Saturday 27 August 2016

Charlton Athletic 1 v Bolton Wanderers 1

I suppose this was a good point although it didn't feel particularly good. Maybe that was because Bolton didn't put us under any sustained pressure but when you come from behind with a 90th minute equaliser, you can't really complain.

I thought Bolton were satisfied with containing us in the first-half. They had limited ambition going forward although we didn't create too much despite having lots of possession. We started with the same line-up as in recent weeks but were forced into an early change when Jacko wandered off in a state of disappointment. I assume he was injured but he was walking easily enough. It made way for a return of the BFG and with Bauer slotting back into central defence, Esra Konsa moved to right back and Chris Solly moved forward. It made little difference to either side. We did fashion one great chance when Bauer jumped highest to a free-kick but his downward header beat Howard and the far post.

Just before half-time, we saw a North Korean flag being dangled from the Upper West tier. I didn't have a great view but the flag looked like it had been dropped and a Steward tried to pull it down. The point was made however, as was the centre-fold in the unofficial CARD-produced programme which also displayed an A4 pullout of Kim Jong-Un's flag with the image of Katrien emblazoned across it. It provoked the only anti-regime song of the day. Roger Johnson actually suffered more from the throats of the home fans.

I was a guest of Andrews Air Conditioning today and got to see the game from a new vantage point at the back of the Lower West. The hospitality was generous and much appreciated (thank you Paul). At the break I thought we would come under pressure after the restart as Parky upped the ante and so it proved. Five minutes in and Liam Trotter cut in from the left. He looked like he had a good shooting opportunity but he unselfishly squared for the old-stager, Gary Madine, who must have thought Christmas had come early. Madine rifled home in front of the Bolton Massive and we were chasing the game. 

Interestingly, Bolton then took their foot off the gas and visibly settled back into a containment game which looked foolish to me. However, we struggled to put them under any real pressure. Ricky Holmes was a persistent threat on the ball but there was little end product. The aerial balls we did get into the box were meat and drink for Beevers and Wheater, which left very little for Ajose to feed on. Bolton subbed both of their strikers during the second half as Parky made it clear that he had what he had come for.

Enter Ademola Lookman and the only player in the Charlton side who looked like he had the class to change the game. He left it late but when he did finally get a yard of space in a central position, he seized the chance to fire a low shot into Howard's bottom-right hand corner. It appeared to accelerate as it flew goalward and there was nothing Howard could do to stop it. With 7 minutes of added time, both sets of fans sensed a finale but the teams failed to up the tempo. Brandon Hanlan got on for a debut (I think) in added time and might have snatched it with a back-post header which hit the side netting. 

All-in-all not a bad point as I said at the start but two home draws from three played isn't great although we remain unbeaten at the Valley which will please Russell Slade. 

3 comments:

  1. According to BBC Football Charlton had 15 shots on goal to Bolton's 5 of which 5 were on target as opposed to 1. We're you watching the same game or was the hospitality too good ?
    Trevor Duncombe - supporter since 1946

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  2. Ha ha! Hospitality was good but not that good. 15 shots and 5 on target eh? You know what they say about statistics. I think we saw a different game.

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  3. a2c - I enjoy deleting your posts - keep 'em coming. I used to think you were just a wind-up merchant cunningly using a strict 26 word vocabulary, but I have now realised that you are simply thick.

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