An entertaining but error-strewn match at The Valley saw Charlton – now free of relegation worries – scrape a point against fellow mid-table side Wigan. KEVIN NOLAN reports.

There was something curiously different about the atmosphere at The Valley on this chilly Tuesday evening.  Hard to put your finger on it until you realised there was a complete absence of nervous tension in the air. 

It was actually possible to enjoy a game of football without worrying too much about the result.

Schoolkids will recognise the mood. It was like those heady few days between finishing your  exams and breaking up for the holidays, an unequalled fusion of relief and freedom to be relished. There’s nothing quite like that end-of-term feeling. Makes you do daft things without fear of consequence.

Wigan Athletic captain Charlie Hughes responded generously to the aura. In the 20th minute of a game being controlled by his hosts, Charlie found himself competing with Alfie May in dealing with a long, lofted delivery over the top, launched by Macaulay Gillesphey. 

Possibly panicked by Charlton‘s 25-goal machine, he cavalierly volleyed the ball wide of his startled goalkeeper, Sam Tickle, and looped it neatly inside the right post. May could only admire his precision and placement. It had been his intention to do exactly the same thing.

One up and playing with unaccustomed relaxation, the Addicks proceed to miss a lorry-load of chances to put this game on ice before the break. One minute after Hughes’ hilarious howler , May’s clever flick sent George Dobson clear to fire a low, left-footed drive into the side net. 

Charlton continued with carefree abandon and Dobson set up Karoy Anderson but the youngster’s shot was smothered by Hughes. The indefatigable skipper’s perceptive pass did likewise for Thierry Small but Tickle was equal to the wingback’s low drive. Small then turned provider,  but Hughes produced another goal-saving block in his bid for redemption.

Rewarded for their superiority by a single goal – and that donated to them by an outbreak of complete lunacy – the locals paid a familiar price for their lack of killer instinct. Two similarly opportunistic goals punished some scruffy defending and turned the scoreline on its head. Both of them were coolly taken by Charle Kelman round the hour mark.

Kelman’s first strike owed much to Jonny Smith – three Smiths checking in just had to cause suspiciously raised eyebrows in Wigan’s  overnight hotel – who moved inside Gillesphey but saw his shot saved by Harry Isted. Martial Godo’s follow-up was blocked into Kelman’s path and  the forward made no mistake in equalising from close range.

Charlton’s impressive 11-game unbeaten run came under severe threat four minutes later. Their undoing was planned by ex-Addick Sean Clare, a popular figure around SE7, where his unstinting commitment was appreciated. Driving into the penalty area, Clare exchanged passes with Godo before finding Kelman, who beat Isted, with a helpful deflection off Gillesphey.

As already stated, a below-average crowd had been tolerant and patient. But their bonhomie was tested by substitute Chuks Aneke’s  failure to convert a point-blank chance, created for him by the impressive Conor Coventry and jet-heeled Small. From no more than three yards, big Chuks shovelled the “sure thing” high into the North Stand. 

It’s hard to keep a  good man down, of course, and Aneke was heard from again before this virtually meaningless, but nonetheless entertaining, encounter was done with.

Dobson had turned in another outstanding end-to-end performance, topping it with an exquisite cross from the right, which he pinpointed on to Aneke’s lofty brow at the far post. The big bloke comprehensively out-jumped Jason Kerr and headed home his second league goal of another injury blighted season. Used as an impact sub, he was, as usual, impossible to ignore.

There was still time for Dobson to dig out another fine cross, this one from the left byline, which seemed to be drifting in until it was somehow scraped off the line. When order was restored, the net was full of players, but the ball had been smuggled over the bar to safety. 

Next goal wins it – that would have been a fitting end to such a rollicking evening. Or best two out of three!

Charlton: Isted, Thomas, Hector, Tennai Watson (Ramsay 36), Small, Gillesphey (Lua Lua 68), Anderson (Wickham 87),  Dobson, Coventry, May (Aneke 68), Kanu (Tyreece Campbell 68). Not used: Maynard-Brewer, Bakinson.  Booked: Hector, Dobson.

Wigan: Tickle, Hughes, Clare, Matt Smith, Aasgaard (Sze 73), Kerr, Godo (Adeeko 87), Jonny Smith (McManaman 72), Scott Smith, Kelman (Morrison 87), Goode (Pearce 46).  Not used: Amos, Sessegnon.  Booked: Mcmanaman.

Referee: Lee Swabey.