Charlton Athletic 2 v Stockport County 0

This was the scoreline I forecast before the match but the game itself was some way from what I had imagined. An easy win punctuated by two killer goals and a resilient defence was what I foresaw today. Instead, we found ourselves two-nil to the good after ten minutes without really knowing how we came to be in the lead.  From then on it was as if the result had been agreed. What a bore.


Parky went with his latest eleven (Elliot, Jackson, Llera, Dailly, Richardson, Reid, Racon, Bailey, Sam, Sodje and Mooney) and having raced into a two goal lead courtesy of a calamitous own-goal and then a simple unmarked header from ten yards out, it really was a case of "how much do you want it?" Not nearly enough, was the overwhelming response, as we failed to exert any significant pressure on the bottom side who had surrendered any remaining ambition.


The table will tell us that it was a good day and that we have strengthened our play-off position and shortened the gap on automatic Leeds. Don't be fooled. This is still a side short on confidence and one that is misfiring badly. We are on the run-in and the end is in sight but we shouldn't get too excited as our current form suggests nothing more than  a play-off finish. Furthermore, it actually points to a play-off disappointment and we really need to return to the free-flowing football of the early months if we are to have any realistic hope of finishing with enough momentum for promotion.


I could go on at length about today's game but will keep it brief because it deserved no more. We were fortunate to take the lead with a classic own-goal in the first six minutes and were two-up on ten minutes as Akpo Sodje met a cross unmarked to nod beyond Fon Williams for the second. Hopes of a hat-full against the Hatters was an immediate prospect but we proceeded to  turn the match into a chase and hold affair.


Christian Dailly was my man of the match once again and I think it's got to the stage when I can't see him being overtaken for the player-of-the-year award. Nicky Bailey is the one man who could shade him but he again put in a very disappointing performance. That meant that Therry Racon was again ineffective in the central midfield berth and we misfired upfront as a result. 


Kyel Reid had a good first half but it was hard to pick out anyone else in the first half. Nothing improved in the middle or upfront in the second period in spite of the substitutions. Wagstaff did at least look like he had some urgency but we needed a concerted effort to change the game, not just a substitution. Deon Burton managed a good turn and shot on target that was well saved but it was all we could muster in the last forty-five. I have been a fan of David Mooney but he has done very little for a number of games and deserves to be dropped if we have someone keen enough to play in his stead.


Elsewhere, the performance was marred by an indifferent display from Fraser Richardson and an anonymous performance from Nicky Bailey. I really hope Bailey is saving himself for Millwall because he is my key to this one and if he doesn't up his game, we will get beaten.


I've not been a great fan of Shelvey in recent months but perhaps he's due a recall?