That's the way to do it!
Although Charlton earned only a 1-1 draw with Newcastle at The Valley on Sunday afternoon, I felt that this was their best performance of the season, even better than the 3-0 home defeat of Villa. The team really seemed to be knitting together and the ability to pass fluently but also battle for the ball had returned. Both sides went out to win in an exciting, pulsating Centenary celebration match but this was probably one of those occasions when a draw was a fair result.
The visitors enjoyed some early possession, but Fortune coped well with Craig Bellamy. Some seven minutes in the Barcodes had two corners in succession. Lisbie played in a good ball to Stuart. His effort was on target, but was tipped over the bar by Given in the Newcastle goal. The more involved Murphy powered through the centre of the Newcastle defence in S*ott P**ker style. A Lisbie run won the Addicks a corner, but the subsequent attack ended in an offside decision. The lively Bartlett played in a good ball to Lisbie, but his effort went across the face of goal and was unproductive. A Newcastle free kick came off the Charlton wall and went to the other end of the ground. A second Magpies free kick also came off the Charlton wall.
Charlton were awarded a free kick leading to protests from Shearer to the referee that would have attracted a booking for any other player. Charm merchant Craig Bellamy put a shot well over to the accompaniment of loud whistles from the Addickted. Good work by Graham Stuart set up Murphy for a cross and the move resulted in an unproductive Charlton corner. The reliable Chris Perry was providing good defensive work for Charlton. Newcastle thought they had gone ahead when they got the ball in the back of the net, but the observant lino had already raised his flag for an infringement. Rommedahl won the Addicks a corner and played the ball back in again.
With the Addicks looking impressive, it was a blow when a Newcastle goal came from nowhere (well, from a move on the West Stand side actually) on 39 minutes with Bellamy putting the Barcodes 1-0 ahead. Bernard provided an impressive cross from the left allowing Bellamy to head the ball into the net.
HT: Addicks 0, Magpies 1
Charlton came out for the second half determined to get back into the game and within six minutes had made it 1-1. Kevin Lisbie had powered through, taking advantage of a neat header from Bartlett. Lisbie made it clear that he will seek to claim the goal, but his shot received an assist from O'Brien. They all count and Owen Goal is usually up among the leading scorers most seasons for the Addicks.
Almost immediately after the equaliser Deano was called on to make a good save. Good work by the impressive Luke Young won Charlton a corner, but Rommedahl's shot went over. Kevin Lisbie put in a good ball to Bartlett and I thought that the Springbok was going to score but his short went fractionally wide and ended up in the side netting.
Sourness decided that the time had come to change things around and pulled off Ambrose for Robert and Bellamy for Ameobi. Bellamy was roundly booed by the Addickted as he left the field, but his anger was focused on his own manager as he gave Sourness a piece of his mind in colourful language.
The Barcodes won two corners in succession. Matt Holland went down in a clash and had to go off the pitch for some minutes, returning with an impressively large bandage around his forehead. Referee Walton had had a good game up until then, barring not seeing the odd elbow from Shearer which no one ever does, but he ignored a blatant obstruction on Murphy and gave Stuart his third yellow card of the season when he sought to protest. Meanwhile, Newcastle had taken advantage of the situation to win a corner.
Sourness pulled off Butt and brought on the promising Milner. On 79 minutes Curbs made his first change, bringing Jeffers on in place of Lisbie. A Newcastle corner produced a moment of danger and the ball almost went in, Murphy having to clear off the line. Another Newcastle corner produced a good stop at the expense of the second, but the referee blew up for a Charlton free kick.
As the rain poured down it was an end to end stuff and Bartlett drew a save from Given with a strike. Making use of a Charlton corner, Rommedahl put in a shot that was deflected and hit the bar. Given had to stretch to just tip it over. There was then an incredible scene of mayhem in the Newcastle goal. Shearer cleared off the line from Fortune and then Holland put in an effort from distance that had Given beaten, but came off the post.
Amoebi received a yellow card. This was way down at the Jimmy Seed end of the West Stand, but I understand that a judicious use of the elbow may have been involved. With three minutes added on, Charlton won a final corner, but the winner was not going to come. The point put the Addicks back in the top half of the table again.
Match analysis
Hooch the Pooch thought that this was a case of an all round team effort in which all the players had contributed. Nevertheless, he singled out Matt Holland to receive the Silver Bone which came wrapped in a special presentation bandage. We have missed Holland in midfield and he had an inspirational game as captain. Deano played his part well and could not have stopped Bellamy's goal. Fortune made a couple of errors, but was generally strong in defence and came close to scoring. Perry did well and we have to thank Inspector Sands for putting out his missing persons appeal earlier in the season which appears to have found the rock solid defender in an obscure part of Sparrows Lane. Talking of missing persons, where is Konchesky? Hreidarsson had a good game, although he was perhaps not as prominent as he sometimes is. Young
had a really excellent game, forging forward impressively and doing his work in defence. Stuart had another blinder of a game, displaying energy, skill and determination. Murphy is at last showing what he can provide, while Rommedhal is also fulfilling his promise, making some good runs down the wing. Lisbie and Bartlett
combined well up front. Bartlett also made his contribution in midfield and defence, being particularly good at trapping the ball and making use of it. Jeffers did not have enough time to shine and according to the interview with Curbs in the Sunday Times is already feeling unsettled.
Juneau the Soccer Cat did think of giving the Hiss of the Match to Shearer and Bellamy but instead settled for presenting them with commemorative charm bracelets to wear on their elbows. The Hiss went to the people in the flats overlooking the ground who displayed Newcastle and Shearer banners. Someone should have gone up and given them the elbow.
