Charlton Athletic 0 v 2 Bolton Wanderers

Saturday 28th October 2023, Kick-off 15.00
EFL League One
The Valley, Charlton
Admission: Season Ticket
Programme: £3.50
Attendance: 14,342 (1,888 away)

An excellent match report can be read by clicking here, also copeid and pasted below.

Brief video highlight can be viewed by clicking here

Kevin Nolan’s Valley View: Charlton Athletic 0-2 Bolton Wanderers

Charlton fans who missed their side’s defeat on Tuesday got a wake-up call at The Valley yesterday. KEVIN NOLAN picks apart the Addicks’ second loss in a row.

After the reality check delivered by Lincoln City in midweek, a visit from upwardly mobile Bolton Wanderers was hardly the fixture many Charlton fans would have chosen to put things right. 

There’s something unmistakeably Northern about the Trotters. By tradition they are physical, no-nonsense opponents who can also play a bit. Ian Evatt’s latest side lived up to expectations and it’s fair to say the Addicks had their collars felt by their streetwise visitors.

Buckling straight down to business, Bolton scored twice in just over twenty minutes and, organised by rock-solid captain Ricardo Santos, defended their early advantage with a mixture of ruthlessness and knowhow. In the second half, it was far from one-sided, with Charlton showing spirit and determination but the outcome was always inevitable. 

Without turning on their heroes, The Valley accepted they had been beaten by the better side. But for the excellent Ashley Maynard-Brewer, the margin of defeat would have been doubled.

A fact-finding quarter-hour had elapsed, during which Michael Appleton’s home boys tenuously held their own, before the visitors struck. They had been denied by the brilliance of Maynard-Brewer, who saved alertly at Dion Charles’ feet before spreading himself to charge down Josh Dacres-Cogley’s attempt to convert the rebound. Undeterred, Wanderers came again and took the lead a minute later.

A short corner routine on the right made space for George Thomason to create a more promising angle for left wingback Randell Williams to close  in and curl a perfect shot in off the far post. It was a shock and a setback from which Charlton never fully recovered. Just five minutes later, their clearly daunting task became all but impossible when the prolific Charles doubled his side’s lead with a goal which, while well taken, needed a helpful stroke of good fortune.

The sharp exchange of passes between Charles and Dacres-Cogley was exemplary but appeared to have foundered as Tyreece Campbell intervened with a timely tackle on the latter. Unhappily, the loose ball squirted to Charles, who wasted no time in firing it past the helpless Maynard-Brewer. Charles’ tenth oal of an already fruitful season threatened to start a rout but the Addicks steadied themselves and scrapped their way back into contention. Their efforts were aided by Maynard-Brewer’s point blank save from another of Charles’ blockbusters.

Before the interval, an imaginative left wing corner from Scott Fraser picked out Alfie May, loitering with clear intent on the edge of Bolton’s penalty area. Meeting the delivery on the volley, the irrepressible May’s firmly-hit shot passed somehow untouched as it fizzed to safety beyond the far post. The merest touch from either friend or foe would have reduced the deficit but suspicion hardened into certainty that this blustery day in October was not to be Charlton’s day. They could have used a break because they had their hands full with these inaptly nicknamed Trotters.

Charlton’s modest recovery continued after the break, with Fraser’s set-piece ingenuity again causing problems. His quick free-kick to George Dobson was crossed by the skipper, cleared a turbulent six-yard area and reached Tyreece Campbell wide of the far post. Startled to find himself unmarked and unnoticed, the winger headed tamely wide. 

As the Addicks improved, both Campbell and Corey Blackett-Taylor came into the game. They had been previously subdued by defenders determined to deny them space to turn and take them on. But as the action became stretched, their fleet-footed threat offered hope – hope which admittedly seemed doomed to disappointment. Still, the Addicks gave as good as they got during a much more even second half.

They were in trouble again, however, as Charles exchanged incisive passes with Victor Adeboyejo and broke through Charlton’s outwitted rearguard. Seemingly certain to make it three, he was foiled again by Maynard-Brewer, who left his line bravely to save at his feet. 

