The Charlton Champion

The Addicks might be at one of their lowest ever league positions, but a gutsy performance on Wednesday night saw them squeeze past Brighton for an historic cup win. KEVIN NOLAN reports.

A performance which combined good, old-fashioned guts with superbly organised defending saw Charlton through to the fifth round of the Carabao Cup (once known as the League Cup in simpler times). A timely slice of luck or two helped their cause but they fully deserved their victory over Premier League surprise packets Brighton after surviving a chaotic penalty shoot-out.

The jubilation which greeted Sam Lavelle’s decisive spot-kick was as much in relief as joy because the Addicks had suffered during normal time. Extra time would surely have proved an unendurable burden but then again, they were clearly in no mood to surrender. Their attitude was bloody-minded and hard-nosed so who knows how they might have responded to the additional half hour? And, come to that, how would Roberto De Zerbi’s top flight parvenus have dealt with it?

Wednesday’s backs-to-the-wall resistance might well have spelled the end of all that kidding around in their own penalty area which has proved costly on so many occasions recently. It was significant that outstanding keeper Ashley Maynard-Brewer waved centre backs Lavelle and Ryan Inniss upfield when they ranged alongside him as he prepared to take his early goal kicks. They needed no further encouragement to comply and, freed of the responsibility to emulate Bobby Moore, settled down to defend responsibly and at times quite brilliantly.

So too did fledglings Lucas Ness and Richard Chin against the persistent but toothless visitors, whose overwhelming advantage in possession didn’t quite translate into clear-cut chances. Albion looked likely to score as they buzzed around the home penalty area but promised far more than they delivered.

They had their moments but, in Maynard-Brewer, encountered a goalkeeper who seems ready to take over as Charlton’s No. 1; not to mention the defensive shield provided by George Dobson who, as the cliche has it, covered every blade of grass. Dobson’s was nearly the perfect performance – one that gave heart to his often beleaguered colleagues.

As hardboiled as they were soft-centred just four days previously in capitulating to Bristol Rovers, the Addicks soaked up Brighton’s steady, drip-drip pressure in the first period, retreating into their own half and unapologetically forming a human barrier outside their penalty area. Defence involved all eleven players and while the South Coasters called the tune, it was more Muzak than Mozart. There were a couple of tricky situations but Charlton coped well enough.

Handing over management to new gaffer Dean Holden before Monday’s crucial visit of Peterborough United, caretaker Anthony Hayes went out in a blaze of glory, with the strong side he named “going out swinging” as he promised. They went toe-to-toe with what was virtually De Zerbi’s first choice selection and gave them all they could handle.

But the boost they gave Holden for his daunting Boxing Day debut was tempered by the worrying injuries sustained in a far from bruising cup tie. With almost monotonous regularity, one Addick after another bit the dust, the most dramatic of them the painfully limping Chuks Aneke, who lasted little more than five minutes as a replacement of Miles Leaburn before giving way himself to Jayden Stockley.

Both Leaburn and Aneke are no doubt integral to Holden’s plans, as is midfield schemer Scott Fraser, who joined them on the sideline with a quarter hour remaining. Jesurun Rak-Sakyi also finished as walking wounded, but not before he made a hash of his shoot-out penalty.

Prospects looked bleak as the Seagulls dominated the early going, with skipper Lewis Dunk nodding Solly March’s corner wastefully wide and Adam Lallana, set up by Tariq Lamptey’s square pass, skimming the bar from 20 yards. Jack Payne drew a save from Jason Steele and Dunk was required to block Steven Sessegnon’s effort but the interval arrived as welcome respite to the South East Londoners.

The second half provided more of the same, with Maynard-Brewer spectacularly tipping Levi Colwill’s bullet header over the bar before March combined flair with folly as he danced through the home defence but prodded inexplicably wide an apparently unmissable chance at close range.

Maynard-Brewer contributed smart saves from Moises Caicedo and substitute Leandro Trossard to secure, for the Addicks, a penalty shoot-out, at which they have recently encouraging form.

