Charlton Athletic 1 v Bristol City 1

Gggrrrrrrrrr! How annoying was that? Repeat of the Watford game - totally unacceptable to capitulate in the second half. Fortunate to leave with a point and now resigned to scrapping for a play-off place. This team are so inconsistent that a play-off finish will probably go to the wire, but however you look at it, it is hard to see us coming through as promotion winners if there is insufficient opposition to prevent us qualifying.

Pardew started with an expected eleven of Weaver, Youga, McCarthy, Sodje, Halford, Thomas, Zheng Zhi, Holland, Varney, Ielumo and Ambrose. The only surprise was that Ambrose was playing upfont in place of Varney. However, 8 minutes in and there were no complaints as Ambrose finished a delicious four man move by stroking home for the opener - Charlton's best move of the match. Charlton were in complete control and City restricted to half-chances and long range efforts. Holland and Zheng Zhi were holding their own against a five man midfield although there was obvious concern that they might not be able to continue that for 90 minutes. We went in with the a deserved lead and every confidence we could go on to win the game in the second half.

City started the second half just like Watford had with a rollicking ringing in their ears. They pressed and pressed for 10 minutes but were restricted to long range efforts but there was no respite and we couldn't raise our game. I was crying out for an early substition or even two to try and alter the balance of play but it came too late. A near post corner was met but the leaping Jason McCombe and City were level. Andy Gray joined the fray a minute later for Iwelumo but he made no impact and City continued to dictate play without really looking like scoring a second. Charlton, however, looked completely bereft in midfield and Holland and Zheng Zhi were chasing shadows. Any out balls were hit hopefully long and we couldn't hold possession long enough to create anything. Eventually Scott Sinclair came of for Thomas but he didn't manage to get over the stick he got from the visitors for his Bristol Rovers upbringing. Show-boating without any delivery is a waste of time and Sinclair will do well to learn this from Thomas's performance. We did at least fashion a good chance via Zheng Zhi in the City box but that was only light relief from their possession. They were unlucky not to take the lead when a free kick dropped down from the bar and was scrambled to safety. Cook came on far too late to influence the game and it petered out in our half much the same as the Watford game had.

Time to face up to facts and we simply aren't good enough to claim a top two place in a mediocre division - the promotees this year could go on to embarrass the Coca-Cola league and threaten the previous Sunderland and now Derby County all-time lows. No doubt we will improve with time, assuming the nucleus of the squad stays together, but it's hard to avoid the fact that this year may well prove to be considerably easier than next to get promoted automatically. We should have enough to make the play-offs but you can't help feeling we may arrive there with no confidence of putting three performances together. Perhaps we should see this as a sign and look for a promotion season when we are much nore established in terms of the squad and more likely to make a fist of it in the top flight.

I am off to Edinburgh on Saturday for the Calcutta Cup and will not go out of my way to look for our score. I am off to the Canaries for a fortnight's R&R after that, so will worry about Charlton when I get back.

In the meantime you have my thoughts and sympathies.