EFL League One
The Valley. Charlton
Admission: Season Ticket
Programme: £3.50
Attendance: 16,625 (3,139 away)
After Charlton's excellent run of three straight wins, and four games unbeaten, was brought to a shuddering halt by a pretty average display against Milton Keynes Dons, who were certainly helped on their way with a shocking award of a penalty, it was back up to The Valley again today. It would be my first Saturday visit since late August, and the last Charlton home league game until early December.
Following Tuesday night's 0-2 home defeat to MK Dons, Charlton dropped a place to eighth in the table, now four points adrift of the play-off places, having played two games more than sixth placed Portsmouth, following five wins and seven draws from their opening 16 league games. No doubt that today would be a really tough test though, with Ipswich flying high in second place in the table, five points clear of third place and the play-off places, and they came into this game in great form, winning their last two league games, and winning five of their last six.
A match report can be read by clicking here, and copied and pasted below
Video highlights can be viewed by clicking here
Kevin Nolan’s Valley View: Charlton Athletic 4-4 Ipswich Town
Nobody who was there will forget the crazy conclusion to the Addicks’ hard-fought draw with the Tractor Boys. KEVIN NOLAN stayed until the end to bring you this report.
The announcement of six added minutes at the end of an entertaining but hardly barnstorming game gave little warning of the Keystone Kops conclusion that lay in store for all concerned.
Having surrendered a two-goal lead, Ipswich were understandably disappointed with the 2-2 scoreline; Charlton on the other hand, had salvaged a valuable point and could be satisfied with their afternoon’s work. First half injuries had robbed them of key defenders Mandela Egbo and Eoghan O’Connell but they had battled back gamely through adversity to achieve an uphill result. Or so it seemed.
What played out during those barmy six minutes (which actually stretched to almost ten) defied description. But since it’s my duty to have a go, I’ll make a game effort to find sense in the chaos which briefly descended on The Valley. So buckle up and make the necessary allowances for a less than objective version of events.
Reasserting the overall superiority they had enjoyed throughout normal time, the Tractor Boys appeared to have restored order when substitute Feddie Ladapo turned sharply to beat Joe Wollacott with a shot whiplashed inside the keeper’s right hand post.
A minute later, a more speculative drive from skipper Sam Morsy caught a faint deflection before settling decisively in the bottom right corner. As the jubilant visitors celebrated wildly in front of their fans, an unseemly exodus of home fans began to pour through the various exits. You couldn’t blame them but they should have known better.
More in hope than expectation, the stricken Addicks fought back. A free kick conceded by an oddly panicky Luke Wolfenden was flighted to the far post by Scott Fraser, returned along the ground by Corey Blackett-Taylor and stabbed past Christian Walton by full league debutant Terell Thomas.
The statutory six added minutes soon expired but the cocky East Anglians were made to pay for their self-indulgent goal celebrations. Referee Josh Smith didn’t get much right but deserves credit for knowing how to tell the time.
An early replacement for the wretchedly unlucky Mandela Egbo, Albie Morgan had provided sketchy support for beleaguered Sean Clare but going forward proved a force to be reckoned with. In almost the last act of this wacky race, the Marmite midfielder flighted a delicious cross from the left flanks, which was clearly intended for a flash of red lurking behind left back Leif Davis at the far post.
With caution thrown to the wind, the red shirt spotted by Morgan was worn by none other than George Dobson, widely admired for the yeoman shifts he puts in for the cause but, frankly, not the Addick many fans would choose to represent them in a death-or-glory situation such as this one. In 58 previous starts, George’s solitary goal was admittedly a superb matchwinner at Rotherham last season.
But as it turned out, Charlton’s fate was safe in his hands. Or head, to be more precise.
Rising majestically over Davis, Dobson had the presence of mind to assess Walton’s rash advance off his line and looped a deliberate header over the desperately scrambling keeper, which took its time before dropping neatly into his vacated net. Town’s hysterical celebrations were seen and raised by the human pyramid which took shape in front of the Covered End.
“Table’s turned and now it’s your turn to cry,” fitted the musical bill. My favourite Rolling Stones song, as it happens.
The added-time explosion had been preceded by a relatively normal but eventful encounter, dominated for most of its duration by Ipswich.
As Charlton struggled to cope without O’Connell and Egbo, it became vital that they survive an embattled first half without conceding. That ambition was thwarted in the last minute when George Edmundson bulleted Davis’ inswinging corner off Woollacott’s hand and under the bar.
Battling on gamely but apparently hopelessly, the Addicks looked down and out when, on 52 minutes, Tyreece John-Jules doubled their deficit by heading Wes Burns’ cross forcefully past Wollacott. But that was to reckon without the impact provided by perennial substitute Chuks Aneke and speed merchant Blackett-Taylor. Ben Garner’s objections earned him expulsion; he missed a treat.
Aneke was his usual irrepressible self, all but impossible to subdue and too strong for a tiring defence. Just past the hour mark, his powerful run down the right flank was capped by an enterprising cross, which Blackett-Taylor hammered against Walton’s hands.
Closing in alertly, Jesurun Rak- Sakyi forced in the rebound and, abruptly, Town’s comfortable afternoon was fraught with concern.
Blackett-Taylor had the bit between his teeth now and his crisp daisycutter was kept out with difficulty by the suddenly overworked Walton, whose luck ran out as Morgan hurriedly jabbed the loose ball past him. As rare a scorer as Dobson, Albie managed a decent celebration.
As did an ecstatic Valley, which was briefly able to forget that this brave result would have meant more if Charlton had done the business against Milton Keynes in midweek.
But that’s the way it is – there’s always a dark cloud inside every silver lining.
Charlton: Wollacott, Clare, Thomas, O’Connell (Lavelle 43), Egbo (Morgan 14), Rak-Sakyi, Fraser, Kirk (Blackett-Taylor 63), Dobson, Sessegnon, Stockley (Aneke 62). Not used: McGillivray, McGrandles, Payne. Booked: Dobson, Clare, O’Connell, Stockley, Garner-sent off.
Ipswich: Walton, Davis, Edmundson, Morsy, Wolfenden, Burns (Keogh 90), Chaplin (Harness 71), Ball, John-Jules (Ladapo 71), Jackson (Edwards 71), Donacien. Not used: Hladky, Vincent-Young, Humphreys. Booked: Ball, Burns, Morsy, Walton.
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