It was a day that started unusually early with a pre-12 drink in the Oak. We all turned up expecting to see replacements for Lloyd Sam and David Mooney yet saw no recognised wingers and Miguel Llera was in for Christian Dailly. Jonjo Shelvey was back out wide and Matt Spring was the surprise choice on the other side. Dailly was at least missing through illness but Scott Wagstaff will be disappointed to have been dropped to the bench. More predictably, Akpo Sodje made his first Charlton start alongside Deon Burton.
Charlton started this game well and it looked only a matter of time before we took the lead. Matt Spring took aim within a minute as Charlton made their intentions clear and we should have gone one up when Burton was picked out deep in the visitor's box with only the keeper to beat but he headed over.
Sam Sodje was left prone after Swindon's first serious attack and he left the field for ten minutes to receive stitches in a head-wound. Even then Charlton looked in complete control and were knocking the ball around waiting to be back at full force. Unfortunately, Sam Sodje was only back on the field for a matter of minutes before the picky My Miller harshly showed him a straight red for a two-footed tackle. It was well into the Swindon half and Sodje was very low to the ground when he made it. I will need to see it again but he looked no more than ball-height to me and I think he should have survived with a yellow. However, there was no great protest from the players and I was the only complaining voice around me in the East. I was left wondering whether the tackle was on the same player who had left Sodje needing treatment in his own area. That might have made the referee's mind up if it was.
Down to ten men, but no matter, we carried on regardless and the opener duly arrived before the break. Akpo Sodje flicked a header on to Burton whose cushioned header fell for Jonjo Shelvey to make his first telling contribution of the game. He swept a 20 yard shot beyond Lucas in the Swindon goal in much the same way Danny Murphy had done for Fulham against Man U last weekend. Seven minutes to go to the break and we looked comfortable in spite of being down to ten men.
Deon Burton had been booked needlessly several minutes before for dissent and it was to cost him his match and Charlton two points when he foolishly earned his second yellow for attempting a Maradona as he went up with Lucas for an aerial ball.
Down to nine men with 50 minutes to go, things were looking ominous and you knew what the second-half was going to look like. Danny Wilson's charges came out like a different team and set about getting the two goals they needed for victory. We were defending in depth and it was all hands to the pumps. Wilson wasted no time in introducing fresh legs after six minutes of the restart and the impressive Alan O'Brien came on to lead the fightback. He looked just like Craig Bellamy on the left wing and his running style and crossing were faithful to the original.
We were looking to break when we had the chance but Akpo was struggling on his own with two markers to beat just to get the ball. Shelvey managed a fine solo effort having got down the left and having twisted past two defenders to get his shot in on goal.
Swindon got the equaliser their pressure deserved on 57 minutes when Charlie Austin was first to an Amankwaah pass and squeezed a shot across Elliot and into the far side netting. The disappointing Swindon following celebrated and more was to come following the introduction of Hutchinson up front. Austin latched onto another through ball but this time his cross was to the back post where Billy Paynter was lurking to apply the finish.
Swindon sat back on their lead and Charlton tried everything they could although it looked impossible with nine men. Scott Wagstaff was on for Omozusi and McKenzie had already replaced the tiring Akpo before Chris Dickosn was unleashed in place of Jonjo Shelvey. Amazingly we almost levelled matters towards the end when Dickson played a quick ball out to Wagstaff. Waggy galloped down the right before driving a low cross to the near post which Bailey got a touch on as Lucas came out. The ball beat Lucas but was cleared off the line by a covering defender and our goose looked cooked.
Having played most of the four added minutes, Jose Semedo picked up a ball in the centre-half spot and played it across to the leggy Matt Spring. Spring launched a final ball forward and the Valley held it's breath as the ball dropped deep into the Swindon box on the left. There on the charge was Miguel Llera who controlled the dropping ball before lifting it over the on-rushing Lucas for the most unlikely looking equaliser. I am convinced that Swindon could have come down and scored again if there had been more than twenty seconds left, so maybe it was the only way we were going to get anything from this game having been reduced to nine men.
With Leeds, Norwich and Colchester winning the heat is well and truly on, however, this point was very important because I believe we can now go unbeaten at home this season and we should enjoy the luxury of playing with eleven men at Brentford and Walsall.
The crowd was give as 17,977 which was pretty disappointing for a mild Boxing Day. Swindon's travelling contingent was poor at about 700 maximum, but there were plenty of red seats all around the stadium. We may have done well to hold onto 11,000 season ticket holders and to maintain a home following of 15-17,000 but the four or five thousand Championship deserters look like they have packed their bags until we are once again in a position to challenge for the Premier League.
"the picky My Miller harshly showed him a straight red for a two-footed tackle"
ReplyDeleteWHAT?????
Sodje went in high, two footed, studs up. What makes it even more retarded was that it wasn't even in the Charlton half, the Swindon player was making a tame clearance!
I'd have given him two red cards for being so stupid.
Re the attendance, a lot of Addicks come to the game by public transport and the effective absence of it was a deterrent. I didn't come because I didn't fancy a long drive in Boxing Day traffic. It's an interesting question why we no longer have public transport on Boxing Day which we used to. Deutsche Bahn run my railway line and they would certainly be running trains in Germany.
ReplyDeleteKarim - I had a very good view of it and I thought Sodje was going ofr the ball and whilst two-footed, I thought he was low to the ground and close to the ball.I'll need to see it again but my immediate instinct was that it warranted no more than a yellow. If he was higher than I thought and further from the ball, then I'll acknowledge he deserved a red which would appear to be the consensus. It was a silly position in which to make a dangerous tackle whatever the merits of it.Irrespective, the referee was very picky throughout and wanted everyone to know he was there in a game which was played in good spirit.
ReplyDeleteWyn - good point. I take living around the corner for granted, although I used to get there come hell or high water when I didn't!
ReplyDeleteKarim - of course when a Swindon charm merchant slid in two footed on Wagstaff - Miller just gave a free kick and not even a telling off. Given that the only yellow card Miller gave to Swindon was for arguing at a throw in - never mind the numerous occaisions when he was surrounded by 4/5 Swindon players contesting his decisions - perhaps that evil little gnome should give himself a hard look in the mirror.
ReplyDeleteDon't think I have ever seen a game where in effect the linesmen overruled the referee so often - I suspect they also had doubts about Miller's competence.
ReplyDelete