Pascal Gross hit the first penalty against a post; Stockley did likewise to square the score; Trossard hit the bar with Albion’s second effort before Jake Forster-Caskey efficiently gave Charlton a 1-0 lead. That lead disappeared as Lamptey converted and Dobson’s was saved by Steele.

The visitors went ahead when Dunk netted and Rak-Sakyi’s weak attempt was easily saved by Steele but March came to the rescue by ballooning into the Jimmy Seed Stand and Corey Blackett-Taylor efficiently converted. It was hardly the most clinical of penalty shoot-outs but Sessegnon delivered and after Maynard-Brewer athletically saved from Caicedo, Lavelle smashed a no-nonsense blockbuster past the helpless Steele.

Funny thing about penalty shoot-outs. Nearly everybody agrees they are no way to settle a game of football. But when you win one of them, you’re not quite as adamant. In fact, you quite warm to them. What better way is there? Extra time? No thanks, not on Wednesday. Stands to reason.

Charlton: Maynard-Brewer, Sessegnon, Inniss, Lavelle, Chin, Ness, Rak-Sakyi, Payne (Blackett-Taylor 63), Fraser (Forster-Caskey 75), Dobson, Leaburn (Aneke 63, Stockley 68). Not used: McGillivray, Morgan, Kirk, Campbell, Mitchell.

Brighton: Steele, Lamptey, Dunk, Colwill, March, Gross, Lallana (Trossard 62), Enciso (Mitoma 66), Undav (Ferguson 78), Caicedo, Gilmour (Estupinan 62). Not used: McGill, Sarmiento, van Hecke, Veltman, Moran.

Referee: Thomas Bramall. Attendance: 17,464 (6,264).

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Snow and ice led to a “will they, won’t they?” saga over whether Saturday’s match against Bristol Rovers would take place. In the end, they might as well have not bothered. KEVIN NOLAN watched the Addicks plumb new depths.

Gathering pace as you do when you hit the slippery slopes, Charlton’s headlong descent down the League One table left them, at teatime on Saturday, just four points above Forest Green Rovers, who currently occupy the topmost of four relegation positions.

The Addicks’ steady decline is no longer merely embarrassing. It has become a deeply worrying process, which needs to be urgently addressed before the threat of relegation becomes not so much a threat as a grim, stark reality.

It’s to be hoped that caretaker manager Anthony Hayes is shown patience by heavy metal owner Thomas Sandgaard while he’s in temporary charge of the playing side. After fulsomely welcoming Ben Garner as the visionary who would mastermind an overall renaissance, Sandgaard allowed the new man just 20 games before deciding that, er, perhaps he wasn’t the right bloke for the job after all.

The very real possibility exists that the owner himself knows diddly-squat about football, which in itself is nothing to apologise for. Except, of course, when he insists that he – and his kinfolk – know best and must be obeyed. Buying a dog and barking yourself springs to mind.

This latest reverse was nothing short of disastrous. During a first half of almost total superiority, the Addicks played some nifty stuff, made several chances but retired at the interval just one slender goal in front.

Barely one of the 11,201 home fans (yeah, right!) believed that their lead was sufficient. Bitter experience has taught them that their heroes have in them the capacity to devise new, imaginative ways to screw up. Their abject lack of confidence was, hardly for the first time, fully justified; but on this occasion, some particularly jaw-dropping ineptness reared its head.

Making a smooth, confident start, Charlton threatened to swamp their overawed visitors – to turn off the Gas, so to speak. Warmly-regarded goalkeeper James Belshaw was quickly in action, saving a point-blank header from Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, then diving full-length to turn aside a low shot from the Crystal Palace loanee.

Belshaw further distinguished himself with a sprawling save to keep out Jayden Stockley’s effort, making painful contact with an upright as he clawed the ball to safety. An instinctive two-footed block kept out Jack Payne’s four-yard cert at the expense of a corner, but the defiant keeper was about to run out of luck.

