League One Weekend Preview, Game 17

Addicks fans will be looking to the heavens this weekend and hoping that our game at Yeovil survives the downpour. We desperately need to build on last weeks emphatic win and a result here with Bristol Rovers at home on Tuesday could set us up to go on another run that might recharge our promotion ambitions and carry us into 2010 still fighting to maintain an automatic promotion place. With a three point cushion restored, we are likely to hold onto second unless Colchester win and we lose, but here's what the rest might do...

Southend United v MK Dons

The Shrimpers go early again this weekend when they take on an MK Dons side with something to prove on Friday evening. Until their trip to the Valley, the Dons had conceded only six goals away from home and the Shrimpers had only scored nine. Looks close to me and a goal apiece might be as good as either side can hope for.

Prediction; 1-1

Brentford v Walsall

The league table and current form would suggest that Walsall will be favourites in this one. I suspect Brentford might upset the applecart here and get their fifth win of the season.

Prediction; 2-1

Brighton & Hove Albion v Leeds United

Gus Poyet has something of the Midas Touch when it comes to joining new clubs and having seen his new Seaside charges win two out of two, this is his big test. Leeds didn't play last Saturday and they responded very strongly after the last international break. I fancy them to go again here but Brighton might just come close to an upset.

Prediction; 2-2

Bristol Rovers v Gillingham

Chris Dickson's days on loan at Rovers look numbered unless he can spark again. Ironic that Gillingham is the club he needs to perform against but that might re-affirm the Gills own interest in him. Rovers look to have got over their recent bad patch and a win here could push them back into play-off contention. The Gills have climbed the table again but they are the only side in the league other than bottom placed Wycombe who haven't managed an away win.

Prediction; 2-0

Carlisle United v Swindon Town

The Borderers have found a bit of form in recent weeks and will be seeking their third home league win on the spin. You can guarantee it will be played in a downpour if it goes ahead and that will suit them. Danny Wilson might have his work cut out to motivate his boys for a result here.

Prediction; 2-0

Huddersfield Town v Hartlepool

Hudders are fire right now and playing after hitting Wycombe for six last time out will expect to see off Pool. Hartlepool might start off looking on a damage limitation mission.

Prediction; 2-0

Leyton Orient v Tranmere Rovers

Not an appetising fixture this. The O's will see this as good a chance for their third home win of the season as they will get. They will need to reverse the performance they gave in the first round of the F A Cup when Tranny beat them 1-0 at Brisbane Road. Home win this time around for me.

Prediction; 2-0

Millwall v Wycombe Wanderers

Kenny Jackett will be rubbing his hands here in anticipation here. the divisions' whipping boys are in town and the Lions could well build on their plus 10 goal difference.

Prediction; 3-0

Oldham Athletic v Colchester United

Oldham have lost three in-a-row and this looks fated for four. Colchester needed a late goal at home to Exeter last week to salvage a point but I suspect they will win here to maintain the pressure on us.

Prediction; 0-2

Southampton v Norwich City

My match-of-the-day here and I'll take Norwich to upset the odds and inflict a second successive home defeat on Alan Pardew's upstarts.

Prediction; 2-3

Stockport County v Exeter City

Stockport have managed one win at home and Exeter one away. Exeter came within five minutes of an unlikely win at Colchester and this will be a great chance to go one better. It would be good for County to be softened up before we visit on 12th December.

Prediction; 1-2

Yeovil Town v Charlton Athletic

Two weeks ago this looked like a bear-trap in the dark. An impressive home win over third-placed MK Dons and we travel with high hopes of recording our first away win since putting four in at Tranmere. We will need to be bold and take the game to them but with Bailey prompting from central midfield and restored confidence in our scoring ability, I am going for us to win here and put another 1,000 on Tuesday's home gate.

Prediction; 1-2

Addicks Cup run continues

The U18's knocked mighty Woking out of the F A Youth Cup last night to set up a third round clash with Chelsea. There should be a significantly larger crowd than the 553 who were tempted last night. It was a case of the Tamer Tuna show as he hit a hat-trick which started with two goals in the opening ten minutes to effectively end the contest. I will be making the effort for the visit of Chelsea.

The Daily Mirror carried a piece yesterday about Sullivan and Gold's West Ham ownership ambitions but was firm that they are negotiating with Charlton as their Plan B in case West Ham's debts present an insurmountable problem. The Q & A with Richard Murray next week will be interesting assuming it actually goes ahead. It will be good to hear if he's not allowed to comment and probably even better (for those desperate for new ownership) if they have to cancel once again.

Looking forward to Yeovil on Saturday, it was encouraging to learn that we have sold our initial allocation of 1400 and that we have been rushed another 300. I'm guessing that will give us north of 1500 at the match which should be a tad more than a third of the gate. Fuelled by local brew and banded together in defiance against the elements, I can see us creating plenty of noise from the open visiting end. It won't be lost on our players as we will be very close to the pitch; that couldgo either way but I think it will be inspiring.

COME ON YOU REDS!

