Few people expected the Addicks to beat big-spending Birmingham City at The Valley – but they came away with all three points on Saturday, reports KEVIN NOLAN.
Showing commendable determination to turn their form around, Charlton put their recent slump behind them and saw off unbeaten League One pacesetters Birmingham City with a textbook display of relentless industry.
The second-city hotshots failed to register an effort on target as they were driven to distraction by a performance of old-fashioned guts and determination. Not to mention the occasional injection of quality when it was needed.
Every member of Nathan Jones’s selection, which featured five changes from the side responsible for the abject midweek surrender to Bristol Rovers, contributed solidly to this outstanding, if unexpected, victory.
The individual contributions of Kayne Ramsay and goalscorer Matty Godden, however, warrant special mention. Ramsay rose above a sixth-minute booking to be the pick of Jones’s re-jigged defence, while Godden supplied one indispensable touch of class. They were the obvious choices to perform Charlton’s now-traditional tunnel jump.
Unrecognisable from the tepid, characterless sides which all but rolled over for the likes of Blackpool, Stevenage and Bristol Rovers during the three-game losing streak that undermined their promising start to their season, these Addicks were a vastly different proposition.
To a man, they snapped into tackles, fought to regain possession whenever lost and won their aerial battles.
The final whistle was, as always, welcome but no last-gasp heroics were necessary. Inspired substitutes Chuks Aneke and Tyreece Campbell saw to that as they conducted keep-ball masterclasses by the left corner flag.
The pre-match decks had been, of course, cleared for recent alumnus Alfie May to write his own script. He was likely to score and after claiming the Blues’ midweek winner against Huddersfield, his odds narrowed considerably.
In the tight grip of Lloyd Jones and Alex Mitchell, as it turned out, Alfie hardly managed a kick in earnest. Nor did highly-priced Jay Stansfield, who was anonymous, except when he was being argumentative, which happened frequently as his frustration grew.
Followed from the Midlands by a sold-out corps of daytrippers, City found little inspiration from their strangely subdued away support. After a few half-hearted renditions of the dreary doggerel which passes for wit these days, the visiting Brummies subsided into sullen silence. To their credit, though, they stuck around after the final whistle, to salute their beaten heroes.
Driven on by their all-purpose skipper Greg Docherty, meanwhile, Charlton showed their lofty guests no unearned respect, instead getting among them and denying them breathing space.
In the opening half, they were not exactly attacking livewires themselves but might have taken a useful lead into the break, had Daniel Kanu’s finishing matched his selfless running and hard graft.
On two occasions within mere minutes of each other, Kanu was presented with copper-plated chances to open the scoring but failed to punish defensive howlers.
The first was provided by Icelander Willum Willumsson, whose feeble backpass released young Daniel to round Ryan Allsop before ignoring the better-placed Karoy Anderson and prodding tamely wide from a diminishing angle.
Almost unbelievably, Kanu received a second opportunity in similar circumstances. This time, Allsop inexplicably gifted him possession but had it instantly returned to him by the striker’s unsure first touch. Falling gratefully on the loose ball, Allsop lived to fight another day.
Both bloomers occurred in the closing exchanges of the first period. Within eight minutes of resumption, the Blues’ keeper ran out of luck.
In Charlton’s busy midfield, the recalled Josh Edwards was doing his bit and more. He includes in his impressive repertoire a healthy long throw, one of which City’s defence allowed to bounce dangerously close to their goal.
Needing no second invitation, Godden physically shielded the ball, which bought the time he needed to turn sharply and place a low drive into the right corner. Admittedly, the goal came as a surprise, but united most of The Valley in undisguised glee.
There’s something unique about a goal out of the blue. Not that this one was scored against the run of play. Nothing of the sort – it was the logical consequence of the Addicks’ overall superiority – but still a surprise,
Jones will be pleased with the excellence of Godden’s match-winner. He will be just as pleased with the uneventful manner in which it was protected by his entire matchday squad. Will Mannion was unflappable and the recently out-of-favour Allan Campbell made his belligerent presence felt.
This was a side without an obvious weakness. They need to prove that – and there’s only one way to do that.
Charlton: Mannion, Ramsay, Mitchell, Jones, Coventry, Docherty, Edwards (Small 86), Anderson, Godden (Aneke 72), Allan Campbell (Berry 86), Kanu (Tyreece Campbell 63). Not used: Maynard-Brewer, Leaburn, Edmonds-Green. Booked: Ramsay, Coventry, Allan Campbell.
Birmingham: Allsop, Klarer, Bielik (Davies 46), May (Wright 46), Seung-Ho, Keshi Anderson (Hansson 62), Willumsson (Dykes 62), Gardner-Hickman (Sampsted 75), Cochrane, Iwata, Stansfield. Not used: Peacock-Farrell, Leonard.
Referee: Ben Speedie.
Kevin Nolan has reported on Charlton Athletic matches for 38 years. He covers home matches for The Greenwich Wire.
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