At the other end, meanwhile, Charlton had one more shot in their locker, with substitute Miles Leaburn laying off Campbell’s right wing cross to May’s willing feet. Confronted by an inviting target, May blasted the chance over the bar and Appleton’s first home defeat was confirmed.

As the aftermath of successive setbacks is digested, it’s painfully obvious that Charlton seem again on their way to mid-table anonymity. The recent unbeaten streak papered over some inconvenient cracks but flattered to deceive. Modest Lincoln could scarcely believe their luck after falling behind but battle-hardened Bolton were simply too good for them. 

Their prospects at Wigan, an unpromising venue at the best of times, on Tuesday evening appear grim (you never know, of course) and before long the League One table will, as usual, feature the Addicks in its bottom half. Plus ça change, you might say.      

Charlton: Maynard-Brewer, Tennai Watson, Jones, Hector, Thomas (Asiimwe 65), Dobson, Camara (Leaburn 65), Fraser (Louie Watson 58).  Tyreece Campbell, Blackett-Taylor.  Not used: Walker, Ness, Kirk, Tedic.  Booked: Jones.

Bolton: Baxter, Jones, Thomason (Maghoma 74), Santos, Sheehan, Charles (Nlundulu 79), Dacres-Cogley, Adeboyejo (Bodvarsson 71), Morley, Toal,  Williams. Not used: Hutchinson, Iredale, Forrester, Jerome. Booked: Baxter.

Referee: Geoff Eltringham. 

Bexhill United 0 v 0 Oakwood

Bexhill United won 3-1 on penalties

Wednesday 25th October 2023, Kick-off 19.30
Sussex RUR Charity Cup Round Three
The Polegrove, Bexhill-on-Sea
Admission: £7.00
Programme: £1.50
Attendance: 88

For this week's midweek entertainment, I headed down to The Polegrove for my second visit of the season, fot a cup tie between two clubs who have made quite disappointing starts to their seasons.

After two top seven finishes in the Southern Counties League Premier Division, Bexhill United have suffered from losing their manager Ryan Light and many of their more experienced players, with a younger team taking time to adapt. They were second bottom of the table going into this game, having won just two and drawn two of their 13 league games, but in the previous round, they had beaten AFC Uckfield 0-3 back in August. Oakwood are in their 15th consecutive season in Division One, a division below Bexhill, and this season they were second bottom in the table, having only won two and lost their other 12 league games so far. They had received a bye in the first round of this competition.

On a mild evening, this was an entertaining game that Bexhill dominated for long periods, creating plenty of chances as Oakwood were indebted to their goalkeeper, who made several excellent saves to keep the scoreline level, and would probably be man of the match tonight. Oakwood deserved credit for battling away and although it did look like it was only a matter of time before their defences were breached, they held out and gave themselves a chance of unlikely progression when the match ended goalless after 90 minutes, and the tie went straight to a penalty shoot-out.

With Oakwood stepping up first, they missed their first penalty, which handed the initiative to the home side. Bexhill scored their first two, but both sides then missed their third penalty. Oakwood also missed their fourth, and Bexhill scored their, to seal their passage to the next round, when they will host another Division One club, Roffey, in mid November.

Charlton Athletic 4 v 0 Reading

Saturday 21st October 2023, Kick-off 15.00
EFL League One
The Valley, Charlton
Admission: Season Ticket
Programme: £3.50
Attendance: 15,572 (2,518 away)

An excellent match report can be viewed by clicking here, also copied and pasted below.

Brief match highlights can be viewed by clicking here

Kevin Nolan’s Valley View: Charlton Athletic 4-0 Reading

A thumping win over troubled Reading saw the Addicks go five matches without defeat in the league. KEVIN NOLAN came away from The Valley with a smile on his face.

All good things come to an end and so some time must Charlton’s unbeaten league run under new, no-nonsense manager Michael Appleton. But their fans will cross that bridge when they come to it. In the meantime, they’re enjoying the sense that almost anything is possible from this heady mixture of skill and resolve.

