EFL League One
The Valley, Charlton
Admission: Season Ticket
Programme: £3.50
Attendance: 10,579 (202 away)
After Saturday's home game with Exeter City was postponed on Saturday due to the FA's decision for a blanket ban of all fixtures at all levels, I did not have to wait too much longer for a return to The Valley, for the first home league game since 20th August - three and a half weeks.
After the optimism of the 5-1 victory against Plymouth was tempered slightly by a uninspiring 1-1 home draw against Cambridge, the Addicks had only picked up one point. from a 1-1 draw at Wycombe Wanderers, and lost their other game, at Bolton Wanderers, 1-3. That left Charlton in 12th place in the table, three points adrift of the play off places and two points clear of the relegation zone. Unusually for Charlton, progress continued to be made in the cup competitions, winning 0-1 at Walsall in the League Cup Second Round, before a young team despatched Gillingham 3-0 at home in the EFL Trophy Ground Stage. On paper, tonight's game looked an excellent opportunity to secure three points, against a club based on the top of a hill from a small village in rural Gloucestershire that has done remarkably well to make it into the third tier of English football. After winning their first ever game in the third tier. 1-2 in a local derby against Bristol Rovers, they picked up just a point from their next five league games, before winning 2-1 at home to Accrington Stanley last Tuesday.
Experience over many years at The Valley had taught me that tonight's fixture had all the ingredients for a disappointing display and performance - a midweek fixture in wet conditions against a plucky, lowly club, and with a low crowd expected. But after an immaculately observed period of silence, following a playing of the national anthem which was heartily sung (if out of time) by the crowd, the Addicks started really well, opening the scoring on nine minutes when Jack Payne dribbled towards the edge of the area before laying the ball off to his left to Corey Blackett-Taylor, who took a few touches before lasting the ball into the roof of the net. And for most of the rest of the half, it looked like it would be a comfortable stroll for Charlton, creating plenty of chances going forward as the visitors struggled to contain them, and were losing possession too readily. But they were gifted an equaliser as the game entered first half stopped time when the ball was played out diagonally to Dominic Bernard and from close to the corner flag, he crossed the ball, Charlton keeper Joe Wollacott rose to claim the ball only for it to go straight through his fingers and fall at the feet of Connor Wickham, who showed good composure in steering the ball first time between a couple of defenders and into the unguarded net.
The second half was a very different affair, as the Addicks put in a very disappointing display, and with Forest Green looking much improved, they had the standout chances to win the game. Charlton had their moments too, but in the end, the game finished all square, a result that the visitors wouod be much the happier with, certainly considering that is what they played for throughout the second half with crude delaying tactics. And a disappointing outcome for Charlton was made even worse in the last of six minutes of added on time, when Ryan Inniss was shown a second yellow card and then a red for an mistimed aerial challenge following a free kick delivered into the box.
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