 21 minutes when prolific marksman Matty Taylor fastened on to Gavin Whyte’s precise pass and from a difficult angle to the right of goal, drove unerringly over Craig McGillivray into the far corner.

The Addicks’ keeper briefly kept the deficit to one by brilliantly saving Sam Baldock’s point-blank diving header after Cameron Brannagan’ s fierce effort rebounded off the bar. Both Baldock and Brannagan set the record straight later on.

Confident and cohesive, the Us and Taylor both doubled their account before the half hour. A bewildering exchange of passes was rounded off by the pass from Ryan Williams which filleted the home defence and set up Taylor to finish precisely across McGillivray and into the far corner. The prowess of Oxford’s number 9 was a chastening reminder for Charlton that all three of the senior strikers were injured and unavailable for selection, an unhappy circumstance out of Johnnie Jackson’s control.

Stepping up to solve at least one of his manager’s headaches, 18 year-old prodigy Mason Burstow replaced the ineffectual Jaiyesimi at the interval and while there was no fairytale ending to this particular story, the kid did OK.

He showed a shell-shocked crowd that spirit and tenacity back up the obvious talent which persuaded Chelsea to add him to their bloated roster. Shortly after the re-start, he supported Elliot Lee as the midfielder brilliantly controlled George Dobson’s ball over the top under severe defensive pressure.

An instinctively toe-poked shot spun off Herbie Kane and inches wide of a post. On an afternoon when visiting goalkeeper Jack Stevens was seriously under-employed, it was as close as Charlton were to come.

As though in direct reprisal, the white-clad visitors proceeded up field and increased their advantage. Another of Whyte’s perceptive passes reached Baldock, who cut inside from the left and curled a beauty inside the right hand post.

It was clear by now that Robinson’s rampant side had an answer for everything, a point they forcibly made by adding a fourth goal near the end. Further rapid-fire passing was finished off by Brannagan, whose 25-yard missile gave McGillivray no chance. By that time, Sean Clare had sheepishly departed the debacle after clashing with Taylor in what is known colloquially as a “coming together” – or what used to be known as a bit of a punch-up.

And that was that, except to be reminded, with relentless cheerfulness, that the Addicks are home again, on Tuesday as already mentioned, then again against Sunderland next Saturday week.

When you’ve been embarrassed 4-0 by Oxford United, it might have been more sensitive to understate forthcoming attractions but then again, that’s a trifle curmudgeonly. So expect me at The Valley on Tuesday. No sense, no feeling, that’s me. Open the cage… play the music.

Charlton: McGillivray, Purrington, Dobson, Jaiyesimi (Burstow 46), Morgan, Gilbey, Matthews, Lee (Campbell 88), Leko (Famewo 65), Inniss, Clare. Not used: Harness, Pearce, John, Lavelle. Booked: Purrington, Morgan, Leko, Inniss. Sent off: Clare.

Oxford: Stevens, Long, Moore, Williams, Brannagan, Taylor (Winnall 77), Sykes, McNally (Brown 56), Baldock (McGuane 72), Whyte, Kane. Not used: Eastwood, Forde, Holland, Seddon. Booked: Moore, Sykes, Taylor.

Referee: Carl Boyeson. Att: 14,029 (1,987 away).

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The Addicks overcame south London rivals AFC Wimbledon at The Valley yesterday – leaving KEVIN NOLAN with a sense of relief.

A frantic, see-saw shootout, in which four of the five goals were direct results of setpieces, saw Charlton banish, once and for all, irritating worries about relegation.

Over the last few weeks, with three consecutive league victories, they have pulled themselves together and proved that they are too good to go down. They are, in fact, a match for any team in the division but have left themselves too much ground to make up. Their inconsistency has probably sentenced them to another exhausting season in the quagmire that is League One.

Narrowly beaten, meanwhile, Wimbledon face an uphill, though far from impossible, task to finish above the dreaded drop. They showed spirit and togetherness in taking the Addicks to the wire and will have a chance to avenge this defeat when the sides clash again at Plough Lane on March 22nd in the rearranged Boxing Day fixture.

And though it doesn’t take much to see that the problems of two little clubs don’t amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world, it’s a matter of urgency in the blinkered world of football. Not to mention parochial pride. Full of confidence and unchanged from their excellent midweek win at Portsmouth, Charlton made an already tough chore that much tougher by handing their visitors a 3rd minute lead. Ryan Inniss’ foul on Anthony Hartigan allowed his victim to deliver a deep free kick beyond the far post, where Will Nightingale headed back into Craig McGillivray’s briefly safe hands.