Crowd rating The crowd responded to the standard of play on the pitch and really got behind the team. 8/10
The visitors enjoyed some early possession, but Fortune coped well with Craig Bellamy. Some seven minutes in the Barcodes had two corners in succession. Lisbie played in a good ball to Stuart. His effort was on target, but was tipped over the bar by Given in the Newcastle goal. The more involved Murphy powered through the centre of the Newcastle defence in S*ott P**ker style. A Lisbie run won the Addicks a corner, but the subsequent attack ended in an offside decision. The lively Bartlett played in a good ball to Lisbie, but his effort went across the face of goal and was unproductive. A Newcastle free kick came off the Charlton wall and went to the other end of the ground. A second Magpies free kick also came off the Charlton wall.
Charlton were awarded a free kick leading to protests from Shearer to the referee that would have attracted a booking for any other player. Charm merchant Craig Bellamy put a shot well over to the accompaniment of loud whistles from the Addickted. Good work by Graham Stuart set up Murphy for a cross and the move resulted in an unproductive Charlton corner. The reliable Chris Perry was providing good defensive work for Charlton. Newcastle thought they had gone ahead when they got the ball in the back of the net, but the observant lino had already raised his flag for an infringement. Rommedahl won the Addicks a corner and played the ball back in again.
With the Addicks looking impressive, it was a blow when a Newcastle goal came from nowhere (well, from a move on the West Stand side actually) on 39 minutes with Bellamy putting the Barcodes 1-0 ahead. Bernard provided an impressive cross from the left allowing Bellamy to head the ball into the net.
HT: Addicks 0, Magpies 1
Charlton came out for the second half determined to get back into the game and within six minutes had made it 1-1. Kevin Lisbie had powered through, taking advantage of a neat header from Bartlett. Lisbie made it clear that he will seek to claim the goal, but his shot received an assist from O'Brien. They all count and Owen Goal is usually up among the leading scorers most seasons for the Addicks.
Almost immediately after the equaliser Deano was called on to make a good save. Good work by the impressive Luke Young won Charlton a corner, but Rommedahl's shot went over. Kevin Lisbie put in a good ball to Bartlett and I thought that the Springbok was going to score but his short went fractionally wide and ended up in the side netting.
Sourness decided that the time had come to change things around and pulled off Ambrose for Robert and Bellamy for Ameobi. Bellamy was roundly booed by the Addickted as he left the field, but his anger was focused on his own manager as he gave Sourness a piece of his mind in colourful language.
The Barcodes won two corners in succession. Matt Holland went down in a clash and had to go off the pitch for some minutes, returning with an impressively large bandage around his forehead. Referee Walton had had a good game up until then, barring not seeing the odd elbow from Shearer which no one ever does, but he ignored a blatant obstruction on Murphy and gave Stuart his third yellow card of the season when he sought to protest. Meanwhile, Newcastle had taken advantage of the situation to win a corner.
Sourness pulled off Butt and brought on the promising Milner. On 79 minutes Curbs made his first change, bringing Jeffers on in place of Lisbie. A Newcastle corner produced a moment of danger and the ball almost went in, Murphy having to clear off the line. Another Newcastle corner produced a good stop at the expense of the second, but the referee blew up for a Charlton free kick.
As the rain poured down it was an end to end stuff and Bartlett drew a save from Given with a strike. Making use of a Charlton corner, Rommedahl put in a shot that was deflected and hit the bar. Given had to stretch to just tip it over. There was then an incredible scene of mayhem in the Newcastle goal. Shearer cleared off the line from Fortune and then Holland put in an effort from distance that had Given beaten, but came off the post.
Amoebi received a yellow card. This was way down at the Jimmy Seed end of the West Stand, but I understand that a judicious use of the elbow may have been involved. With three minutes added on, Charlton won a final corner, but the winner was not going to come. The point put the Addicks back in the top half of the table again.
Match analysis
Hooch the Pooch thought that this was a case of an all round team effort in which all the players had contributed. Nevertheless, he singled out Matt Holland to receive the Silver Bone which came wrapped in a special presentation bandage. We have missed Holland in midfield and he had an inspirational game as captain. Deano played his part well and could not have stopped Bellamy's goal. Fortune made a couple of errors, but was generally strong in defence and came close to scoring. Perry did well and we have to thank Inspector Sands for putting out his missing persons appeal earlier in the season which appears to have found the rock solid defender in an obscure part of Sparrows Lane. Talking of missing persons, where is Konchesky? Hreidarsson had a good game, although he was perhaps not as prominent as he sometimes is. Young
had a really excellent game, forging forward impressively and doing his work in defence. Stuart had another blinder of a game, displaying energy, skill and determination. Murphy is at last showing what he can provide, while Rommedhal is also fulfilling his promise, making some good runs down the wing. Lisbie and Bartlett
combined well up front. Bartlett also made his contribution in midfield and defence, being particularly good at trapping the ball and making use of it. Jeffers did not have enough time to shine and according to the interview with Curbs in the Sunday Times is already feeling unsettled.
Juneau the Soccer Cat did think of giving the Hiss of the Match to Shearer and Bellamy but instead settled for presenting them with commemorative charm bracelets to wear on their elbows. The Hiss went to the people in the flats overlooking the ground who displayed Newcastle and Shearer banners. Someone should have gone up and given them the elbow.
Crowd rating The crowd responded to the standard of play on the pitch and really got behind the team. 8/10
posted by Wyn Grant at 6:39 AM
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