Saturday 11 December 2021

Charlton battle for three points

Charlton battled away in horrible conditions at The Valley today to beat Cambridge United 2-0.  It wasn't a classic performance by Charlton, but the three points were secured with another clean sheet in the last home game before Christmas.

Charlton are now 11th, but are six points behind MK Dons in 9th and eight points from the play offs.

The first ten minutes or so were indecisive.  Dunk, at one time a trialist at Charlton, was booked for a foul on Leko.   The free kick was slightly overhit by Lee.

Charlton had to concede a corner to through Lee to avert danger.   The game remained rather scrappy.  Charlton had lacked composure at times and allowed Cambridge easy possession.  

Heavy rain continued.  A shot by Smith went just wide.   May received a yellow card as he took one for the team to stop Gilbey.

On the half hour mark after Gilbey put in a good cross to Washington who scored with a great finish, his sixth of the season. He got the shot away before anyone could put in a block.   The match needed a goal.

Charlton did well to get bodies back after Williams got past Famewo.  Gilbey won a free kick. 

Famewo was booked after he stepped across Smith.    Stockley headed away from a corner.   Dobson did well to prevent a Cambridge break.   Clare did well to clear the ball.   Jason Pearce was in a battle with Cambridge top scorer, the physical Ironside.

Three minutes were added on.   Ironside caught Pearce having led with his arm and the roundhead received a yellow card.  Digby was incensed that Stockley was incensed.  The referee spoke to the assistant.   Both of them received yellow cards, giving a total of five for the half.

Lee won a corner for Charlton, but a free kick was given to Cambridge.

It had been a scrappy half.   Steve Brown thought that Cambridge had caught Charlton by surprise a bit, they were edging it.  They moved the ball well and had a good set up.  There was not the fluidity of Tuesday night.  There may be some tiredness because of Tuesday. We barely had any moves where we had five, six, seven passes. We had struggled to create anything worthwhile.  Clean sheet mentality was everything.   That was the most animated he had seen Johnnie Jackson.

HT: 1-0

Dobson did well to get back for Charlton and win the ball as Cambridge came at Charlton in the wintry conditions, the rain continuing.   After a pass from Clare, Washington put in a shot that was deflected.  The corner, taken short, led to a goal kick.

Clare fouled Brophy and got a yellow card as Cambridge players surrounded the referee and called for him to be sent off.   The free kick was in a dangerous position.  Gilbey cleared it away.

Leko drilled in an effort that was saved.   As Charlton rebuilt, Gilbey had to stall his run because he was worried about being offside.

Dunk went down holding his face after contact with Washington who got booked, the eighth yellow card of a fractious game.   The interruption slowed Charlton's momentum.

May shot and MacGillivray made a good save.   A shot by Washington was blocked as the game went end to end.   The atmosphere in The Valley was building with a torrent of noise.

Purrington missed the ball but Williams put in a tame shot after a moment of panic.  Leko showed great control, but the cross was cleared away.    MacGillivray came out to deny the angle from Smith and stop an equaliser.   DJ came on in place of Leko to provide fresh legs.

Pearce was forced to concede a corner, it would have been too risky to clear.   Purrington went down holding his left side.   He had to be taken off as a precaution bearing in mind future games and Souare came on.

Pearce fouled Ironside and received the ninth yellow card of the game.   Cambridge made a change, Gibbs coming on.   Smith ran forward and got past Souare but put the ball just wide of the post.

Famewo shielded the ball well from the lively Smith.   Pearce did well against Ironside.  

In the 88th minute Washington made it 2-0 after Souare put in a decent cross.   Washington dragged it back out to give a little more space.

Three minutes were added on.   Stockley put in a shot that went just over the bar as Souare found freedom on the left and put in a cross.  Washington advanced but couldn't get past two players, denying him a third.

Johnnie Jackson is now the most successful manager in Charlton history in the first ten games, a 70 per cent record.

Steve Brown said the performance was flat, but it was six points from six.  The opposition created chances and didn't take them, we did.   Charlton had been resilient when we had to be.   Graham Stuart said that Charlton were a hard side to beat.

Steve Brown said that Cambridge do make life difficult for you, they have some good players.   There were a couple of potential penalty calls.

Craig MacGillivray said it was a scrappy game.   We all enjoy defending, it means a lot us as a team, we want to keep clean sheets.  We all fight for each other.  If you're going to be a successful team you have to find different ways of winning.   The run we're on at the moment is very, very good but we're not getting ahead of ourselves.  

Steve Brown said that the keeper took a few games to settle in, but since then he had been outstanding.  The stats showed that it was a very tight game.

Johnnie Jackson said: 'Really pleased with the win, not as pretty as I would like, but a win's a win.  Conor and Jayden have a formidable partnership.   Conor is tireless in his work and his running.  You've got your keeper to thank, some big moments at 1-0, two real good chances where he's made some excellent saves.  Cambridge have a lot of quality at the top end of the pitch.  It was important that we kept eleven on the pitch, they showed some discipline, Sean Clare was on a yellow card and came up with some big tackles.  This is our last clear week for some time so we have to be careful how we train and recover.'













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