Charlton second best

Charlton's makeshift defence were run ragged by Burton Albion tonight as the Addicks were beaten 4-2 at the Pirelli Stadium.  The midfield also failed to contribute for much of the match and Charlton were simply second best to the determined Brewers.   Charlton failed to play as a team and there were too many individual errors leading to goals being conceded.

Burton dominated the early exchanges and there was little Charlton possession.   Careless in possession, on eight minutes Amos made the initial save but Akins made no mistake in finding the back of the net.

A shot from Bogle was tipped over by the keeper.   Charlton were not defending as a unit and the commentators were critical of the formation.   Gunter received a yellow card with Burton players demanding a red.  Maatsen was making some good runs down the left, but lacked an outlet.

Bogle was taken off on 33 minutes for Aneke.   Many fans would have preferred Aneke to start, but he can't last 90 minutes.

Edwards was given a free header, but was unable to use it.   A rare poor clearance by Amos was used by Powell to make it 2-1, Charlton again succumbing to an individual error.

Maddison won Charlton a corner and after some head tennis Smyth scored his first Charlton goal with his second shot.

HT: 2-1

The ray of hope was soon dimmed.   Maatsen gave away an unnecessary corner.   The corner routine was well worked by Burton and Hughes was able to score from the rebound to make it 3-1.  Bowyer cut a frustrated figure.

On 52 minutes Washington and Morgan came on in place of Maddison and Smyth.  A Gilbey header was cleared off the line.  On 66 minutes Aneke made it 3-2 with a great bicycle kick. A shot from Washington was blocked and another went wide.   Williams replaced Gilbey.

Burton scored another avoidable goal after Pratley slipped to make it 4-2.  Maatsen got a yellow card and is now one off a suspension.  Aneke also received a yellow card.

A Washington shot came off Aneke and into the keeper's hands.  It was that sort of night.

Charlton are now 6th in the table.

Shell shocked supremo Lee Bowyer told BBC Radio London: 'Poor from start to finish. Too many people going through the motions. You can't give teams, no matter where they are in the division, a two-goal head start. I've never seen anything like it.'

As complaints about the manager's decisions mount, Lee Bowyer has given his assessment of what went wrong. Reading it through, I'm not sure that he knows. However, if it is just a one off the occasional bad night is part of football: https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/it-was-like-weve-never-played-football-before-lee-bowyers-frank-assessment-as-charlton-are-humbled-4-2-by-struggling-burton-albion/