There was never any doubt that the former quality was there in abundance, despite a discouraging start to the season. Since Appleton’s arrival, however, the Addicks have added resilience and resistance to their repertoire. When the going gets tough, they now dig in, survive and hit back. No longer are they a soft touch for the hard cases of League One to steamroller.

Should you attempt to intimidate Mickey Apples’ lads, you’re just as likely to count the cost in bruises. Perfectly legal bruises, of course.

This clash with Reading made that point clearly. Two moderate sides played out a forgettable first half, during which quality was thin on the ground. The visitors had arrived under a cloud, with a four-point deduction the direct result of behind-the-scenes sharp practice and with a struggle against relegation looking like a racing certainty.

Once known as the Biscuitmen, they changed their moniker and became the Royals, which at least lessened the likelihood of becoming the Broken Biscuitmen.

Their off-field fall from grace seemed far from the minds of Ruben Selles’ chaps as they marginally shaded the opening session at a rainswept Valley on Saturday. With the Addicks offering little up front, the Royals carved out one or two chances but found Ashley Maynard-Brewer in defiant mood. An early shot from Lewis Wing was heading inside the right post until the young Aussie keeper sprawled full length to turn it to safety. He was equally sound in dealing with Kelvin Ehiphatiomhan’s snapshot.

Passive and unimaginative, meanwhile, the home side had only Corey Blackett-Taylor’s weak attempt to beat David Button from distance to show for a deeply disappointing first half display. It became imperative that they reached the interval without conceding, a modest achievement which too frequently proved beyond them under prior management. On this occasion, they stumbled through, making it up as they went. They probably surprised nobody more than themselves by making it to the break still on terms.

Appleton doesn’t appear to be a teacup-tossing tyrant but whatever he said in the dressing room at half-time clearly hit home. All but one of the same 11 players re-emerged and treated their warmly appreciative supporters to an electric second-half performance which quite literally blew the visitors back to Berkshire in search of sanctuary.

It took them less than ten minutes to get among their bewildered guests and take  the lead with a goal of stark simplicity and ruthless execution.

Neither Corey Blackett-Taylor nor Chuks Aneke had made any impression during the opening session. Blackett-Taylor had been handled capably by a well-protected Tyler Bindon, while Aneke, starved of service during a rare start, was well policed by Nelson Abbey. But attacking their favoured Covered End, they were a different proposition.

Picked out by Louie Watson’s raking crossfield pass, Blackett-Taylor faced up one-on-one to Bindon, ghosted past the fatally exposed defender and dinked a perfect cross on to Aneke’s lofty brow. From four yards, the big striker was unlikely to miss and easily beat David Button with a simple header.

Reading were already staring at defeat, a suspicion hardened into fact by a spectacular second goal five minutes later.

Tyreece Campbell had replaced a subdued Slobodan Tedic at half-time and vindicated his boss’s faith by doubling Charlton’s lead with a truly sumptuous strike some five minutes later. Receiving Blackett-Taylor’s hastily prodded square pass as the winger cut in from the left, Campbell allowed the ball to run on to his right foot before detonating a violent drive into the roof of Button’s net.

Charlton were not done with their Home Counties victims quite yet and added a third goal from a more familiar source while they were still reeling. Yet again, Blackett-Taylor was the provider with another accurately-delivered cross which Alfie May dispatched with a cleverly improvised scissor-kicked volley.     

Sandwiched between the second and third goals, the only downside to Charlton’s barnstorming second half was the sight of a clearly distraught Aneke leaving the field with an ominous-looking injury. It might have been wise to start with Miles Leaburn, with big Chuks as usual available from the bench. But hindsight has 20/20 vision and it is, as they say, what it is.

As it was, Leaburn ran on to Campbell’s exquisitely-measured pass behind Abbey and completed the scoring in the fourth minute of added time. Leaburn’s overtime strike stuck the proverbial cherry on the equally proverbial cake and sent the loyalists home almost heady with the potential of Appleton’s rapidly-developing side. An upcoming glut of fixtures will tell us more and the next target will surely be the immediate improvement of their miserable away record. 

