Norwich City 1 v Charlton Athletic 1

Charlton ground out a draw at Carrow Road as the Red Mist claimed another victim. For the third time in the last four games, Charlton had a defender sent off and it cost them two points. All this at a time when injuries are severely limiting Alan Pardew's options. Charlton's disciplinary record under Alan Pardew has been in marked contrast to that under Alan Curbishley where we were invariably in the running for the Fair Play award. Maybe that is more a reflection on playing in the Championship than anything attributable to management styles.

Jonathon Fortune and Danny Mills were spectators today having been sent off in recent games and Sam Sodje joined them following a two-footed tackle on Darel Russell after 30 minutes. It might have been so different if Sodje had managed to stay on the pitch as Charlton were leading thanks to a Zheng Zhi strike when he saw red. The Addicks had weathered the early Norwich pressure to breakaway and take the lead. Varney broke down the right and his cross was knocked back to Zheng Zhi who skipped passed the first challenge and beat David Marshall with a weak cross-shot. Jamie Cureton hit the side netting and Norwich finished the half attacking but couldn't get the equaliser. Nicky Weaver had made several good saves, the best coming from a Jason Shackell header after he had beaten Sodje to a corner.

Alan Pardew started the second half with Izale McLeod replacing Chris Iwelumo, whom I assume is still carrying a knock. Norwich were quick to re-start and Chris Powell had to clear off the line after a free-kick was headed passed Weaver. Charlton were inviting pressure but regularly counter-attacking, with Thomas and Zheng Zhi linking well on the break. Norwich upped the ante and Huckerby hit the side netting after 70 minutes. They weren't to be denied minutes later however, when Huckerby's corner was headed in at the near post by Darel Russell.

Dion Dublin was brought on to pressurise the Charlton defence in the final 15 minutes. Pardew responded by taking substitute McLeod off for Lloyd Sam, which doesn't say a lot for McLeod's chances of progressing his Charlton career when there is already plenty of speculation that he'll be pawned in January. Nicky Weaver saved from Huckerby on 90 minutes and Holland and Bougherra both blocked shots in the melee that followed. Charlton held on in the three added minutes for the point which pretty much maintains the status quo with the chasing pack.

Stoke equalised at Barnsley in the 90th minute. Ipswich and Wolves were both beaten by Leicester and Hull respectively. Below them, Plymouth beat QPR in the last minute and Palace won at Coventry. Unfortunately, Watford scraped a point at home to Cardiff earlier in the day and were joined on 44 points by the Baggies who humped Bristol City at the Hawthorns 4-1.

An even weaker Charlton side will take to the field at the Walker Stadium on Saturday and we will need another dogged performance to get anything from the game. The other fixtures on Saturday could see Watford and West Brom increasing their leads in the automatic places, so we will likely need to beat Colchester at the Valley on New Years Day to stay in touch with the chasing pack.