Taking current responsibility for Charlton’s setpieces, Scott Fraser sent the resultant outswinger to the far post, where central defender Ryan Inniss headed back across goal through a ruck of players and found the bottom-left corner. It was a dream start to an afternoon which was to turn into the stuff of nightmares for the fatally indecisive Inniss.

Rovers had scarcely featured as an attacking force, their only contribution a swerving drive from Antony Evans, which drew a smart, diving save from Ashley Maynard-Brewer. But they had survived to fight another day and were a different proposition in the second half.

An old adversary of the Addicks was, gallingly, at the forefront of their recovery. Coming off the bench to replace Luke McCormick on 55 minutes, John Marquis was greeted with the chorus of derision he has come to expect at The Valley. His Millwall connection ensured him a hostile reception, while some sharp exchanges during the 2019 play-off semi-final encounters – during which he missed his spot-kick in a tense penalty shoot-out – no doubt still rankle.

It’s safe to say that Marquis raises his game against the Addicks and just as safe to say that the revenge he exacted on Saturday was especially sweet. He had been on the field for a little over a quarter of an hour before he had both an equaliser and a match-winner to his credit. And in each case, his stooge was Inniss.

It’s more than likely that the modern devotion to playing from the back persuaded Inniss to dwell absentmindedly in possession, when an obvious alternative entailed an old-fashioned, anywhere-will-do clearance – highly effective in moments of doubt but jarringly out of place in the “beautiful game”. While he was pondering his options, Marquis relieved him of the ball before dispatching it unstoppably into the top right corner.

Abruptly, the stricken Addicks were shorn of confidence and bereft of bounce. Their visitors, on the other hand, smelled blood and the possibility of a highly unlikely victory. And Marquis hadn’t completed his victimisation of Inniss.

Played through the middle after Paul Coutts alertly intercepted the shellshocked centre-back’s careless pass, he calmly slotted past Maynard-Brewer as Charlton’s keeper advanced desperately. It was the ultimate in sucker punches and plunged The Valley into a cocktail of anger and resignation. In a demoralised atmosphere, there was never even a thought of hitting back.

As the contenders for promotion out of the quicksand which is League One disappear over the horizon, Hayes and his disintegrating team must focus instead on the struggle to stave off relegation to the even more ghastly netherworld of League Two.

A crumb of consolation may be found not only in the useful four-point advantage they hold over the basement dwellers, but the game in hand they have over several of their nearmost rivals. Not only that, but an overwhelmingly superior goal difference gives them an additional edge.

You clutch at such straws when you feel yourself going under. Make no mistake. Charlton are – temporarily, it’s to be hoped – in over their heads.

Charlton: Maynard-Brewer, Clare, Lavelle, Inniss, Dobson, Rak-Sakyi (Leaburn 64), Payne, Fraser (Kirk 88), Blackett-Taylor (Morgan 80), Sessegnon (Chin 80), Stockley (Aneke 64). Not used: Harness, Mitchell.

Bristol Rovers: Belshaw, Connolly (Hoole 46), Gordon, Sinclair (Whelan 82), Collins (Gibbons 90), Coutts, Gibson, Evans, McCormick (Marquis 55), Thomas, Coburn. Not used: Jaakkola, Kilgour, Saunders. Booked: Evans, Coutts.

Referee: Sam Allison. Official attendance: 12,340 (1,139 visiting).

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The Addicks’ stuttering season hit a new low last night with a 1-0 defeat to Cheltenham Town in front of a (more than) half-empty Valley. KEVIN NOLAN was among the few to see it.

Taking a break from the recent flurry of “glamorous” cup engagements, Charlton returned on Friday to the bread-and-scrape fare of League One football, where they hadn’t tasted success since they won 1-0 at Shrewsbury on October 22nd. It’s safe to say it didn’t go so well. Actually, it was a nightmare.

After losing their last league game by the same score at Port Vale two weeks ago, the Addicks subsided miserably into 14th position behind a stodgy 5-9-5 record. In a mediocre division, they are more mediocre than most. In fact, their mediocrity has come to define them as a club on the road to nowhere but deluding themselves they’re bound for glory.

