As promised, here is my match report from the Charlton v Reading game... have a read, let me know what you think...
NO HAIR RAISER!
Nervy affair causes Pardew to reflect on some “Grey Matters”
By James Warner
“This job is reflected in our hair colour” – wise words from one grey haired Alan Pardew after his side failed to capitalise on fellow relegation strugglers having dropped points. His side had the chance to pull clear of Sheffield United who now have, what could prove to be, a very valuable game in hand, but they showed promise throughout the game without never looking like scoring, they had the build up, most of it coming from counter-attacking movements, but they could not find the clinical finish.
This really was a crunch tie for both these teams, Reading wanting to push for Europe in their first ever season in the top flight and for Charlton, battling to avoid the drop.
The Charlton fans seemed up for the game even before the teams set to the field with cries of “We are staying up” echoing around a packed Valley. They have been Charlton’s twelfth man through out this campaign and even when things where looking beyond repair, they kept their team going. The term is used a lot but they really have been superb.
Right from the word go the players looked to be responding in kind to the fans support, winning an early corner, from which Talal El Karkouri was inches from tucking away, the ball smashing the crossbar and rebounding agonisingly close to the goal line.
The players had previously been on the back foot for the first few minutes but this was a spur for the next ten minutes of Charlton pressure, in which Darren Bent nearly found Ambrose after a break was made by the other Bent, Marcus. With Reading clearly on the back foot, Coppell looked disjointed.
He must have scared the players into a reaction because by this time Reading where swinging the pendulum right back the other way, and by the time Alex Song received and early booking, Charlton where looking rattled. Reading came close with a dazzling run by their speedy Korean, Seol, forcing Scott Carson into a decent save. By the time the half time whistle went, you could almost feel the frustrating outcome of this game as if it had already happened, Graham Poll not helping matters, giving needless free kicks, and slowing down the tempo and flow of the game.
As the second half kicked of, Charlton fans where not at their usual selves, becoming drowned out by a newly awaken set of Reading fans in the corner of the Jimmy Seed stand.
The increasing frustration was beginning to tell on the players as Song was pulled up for one or two niggling fouls. He had to be careful. Alan Pardew had to do something but with two substitutes already having been used, and a player about to be sent off for persistent fouling, he replaced Alex Song with Matt Holland. This seemed to lift the fans spirits a bit and the players too, tackles flying around and players committing themselves to the job in hand. Souleymane Diawara was having an absolute stormer at the back for Charlton and that didn’t change as he continued to make last ditch tackles and clearances.
Twenty minutes to go and at last some action, Darren Bent down the Charlton right, tries to win a corner from Bikey, only to have the ball rebound and hit him in the face and go behind for a goal kick. The game was really starting to become a bore. And it really did seem like it was going to be a famous bore-draw. Or rather not so famous.
The game sprung to life again with a fierce effort from Nicky Shorey which saw Carson scrambling across his goaline, followed by a chorus of “Shorey for England” from the Reading fans. Then a minute or two later, Hunt was found unmarked at the back post, but the Irishman failed to capitalise, summing up an evening of missed or even uncreated chances for both sides.
The frustration began to tell on all the fans faces as both teams seemed to be settling for the draw, one last chance to snatch the points perhaps, as Luke Young comes bursting down the right flank, only Zheng in the box but he managed to find him with an inch perfect cross, only for the China captain to blow his moment of glory with a tame effort straight into the hands of Marcus Hahnemann. I could see looks of disappointment on the faces of every Chinaman in the ground.
Towards the end El Karkouri suffered a rare rush of blood to his usual cool and collected head, as the Moroccan shoved Shane Long in the box, causing rushes of blood elsewhere with Charlton hearts in mouths. Graham Poll, unusually, giving nothing on this occasion.
In the end, both sides will probably settle for a point though in truth, three would have been better all round. If Charlton’s season ends like this, Pardew will have no hair left to turn a different colour. Not exactly what you would call “hair raising”.
On the other hand it was another well earned point on the way to Charltons Premiership survival.