That process can begin at Lincoln on Tuesday. Starting on the front foot would be a good way to about it because these Addicks have nothing to fear but fear itself.

Charlton: Maynard-Brewer, Tennai Watson (Asiimwe 64),   Jones, Thomas, Hector, Dobson, Louie Watson (Fraser 64), Tedic (Tyreece Campbell 46), May, Blackett-Taylor (Camara 84), Aneke (Leaburn 64). Not used: Walker, Ness.

Reading: Button, Dean (Mola 80), Knibbs, Smith (Ballard 59), Azeez (Elliott 75), Ehibhatiomhan (Vickers 78), Guiness-Walker, Bindon, Wing, Abbey, Craig (Savage 80).  Not used: Collins, Carson.

Referee: Scott Oldham. 

Mulbarton Wanderers 1 v 2 Dereham Town

Saturday 14th October 2023, Kick-off 11.00
Eastern Counties League Premier Division l
Mulberry Park, Mulbarton
Admission: £8.00
Programme: Online only
Attendance: 168

After my work trip up north this week, coming back on Thursday evening, my instinct was to try and find a local-ish game today. Unfortunately, nothing was really tempting, and I did want to make the most of there being no train strikes today. Greater Anglia are currently doing a promotion offering return tickets from London to Norwich for £20, and so on Friday evening I settled on this interesting looking relatively local Derby between two clubs who have made good starts to the season.

After arriving at Norwich train station, I then caught a bus for the half hour journey southwards to the small village of Mulbarton, with the bus stopping virtually outside of the ground. Arriving rather early, I whiled away some time in the comfortable and spacious clubhouse located outside of the ground, and where a couple of Woodforde’s Brewery real ales were available. Entrance to the ground itself is in one corner, with admission fees paid at a wooden hut. Facilities are quite basic here, with quite a long stand straddling the half way line with two rows of seating, with a row of standing along the rear, complete with railing to lean on. Between the entrance and the stand is a wooden tea hut offering a fair range of hot and cold refreshments, along with some club merchandise. There is just hard standing behind both ends, and the remaining length does not have any hard standing, and it is seemingly not intended for spectators to access this side, but lots of people simply walked through the temporary fencing seeming to block access (although not signed as out of bounds).

A match report can be viewed by clicking here, also copied and pasted below from the Dereham Town website.

Magpies Soar At Mulberry Park

Written by Rene Kendal

In the 5th minute, a sliced clearance by Dereham Keeper Tom Coombe gave the ball to Mulbarton’s Ashley Jarvis. However, Sam Watts slid in to clear the danger. Both Dereham players were injured in the process.

The Magpies' defender then came close at the other end as he headed Brad Spooner’s deep free kick wide.

Mulbarton won a free kick in an advanced position. Tom Baird chipped to the far post where Peter Lambert laid the ball back to Jarvis who blazed off target.

Jordan Buttle won a corner on the left, which was cleared, and the home side broke quickly. Jarvis was left in yards of space and hit a powerful drive that was too close to Coombe, who turned it aside with strong hands.

Dereham missed a chance minutes later when Buttle received the ball unmarked 14 yards out but delayed a fraction too long and a defender blocked his shot.

Visiting captain Chris Skipper made a good block from Emmanuel Machaya on the edge of the box, before Lambert headed wide in the 29th minute.

Jamie North delivered another deep centre that Wright struggled to get to and Skipper headed across goal to Sam Watts who headed home from close range to give the Magpies the lead in the 32nd minute.

Dereham nearly caught the home side on the break, with North’s fierce drive just clearing the bar following good work from Spooner.

In the 42nd minute, the Magpies won a free kick 35 yards out. North chipped the ball towards Rhys Logan who could not glance a header home and the loose ball just eluded him. Dereham enjoyed a half-time lead.

Jarvis missed a great chance for the home side soon after the break when he failed to head home a deep free kick from point-blank range.