There is still talk around The Valley of joining the promotion race. Their sights would more appropriately be re-focused on the relegation quicksand bubbling beneath them. It might yet drag them under.

Friday’s visitors were Cheltenham Town who arrived four places below Charlton despite having won one more league game. Nine draws saw Charlton two points ahead of the Robins but it was hardly a clash of titans. The smart money was on another draw, most likely of the scoreless variety, and that’s where it was heading until Ben Garner’s men reached down into their repertoire of ineptitude and came up with a novel way to squander a better-than-nothing scoreless stand-off and turn it into defeat by their own hand.

The circumstances of Town’s 85th minute winner were nothing short of farcical but were all too familiar to the 12,226 locals (ahem!) still around to witness them. A lofted ball down the middle was chased by veteran Alfie May, who was outnumbered but stalwart in his belief that something would turn up to improve his odds.

His optimism was justified as Craig McGillivray rashly left his line, overshot the penalty area and came up with a weak, irresolute header. Adapting alertly to this change in fortune, May kept his wits about him and directed an overhead shot into the empty goal. The sight of McGillivray joining the ball in the net, where he thrashed about briefly like a despairing fish, enhanced the embarrassment felt by one and all (340 glee-filled visitors excepted).

Late defeat was poor reward for two starting debutants in Garner’s odd-looking line-up, which operated without a recognised forward and seemed capable, as a consequence, of playing on through Saturday without scoring. Both Zach Mitchell (not 18 until January 9th) and Lucas Ness (a comparative old-timer of 20) acquitted themselves well, turned in error-free performances and emerged with credit.

It was their mentor, Ryan Inniss, whose ghastly error put his side in an unholy mess, which more by luck than judgement, they survived during the early going. Inexplicably gifted possession by Charlton’s towering defender, Dan N’Lundulu hit the bar from point-blank range and saw a follow-up effort blocked at source. The rebound reached May, whose hasty shot was cleared off the goalline by Ness.

The Addicks were still recovering from their narrow escape when Liam Sercombe squandered another gilt-edged chance to open Town’s account. In a first half totally controlled by the Gloucestershire side, their victims hardly featured and when they did, Albie Morgan’s attempt to convert Sean Clare’ sharp cutback was interrupted only by Row Z in the Jimmy Seed Stand.

Garner’s experiment in playing Jesurun Rak-Sakyi up front, with Diallang Jaiyesimi as his mobile support, was hardly a success. They tried hard enough but were withdrawn, as a pair, midway through the second half.

For once, the shock-and-awe approach of Chuks Aneke had little impact, though his fellow substitute, Charlie Kirk, did manage a neat finish which was ruled out by what was surely the tightest of offside decisions. Rak-Sakyi was also denied by what seemed a far more reliable flag.

Joining Mitchell and Ness in the plus column was their captain, George Dobson. Surrounded by shambles, his example of industry and effort never wavered. One second half error was immediately redeemed by an instant recovery tackle. When you can shine in this largely abysmal company, you’re special. And Charlton are well-served by an admirable player, who will stand up to be counted if this demoralising season hits further rocks.

There are some outstanding kids on their way, too, who deserve Garner’s trust. I’m already cheering up – not totally cheered up but getting there.

At least we didn’t have to listen to Sandgaard’s bloody awful record for a second time in the same evening. It’s not much but for small mercies…

Charlton: McGillivray, Clare, Inniss, Mitchell (Forster-Caskey 90), Ness, Sessegnon (Campbell 77), Morgan (Payne 77), Rak-Sakyi (Kirk 65), Fraser, Jaiyesimi (Aneke 65), Dobson. Not used: Maynard-Brewer. Lavelle.

Cheltenham: Southwood, Long, Williams (Hutchinson 70), Freestone, Sercombe, N’Lundulu, May (Norton 86), Taylor, Bonds, Broom, Olayinka (Jackson 71). Not used: MacDonald, Raglan, Brown, Barkers. Booked: Southwood, Bonds.

Referee: Alan Young. Official attendance: 12,566 (ahem! – again) (340 visiting).

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