Saracens 24 v Republic South Africa 23

I went to Wembley last night with some South African friends to see the Springboks arrest their two game losing streak and restore some pride after being beaten by Leicester.

Saracens are currently top of the Premier League. They are funded by South African backers and half the team is made up of South Africans so it was bound to be an interesting encounter. An under strength South Africa dominated the first half and went in 18-6 to the good. It looked like game over to me as I expected to see them extend their advantage after the break, but Saracens were playing the long game and they fought back brilliantly in the second period and got to 21-23 with a minute or two left. The game was set for a spectacular finish and Derrick Hougaard delivered with the winning drop-goal for Sarries. The 46,000 crowd lapped it up and even the South Africans in the crowd had to applaud.

An amazing thing happened at half-time too. Three fans were invited onto the pitch to attempt to hit the bar between the posts from 30 metres a la Soccer AM's Crossbar Challenge. The prize for achieving this unlikely feat was a mere £250,000. Up stepped a short bloke who decided to kick in his socks much to the amusement of the crowd. He caught the ball well and got it airborne. There was a huge gasp followed by an enormous roar in the stadium as the ball smacked the bar. You have to hope that the organisers took out appropriate insurance cover for this. If not, I suspect someone was looking very silly indeed in the posh seats!

News from Scotland

News reaches me of Charlton interest in an 18 year old Livingston forward as well as the sorry departure of national team boss, George Burley.

First the Charlton interest. The Scottish Mail on Sunday ran a story about live-wire attacker Andrew Halliday. The youngster has a host of English clubs chasing him for signature in January but apparently the only concrete offer so far has come from the Addicks. He has a prolific record as a youth player and has been scoring, from the wing as I understand it, in recent weeks for top-of-the-table Livingston.

Secondly then, George Burley has paid the price for managing only 3 wins in 14 matches in just under two years. The faceless suits at the SFA ditched their man today with a statement almost identical to when they said they "will find the best candidate available ahead of qualification for Euro 2012" before choosing Burley. I attended a good number of Burley's matches and never felt he got a fair crack of the whip in terms of available players. Injuries and absenteeism played their part in limiting his options and he had to contend with the nonsense of losing the likes of Barry Ferguson after being disrespectful to colleagues and supporters.

The Scotland Manager job is fast becoming a poisoned challice and if the SFA continue at this rate, they will soon start scraping the barrel in terms of who's available to take it. Giving Burley a vote of confidence in September was weak in the circumstances. He was then forced to take representative sides to Japan and Wales for money-generating friendlies. The better players with more important club matters all pulled out and Burley was left with reserves to do the job. It was no surprise that Scotland lost both games and failed to score.

Yeovil away

This weekend's first ever visit to Huish Park promises to be a classic away game and I am already looking at the weather forecast for the week and fretting that we could see it postponed due to a water-logged pitch if the downpour continues as promised. We need this game to go ahead as we aim to capitalise on the feel-good factor recreated by Saturday's battling display.

Hot on the heels of our five-star showing against MK Dons, we are likely to sell our initial allocation of 1400 this week as the remaining 300 tickets are snapped up. Not the largest away following in history but when you consider Yeovil's gate on Saturday for the visit of Sarfend was 3906, then we look like having a third of the crowd. Fuelled by early starts, early arrivals and Somerset's native drink, then I think the travelling contingent could be in good voice, especially as we can associate freely on open terracing once more.

A drop of rain on the open away end and we could have a day to remember; who still fondly remembers Portsmouth away in the early 80's on a night game when the heavens opened and everyone got soaked to the skin? Nylon flight jackets might have been good against the cold but they could get very heavy when the cotton lining became saturated.

After weeks of on-line bickering over the side and the formation we should be playing, there should be very little dissent in the lead-up to this one as the side will pretty much pick itself. I can't see Carl Ikeme being dropped and the only injury concern would appear to be Fraser Richardson. Akpo Sodje will come into contention to start the game. I hope Parky is bold and decides upon a more attacking formation for this one.

Yeovil have a decent 4-3-1 home record but the list of who they have faced at the Huish might detract from that a little; Tranmere, Orient, Swindon, Stockport, Brentford, Brighton, Carlisle and Southend. In other words, five of the bottom seven and no-one in the current top ten.

A coachload of Charlton Lifers will be stopping off at the Rose and Crown in Sherborne prior to the game and the Ciderspace website gives the low-down on those closer to the ground.

Sunday smile

Good to see the Southampton revival ended by local rivals Brighton at St Mary's this afternoon. My Sunday smile has just widened a fraction.

Thought you might like to know that I past a Charlton player whilst out running along the river this morning. As he bounded towards me in a tracksuit and a fleecy deerstaker with his hood up, my first instinct was a boxer - his stature and the chiselled chin. The second we passed and our eyes locked I realised my mistake. Miguel Angel Llera. He must have turned around by the Cutty Sark because he overtook me later on around the outside of the Dome - I had already done five miles so it was to be expected. Good to know he keeps himself fit and doesn't rely on training sessions.