Baird was lucky to stay on the pitch for a poor tackle on Gee in the 56th minute.

In the 63rd minute, Gee was adjudged to have pushed substitute Ben Thompson in the box to concede a penalty. Tom Coombe threw himself to his left to make a great save from Jarvis’s spot kick, before bouncing back up to push the following volley on to the crossbar.

Logan won the ball in midfield before progressing and finding Buttle on the left, who beat two men and passing into the box from a tight situation. The loose ball fell back to Rhys Logan, who fired home to extend Dereham’s lead in the 73rd minute.

The Magpies created another excellent chance with Logan passing left to Charlie Clarke who picked out Spooner who forced keeper Wright into a great save.

Mulbarton pulled a goal back when Ashley Jarvis took a touch and fired home into the bottom corner from the edge of the box in the 78th minute. 

Play remained competitive at both ends, with Dereham defending robustly.  The Magpies held out for the ten minutes of added time to gain three excellent away points.   

Wales 4 v 0 Gibraltar

Wednesday 11th October 2023, Kick-off 19.45
International Friendly
The Racecourse, Wrexham
Admission: £25.00
Programme: None
Attendance: 10,008

As I close in on completing the 92, much aided by being more on the road for my work now, the Racecourse was one ground I feared I would struggle to tick off, with virtually all of their games sold out before reaching general sale. But when this game was announced earlier in the year, I knew that this would be my best chance to visit any time soon, and an opportunity to see the Welsh national team is always appealing for me, having a soft spot for the country having studied at university there, and learning the Welsh language currently.

From my hotel base near to Crewe, it was about an hour's drive over the border, managing to park for free in a town centre car park, and from there it was about a 15 minute walk. Unfortunately misty rain was falling as I approached the stadium, slightly impairing the view as I walked over a bridge and looked slightly down on the stadium with its floodlights shining brightly. I walked past The Turf pub, located immediately outside the stadium and made famous in the "Welcome to Wrexham" documentary, and and past the most modern stand in the stadium, colourfully decorated on the outside, before making my way to the opposite length. This two tier stand was a lot more old fashioned, with a traditional lower league ground feel to it, with my seat in the second row of the upper tier. The one tiered modern stand opposite has an interesting roof design, with corporate boxes to the top and rear, with unobscured views, unlike the one I was in, which had supporting pillars and some metal door frames and mesh fencing partly obscuring views. Behind one goal is another old fashioned two tiered all seater stand, whilst behind the other end, the large covered terrace has been demolished and is now just a flat area concealed by fencing. 

A match report on the Sky Sports website can be read by clicking here, also copied and pasted below :-

Video highlights can be viewed by clicking here

Wales 4-0 Gibraltar: Kieffer Moore at the double as Dragons score four in Wrexham friendly

Match report as Wales beat Gibraltar 4-0 in a friendly international at Wrexham; striker Kieffer Moore scored twice; Ben Davies and Nathan Broadhead also got on the scoresheet, all before half-time; first time Rob Page's side have achieved back-to-back wins since November 2021

Wales warmed up for Euro 2024 qualifying action by cruising to a 4-0 win over Gibraltar in Wrexham.

All the goals came in the first half as Kieffer Moore scored twice with Ben Davies and Nathan Broadhead also getting on the scoresheet.

After last month's victory in Latvia, it was the first time Wales had achieved back-to-back wins since November 2021.

The performance, especially in the opening period, will encourage Wales manager Rob Page ahead of the vital qualifier against Croatia on Sunday, even if Gibraltar's standing in world football must be taken into account.

This was the maiden meeting between the two nations at senior level and also marked Wales' return to the SToK Racecourse for the first time since beating Trinidad and Tobago there in 2019.

The Football Association of Wales was rewarded with a sell-out crowd of 10,008 as fans in the north showed their appetite to support the national team.

Page rested several regulars with the Croatia fixture in mind, when Wales will realistically need at least a point to keep alive hopes of automatic qualification for next summer's European Championship finals in Germany.

