Tuesday 23 August 2011

Powell's other eleven beat Reading

It's a highly experimental starting eleven at The Valley tonight.   Benson and Euell are the pair up front, while Hamer faces his old club in goal.   Doherty and Mambo blend experience and youthful hope in the central defence positions, while Francis is recalled on the right flank and Evina comes in as left back.   The promising 'Bover' is in midfield, along with Green, Hughes and Pritchard all featuring in the starting eleven for the first time.

An early volley from Benson making use of a long throw from Green went wide reports Andrea Hilton from The Valley.  Green put in a great effort but it had hit the outside of the post and bounced away.    Charlton were under pressure at the other end and Francis had to put it away for a corner.   The ball was hacked off the line by Evina.

Francis charged down the right but the ball was taken away from Benson at the expense of a corner from which Reading made a break.   It was end-to-end stuff.
Euell had a chance to score but it was saved by the keeper.    Reading won their third corner of the game.   Charlton surged forward in a counter attack started by Pritchard, but Benson’s effort was blocked by Euell and went behind.
Hamer made a good save off Church after Mambo and Doherty got caught out.   A shot by Euell was blocked by Benson.    An effort by Howard was turned behind by Hamer for a corner.   Reading put the ball wide.
Evina rode out three challenges, but the Reading defence bundled the ball away before Euell could made use of it.
Charlton took the lead through Benson who got the ball beyond the Reading keeper after their defence had frozen.   Green put the ball in.
Green advanced again and Pritchard had a go.   Benson tried to shoot and the ball was put behind.
Cummings had to clear the ball off the line to deny Pritchard a second for Charlton as the Addicks piled on the pressure.
Charlton advanced well down the right and a good cross came in but Francis was unable to connect. Green put in an effort from long range, but it was gathered comfortably.
Reading won their fifth corner, but they were unable to make anything of it.   Howard went for goal from 20 yards but Hamer made a very good save to push the ball round the post.    The ball was in play in front of goal, but Mambo hooked it away.  
Charlton were in control and looking very coherent.    Pritchard played very well.

Half time: Addicks 1, Royals 0


Reading started brightly and Church put the ball just over the bar and careered into an advertising hoarding.  Benson’s  shoulder  was troubling him and he had to come off.   Wagstaff came on in his place.  Euell moved further upfield and Waggy dropped into the hole that Euell had been occupying where he started to cause all sorts of problems.
Charlton won a corner, Doherty was clattered as he headed towards goal.   Wagstaff put in an early cross who won it back, both times it just missed Pritchard.    As Charlton kept up the pressure with a great one-two between Francis and Green, they won another corner.   Hughes put in a shot from 35 yards.
Reading won a free kick inside the D some 20 yards out.   A six man wall was formed as dead ball man Harte put it round the wall and just over the bar.
Wagstaff’s effort was pushed away, Bover had an open goal but Cummings made a great clearance.  McCarthy got something on it from a good delivery by Green.   Wagstaff advanced down the left but Euell couldn’t connect and Reading cleared.
Green lashed the ball towards goal but McCarthy pushed it away and Euell couldn’t follow up.  Reading made a double substitution, surprisingly taken off Harte.   Bover got a cross in and won a corner, but it was pushed away by the keeper.   A cross by Francis was put out for a throw.   Euell scored to make it 2-0 for Charlton off a great delivery from the right by Francis, re-opening his account after five years.   Chris Powell really enjoyed that goal.
Church fired the ball across the box but Hamer gathered confidently.    Green put in a free kick from 25 yards out which was deflected for a corner.   Charlton won the ball back but eventually Reading got a throw in.
Mills put in a free kick with real pace and Hamer had to tip it over the bar giving the visitors a corner. Doherty was taken off and replaced by Morrison who didn’t deal with the ball well enough.   From the corner the ball was scrambled into the roof of the net by Reading’s Sean Morrison to make it 2-1, dangerous score after Saturday.
Wagstaff cut the ball across the goal but there was no one to turn it in.    Evina was dumped on the ground but no free kick was given and Chris Powell was livid. 
Reading advanced and Morrison headed behind for a corner.  Charlton had to clear off the line through Wagstaff.   Reading kept up the pressure with a free kick near the edge of the penalty area.  The effort by Mills was flicked away by Euell for a corner.   A free header by Sean Morrison went wide.
Mills gave away a free kick.  Then Reading won a free kick level on the left with the penalty area.   A Reading player [McAnuff] got a yellow card for complaining to the referee.   It was handled in the box by a Reading player and the Addicks got a free kick.   Charlton hit the crossbar from Bover.
Solly came on at left back.   Francis defended well.  Four minutes were added on.    Wagstaff fed Evina but his effort was saved in stoppage time.   Evina put in a great diagonal ball to Euell who won Charlton a throw in.   They won a free kick by the Reading corner flag after a foul by Mills, but Reading won a throw in.  The offside flag was raised against Church.   The whistle blew and Charlton were through to the next round and will face Preston at home.


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