Under modest pressure from Ethan Chislett, unfortunately, the normally reliable keeper fumbled possession to Ayaoub Assal, who set up Chislett to shoot into a vacated net. Protest was inevitable but referee Brett Huxtable was unmoved. The goal stood and Charlton were on the wrong end of it.

It says much for the character of Johnnie Jackson’s evolving side that within 28 minutes of the setback, they had not only equalised but taken the lead themselves. The visitors had enjoyed their lead for only a quarter of an hour when substitute Diallang Jaiyesimi combined with Alex Gilbey to earn a right wing corner, which Albie Morgan sent hard and head-high to the near post. Inniss nodded down and in off a wrongfooted Hartigan, with Nikola Tzanev helpless to intervene.

Jaiyesimi had been an early replacement for the desperately unlucky Cory Blackett-Taylor and no disrespect for the latter is implied in observing that the Addicks were galvanised by the newcomer’s impact. Just past the half hour, Charlton’s mercurial No 7 produced a visionary pass which will be unrivalled as the assist of the season.

Caressed with the outside of his right foot from a position just near the halfway line, it sent Conor Washington sprinting through a shredded defence with only the advancing Tzanev to beat. Frequently criticised for his “unclinical” finishing, the Northern Irishman calmly slotted past the despairing keeper; his record of 20 goals from 48 starts plus 16 substitute appearances disproves the theory that he lacks coolness under pressure.

A rip-roaring first half, which delighted the few neutrals among another bumper Valley crowd but was the despair of Jackson and his opposite number Mark Robinson, had a last twist in its tail before the break.

Yet another free kick conceded in front of the East Stand was lofted to the far post by Hartigan, cleared even Inniss’ commanding brow and was headed back and in, a la text book, by visiting skipper Ben Heneghan. Before delivery, Heneghan was being monitored by Chuks Aneke; at the point of impact, he was completely unmarked. A Sparrows Lane post-mortem will no doubt sort out defensive culpability.

A more sedate second period was almost inevitable. It featured a winning goal for the Addicks on the hour mark, scored by Akin Famewo and duly celebrated by fans and players as his first for the club. Another of Morgan’s whiplash corners from the left was met at the far post and emphatically bulleted home by the no-nonsense centre back.

The rest was relatively routine, or as close to routine as Charlton get in protecting a lead and managing a game. McGillivray made his only save from Nightingale, George Marsh shot uncomfortably wide and Heneghan headed off target as the Dons optimistically sought an equaliser.

For the victorious Addicks, George Dobson and Sean Clare maintained their recent excellence but were edged out as Charlton’s man of the match by Jaiyesimi.

Quick feet, adhesive touch and decent defensive work, the tricky winger has the tools; all he needs is a shot of acceptable arrogance and his name could be the first on Jackson’s team sheet. Mind you, Bolton on a cold Tuesday night can separate the men from the boys.

Make ’em have it, DJ… here’s looking at you, kid!

Charlton: McGillivray, Matthews, Inniss, Famewo, Clare, Dobson, Morgan (Fraser 73), Gilbey, Blackett-Taylor (Jaiyesimi 12), Washington, Aneke (Burstow 69). Not used: Henderson, Pearce, Lee, Purrington Booked: Clare, Inniss, Gilbey, Jaiyesimi.

AFC Wimbledon: Tzanev, Nightingale, Marsh, Hartigan, Cosgrove (Cosgrave 62), Assal, Chislett (McCormack 76), Rudoni (Ablade 76), Osew, Brown, Heneghan. Not used: Broome, Csóka, Guinness-Walker, Mebude

Referee: Christopher Pollard Official attendance: 22,486 (1,233 visiting)

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It wasn’t the most entertaining of matches, but the Addicks notched up an important win yesterday, as KEVIN NOLAN reports.

Charlton’s vital win over improving Fleetwood Town helped to ease their lingering fears they might be sucked into a late season relegation battle. Second-half goals from Mason Burstow and Albie Morgan were enough to see off the Cod Army, who paid the price for failing to turn their early superiority into an interval lead.

The win, however unevenly it was achieved, was gratefully savoured but a bumper crowd needed no reminding that both scorers were products of the club’s impressive academy system.

