A last minute equaliser by Chuks Aneke saw Charlton draw 1-1 at Accrington today, but it didn't really help us very much. As Steve Brown said at the end, there was a real lack of quality and creativity. The fear of losing was a problem.
For much of the game I could have been watching a National League North fixture given the amount of hoofball and the time the ball was in the air. The hope drained away as news of matches elsewhere filtered through.
Curbs said we never really got going, it was all about stopping Accrington, although they are not easy to play against. Carl Leaburn said that Accrington are a strong side.
Scott Minto said that on Tuesday we didn't deserve to win and today we didn't deserve to win. Curbs said it was difficult to get the ball down and play your own game. All the corners we had were outswingers.
Carl Leaburn said in terms of chances everything was a rush or it wasn't bouncing properly, this reflected our anxiety. The only bit of quality was the one we scored on.
Curbs said that you do get caught up in the way that Accrington play. If we had won of the last two home games, it would be different.
Nigel Adkins said it was a battle, we adapted our shape, modified, see how direct they are. It wasn't a pretty game to watch, a very poor goal. It should have been a foul on Prats. It was a poor game. The pitch was very bobbly. We didn't get the ball in their half of the pitch well enough. It feels like a defeat.
We knew it was going to be direct, they are a big side. We were trying to get a bit of momentum. We made the changes to try to affect the game, but we could leave ourselves exposed in terms of spaces. They're all very disappointed in the dressing room.
We'll analyse it and learn the lessons from this. Then you draw a line underneath and move on. The next game will be totally different to this game. We've got a long way to go. It was a horrible, scrappy game. We want to pass the ball, we want to be dynamic. It was a poor game, that's what football is.
Curbs said that in trying to combat what they're good at we lost our way. Scott Minto said that we did the ugly side well in terms of defending, but we just didn't get the ball down.
Portsmouth, Oxford, Blackpool and Sunderland all won away. Charlton stay in 8th and have to win on Tuesday and even then it depends on results elsewhere.
Match report
Charlton started with a 3-5-2 in the windy conditions. The wind was in Accrington's favour in the first half. Amos's kicks went off for throw ins a lot.
On six minutes Conor Washington had an opportunity, but his effort went over the bar. Famewo was putting in some good defensive work. An effort from Gilbey was wide. Pearce had to defend to deny Bishop.
In the one minute added on a shot from Charles hit the bar, Amos may have got a touch to it.
At half time Steve Brown said it had been very tight and a nervy game. He also commented that we hadn't been able to string four or five passes together. Scott Minto said it had been a war of attrition. Curbs said we had to get the ball down and create something.
HT: 0-0
Accrington won a free kick on the edge of the box and Stockley had to clear the ball with a header at the expense of a corner. Steve Brown complained that we were lacking creativity.
On 57 minutes Washington, who had been quite lively, was replaced by Aneke. Russell fouled Maatsen and got a yellow card and was soon afterwards replaced by Pritchard which turned out to be bad news for us.
An Aneke effort won Charlton a corner. Forster-Caskey provided a good delivery and Inniss was only inches wide with a header. This was one of our best chances of the game.
Steve Brown complained that we had no composure. Amos had to make a save under pressure and Gunter cleared the ball. Forster-Caskey got a yellow card for a foul as referee Young built up his collection of Charlton names in his first game with the Addicks.
Stockley was taken down on the edge of the box when he could have gone through and McConville got a yellow card. The Forster-Caskey free kick was aimed at the corner away from the keeper but was just over the angle of post and bar. Millar replaced Pearce on 75 minutes.
On 81 minutes Accrington broke and Pritchard put the ball in the corner of the net to make it 1-0. Pratley may have been fouled at the start of the move, but Famewo's positioning was poor and Gunter possibly could have done better.
As we tried to get forward we were caught offside a lot. Inniss got a yellow card for a foul.
Four minutes were added on and Morgan and Shinnie replaced Pratley and Forster-Caskey. Rodgers got a yellow card for a foul. Morgan placed his free kick well in the box and Aneke tapped the ball home.
The root of our problems was last summer when all the disruption meant we could not assemble a team of sufficient quality. There is a big reconstruction job ahead.
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