Davies took over the captaincy in the absence of the injured Aaron Ramsey, the Tottenham defender winning his 81st cap as Gibraltar played the 81st match in their history.

Charlie Savage, the 20-year-old son of former Wales midfielder Robbie, Joe Low, Regan Poole and Liam Cullen were handed first caps.

Savage, in particular, could be satisfied with his night's work as he showed composure in possession and exhibited a good range of passing.

Gibraltar came into the game 198th in the world with only nine nations below them on FIFA's rankings table.

Preparing to play the Republic of Ireland in Euro qualification on Monday, Gibraltar had suffered six straight defeats and not scored since a 1-0 friendly win over Andorra 11 months ago.

The loudest cheer in the opening minutes came when Savage evoked memories of his father with a crunching, but fair, challenge on Tjay De Barr that left the Gibraltar forward on the floor.

Broadhead was off target with a couple of efforts before Wales took the lead after 22 minutes from an unlikely source.

Skipper Davies rose highest from Broadhead's corner and Gibraltar's fallibility in the air was punished again when Moore met Savage's cross to score expertly off a post.

Daniel James, on early for the injured Wes Burns, was causing havoc down the left and forced a sprawling save from Dayle Coleing.

The over-worked Gibraltar goalkeeper also denied Savage twice and Liam Walker cleared another Davies effort off the line.

Broadhead then took James' 35th-minute pass and turned smartly to find the top corner of Coleing's net with a sweet right-footed strike.

Cullen twice went close and the fourth arrived on the stroke of half-time as James scampered free again to deliver a perfect cross for the waiting head of Moore.

Page made a raft of substitutions at half-time and the contest lost much of its rhythm.

The changes also removed the possibility of Wales eclipsing their record 11-0 win against Ireland in 1888.

Tom Bradshaw was inches from connecting with a Josh Sheehan cross that flashed across goal, but the second half was largely a nondescript affair.

James shook the crowd from their slumber with an angled effort that rattled the woodwork, but Wales had already achieved their objectives heading into Sunday.

Savage impresses Page during Wales debut

Rob Page revealed after the game that Charlie Savage will be staying with the Wales squad for the Euro 2024 qualifier with Croatia on Sunday.

The Reading midfielder was due to join up with the U21 side ahead of their European Championship qualifier away to the Czech Republic on Friday.

But Savage and Wycombe central defender Joe Low - who also made his senior debut against Gibraltar - will remain with Page's squad ahead of the vital Croatia clash in Cardiff.

"We'll keep Savage and Joe, not just off the back of tonight," said Page. "They've done themselves the world of good.

"Sav has earned the right to be with us and I've got a lot of time for Joe.

"He's earned the right to be there with injuries we've got."

"He has taken my advice and left," Page added of Savage's move from Manchester United to Sky Bet League One outfit Reading in the summer.

"It must have been hard for him. I spoke to Rob who had to leave United to go to Crewe. It's no different for Charlie.

"He did it because he's playing week in, week out in competitive football. He trains as he plays and has personality. We blocked Robbie from speaking to him all week which was a big achievement.

"Joking aside, Rob has got his back, he'll look after him. He's got his feet on the ground.

"Sav's best position is an old-fashioned box to box eight. The ball for Kieffer was first class, right on his head. He showed he can do both sides of it and he's a great talent."

Wales' comfortable win saw them secure back-to-back victories for the first time since November 2021.

"The results were not great in June, but it's how you bounce back and we did that in September with class [winning 2-0 in Latvia]," Page said.

"The environment is brilliant. We won't get carried away beating Gibraltar, but I see work in progress.

"My challenge to them was to be clinical and we were. We have to put it all together on Sunday.

"We picked a team here knowing what we'll face on Sunday.

"From the first minute on camp we knew the team we'd pick here and we know the team on Sunday. We are ready and can't wait for Sunday's game."

Wes Burns has returned to Ipswich and will be assessed by his club after the wing-back suffered an arm injury that forced him off in the early stages against Gibraltar.