EFL League One
The Valley, Charlton
Admission: Season Ticket
Programme: £3.00
Attendance: 12,592 (371 away)
Like London buses....after Saturday was my first visit to The Valley in over a month, this evening would be my second visit inside three days. And after starting to dread going to Charlton home games under the increasingly clueless leadership of Nigel Adkins, I was really looking forward to this game this evening, with the atmosphere completely transformed after two victories opening the caretaker management of Charlton legend Johnnie Jackson.
Following Adkins' overdue sacking, the upturn in Charlton's fortunes has been quite remarkable under Jackson. After a surprising 0-1 victory at second placed Sunderland, Doncaster Rovers were then comfortably dispatched 4-0 at home, a scoreline that probably should have been even more emphatic, and the two wins were sufficient to lift the Addicks out of the relegation zone, into 20th place, following four wins and three draws from 15 league games. Tonight's game would be a very tough test however, up against a club bang in form, unbeaten in their last nigh league games, winning six of those, and most recently beating Sunderland 5-1 at home. The Millers came into this game in fourth place, following nine wins and three draws from their 15 league games, and were just a point adrift of the automatic promotion spots.
On a slightly chilling but dry evening, this was an enjoyable game to watch, played at high tempo throughout, in pleasing contrast to Adkins' favoured approach of players sitting back and standing like statues, inviting pressure. As a result, the Addicks proving every bit a match for their in form opponents. Both sides had decent chances to open the scoring in the opening 45 minutes, but in the end it was the visitors who opened the scoring deep inside first half stoppage time. Following what very much looked like a foul throw, Wes Harding received the ball back to swing in a cross high over the goal, fromer Charlton player Richard Wood headed the ball back from the byline - with more than a suspicion that the ball had gone behind - and onto the feet of Mickel Miller just outside the six yard box, and he lashed the ball into the roof of the net.
It was a slightly harsh scoreline on the Addicks at half time, and the second half continued in a similar pattern, both sides having good sights of goal, the standout chance falling to the visitors. forcing Charlton's number 1 Craig MacGillivray into an outstanding save, clawing away Freddie Ladapo's header on goal from 8 yards. But on 83 minutes, Charlton grabbed an equaliser following a long high ball downfield by Elliot Lee, and Northern Ireland interational Conor Washington showed good strength to battle past a defender and take the ball forward to the edge of the penalty area, where his shot took a deflection off Wood to send the ball just inside the left hand post. Both sides continued to push for a winner in the closing minutes, but none was forthcoming, and a point apiece was just reward following a lively game between two battling teams creating some decent chances. The point was enough to lift Charlton up to 18th place in the table, whilst Rotherham were also upwardly mobile, rising to third place.
Short video highlights of this game can be viewed by clicking here
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