©James Warner 2007
NO HAIR RAISER!
Nervy affair causes Pardew to reflect on some “Grey Matters”
By James Warner
“This job is reflected in our hair colour” – wise words from one grey haired Alan Pardew after his side failed to capitalise on fellow relegation strugglers having dropped points. His side had the chance to pull clear of Sheffield United who now have, what could prove to be, a very valuable game in hand, but they showed promise throughout the game without never looking like scoring, they had the build up, most of it coming from counter-attacking movements, but they could not find the clinical finish.
This really was a crunch tie for both these teams, Reading wanting to push for Europe in their first ever season in the top flight and for Charlton, battling to avoid the drop.
The Charlton fans seemed up for the game even before the teams set to the field with cries of “We are staying up” echoing around a packed Valley. They have been Charlton’s twelfth man through out this campaign and even when things where looking beyond repair, they kept their team going. The term is used a lot but they really have been superb.
Right from the word go the players looked to be responding in kind to the fans support, winning an early corner, from which Talal El Karkouri was inches from tucking away, the ball smashing the crossbar and rebounding agonisingly close to the goal line.
The players had previously been on the back foot for the first few minutes but this was a spur for the next ten minutes of Charlton pressure, in which Darren Bent nearly found Ambrose after a break was made by the other Bent, Marcus. With Reading clearly on the back foot, Coppell looked disjointed.
He must have scared the players into a reaction because by this time Reading where swinging the pendulum right back the other way, and by the time Alex Song received and early booking, Charlton where looking rattled. Reading came close with a dazzling run by their speedy Korean, Seol, forcing Scott Carson into a decent save. By the time the half time whistle went, you could almost feel the frustrating outcome of this game as if it had already happened, Graham Poll not helping matters, giving needless free kicks, and slowing down the tempo and flow of the game.
As the second half kicked of, Charlton fans where not at their usual selves, becoming drowned out by a newly awaken set of Reading fans in the corner of the Jimmy Seed stand.
The increasing frustration was beginning to tell on the players as Song was pulled up for one or two niggling fouls. He had to be careful. Alan Pardew had to do something but with two substitutes already having been used, and a player about to be sent off for persistent fouling, he replaced Alex Song with Matt Holland. This seemed to lift the fans spirits a bit and the players too, tackles flying around and players committing themselves to the job in hand. Souleymane Diawara was having an absolute stormer at the back for Charlton and that didn’t change as he continued to make last ditch tackles and clearances.
Twenty minutes to go and at last some action, Darren Bent down the Charlton right, tries to win a corner from Bikey, only to have the ball rebound and hit him in the face and go behind for a goal kick. The game was really starting to become a bore. And it really did seem like it was going to be a famous bore-draw. Or rather not so famous.
The game sprung to life again with a fierce effort from Nicky Shorey which saw Carson scrambling across his goaline, followed by a chorus of “Shorey for England” from the Reading fans. Then a minute or two later, Hunt was found unmarked at the back post, but the Irishman failed to capitalise, summing up an evening of missed or even uncreated chances for both sides.
The frustration began to tell on all the fans faces as both teams seemed to be settling for the draw, one last chance to snatch the points perhaps, as Luke Young comes bursting down the right flank, only Zheng in the box but he managed to find him with an inch perfect cross, only for the China captain to blow his moment of glory with a tame effort straight into the hands of Marcus Hahnemann. I could see looks of disappointment on the faces of every Chinaman in the ground.
Towards the end El Karkouri suffered a rare rush of blood to his usual cool and collected head, as the Moroccan shoved Shane Long in the box, causing rushes of blood elsewhere with Charlton hearts in mouths. Graham Poll, unusually, giving nothing on this occasion.
In the end, both sides will probably settle for a point though in truth, three would have been better all round. If Charlton’s season ends like this, Pardew will have no hair left to turn a different colour. Not exactly what you would call “hair raising”.
On the other hand it was another well earned point on the way to Charltons Premiership survival.
©James Warner 2007