Fans enjoy little more than to watch youngsters make it through the various age levels on their way to the first team, and serenaded Burstow, then Morgan, as “one of our own”.

Mason, not 19 until August, tapped into the euphoric mood by turning his 82nd-minute replacement by Conor Washington into an innocently improvised lap of honour; Albie, 22 next week, went quietly berserk after crowning an impressive contribution with an all-too-rare goal in time added on by Billy Bunter-shaped referee Brett Huxtable.

(Billy Bunter? Ask your grandad. Or your grandma, who might get you up to speed about Bessie Bunter, Billy’s sister.)

In the accepted way of things, meanwhile, you’ll find the names of Charlton’s goalscorers at the head of this report. And rightly so. Goals are how games of football are decided.

But there’s more to it than that. There’s the exhausting but ultimately decisive battle to control midfield, the engine room where small battles are won and lost which inexorably influence the outcome.

And at the heart of Charlton’s midfield on Saturday, as he has been since Johnnie Jackson reinstalled him following Nigel Adkins’ departure, was the indefatigable George Dobson.

Hardly a veteran himself at 24, Dobson ploughed through a prodigious workload, which included momentum-changing interceptions, razor-sharp tackles and conscientious tracking.

Most of his unglamorous graft was followed by the appropriate choice of pass to turn defence into attack. Hunch-shouldered, urgent and hardly the most elegant player on the pitch, Dobson had a horse of a game, which won’t have escaped the all-seeing eye of his manager.

Back to the whirlwind start made by Stephen Crainey’s in-form Fishermen’s Friends. As early as the first minute, setpiece expert Danny Andrew sent an ideally placed free kick harmlessly over the bar, Paddy Lane clipped the woodwork with an deceptively drifting cross, then Lane cut inside Aki Famewo but fired tamely into Craig McGillivray’s hands.

The Addicks briefly raised the siege with Diallang Jaiyesimi sending Sean Clare through to sting Alex Cairns’ palms at his near post. Their respite was short-lived as Andrew used a short corner to pick out an onrushing Tom Clarke beyond the far post, but the centre-back headed inches too high.

With the pressure mounting, another free kick conceded just outside the penalty area saw Andrew improve on his earlier effort by shaving the bar. But under the towering influence of Ryan Inniss, the Addicks stayed in the game and significantly came closest to scoring before the break. A subdued Chuks Aneke fashioned a shooting chance for Elliot Lee, which was blocked back to Lee, whose second effort was brilliantly saved by a full-length Cairns.

There was no way of knowing it at the time but the visitors had already blown their best chance of a useful result. Within eight minutes of the restart, they fell behind to Burstow’s second league goal and fifth of a hugely promising career. Jay Matete’s foul on Corey Blackett-Taylor near the left touchline set up Morgan to launch a free kick, which was returned from the far post by Inniss and nodded past Cairns by Burstow.

The kid’s bashful, foot-scuffing departure past the North Stand some 30 minutes later was saluted by his doting fans. The Leaving of Liverpool was only slightly more emotional.

Before Morgan applied the coup-de-grace, Lane came within a whisker of spoiling the party when he failed – by exactly that whisker – to toe-end Shayden Morris’ teasing cross past McGillivray. Morgan responded by quickstepping nimbly through a tiring defence but inexplicably missed a yawning target.

It hardly mattered because less than a minute later, Albie finished clinically from the penalty spot after Zak Jules could only turn Alex Gilbey’s cross from the right into his path.

Great work from Gilbey, by the way. His 20-minute cameo might have earned him a place in the starting line-up at Hartlepool on Tuesday evening, if he’s lucky!

Charlton: McGillivray, Clare, Inniss, Famewo, Dobson, Lee (Gilbey 69), Morgan, Jaiyesimi, Blackett-Taylor (Purrington 86), Burstow (Washington 82), Aneke. Not used: Henderson, Pearce, Leko, Watson. Booked: Dobson, Aneke.

Fleetwood: Cairns, Andrew, Jules, Clarke, Harrison, Camps, Matete, Batty (Pilkington 75), Lane, Johnston (Nsiala 81), Hayes (Morris 62). Not used: Donaghy, Johnson, Biggins, Boyle. Booked: Matete.

Referee: Brett Huxtable. Att: 21,811 (192 visiting).

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