Charlton Athletic 1 v Leeds United 0

The final league match of the season provided some of the best entertainment we've had and a precious Charlton home win over a very decent Leeds side. It keeps our interest firmly stoked until the whistle blows at Boundary Park and probably means we have a two-legged play-off encounter to negotiate at very least.


First thing I should say, is that this win is some small pay-back for the 6-1 humiliation heaped on us by Leeds the last time we played them in the Premier League. They were a different proposition that day with Alan Smith and Mark Viduka, but revenge is sweet nonetheless.


It was a better-than-forecast day up until kick-off and the there was a party atmosphere in the pubs around the ground. I was asked for "spares" three times en route to the bookies which gave clarity to how important this game was for Leeds.


An unchanged Charlton side lined-up in the sunshine in front of a buzzing Valley and 3200 noisy Yorkshiremen. It was a surprise to see Jermaine Beckford on the bench for Leeds and I had almost forgotten that they also have Gary McSheffery in their ranks.


Leeds should have opened the scoring with their first chance after three minutes when Sam Sodje always looked second-best for a long ball and duly miss-hit his back-pass which let Max Gradel in on goal but his finish wasn't good enough to beat Darren Randolph.


The first half was a lively affair after that with both midfields standing off each other allowing room for both to play the ball forward. Leeds played to feet and spun off each in their attempts to fashion an opening. Charlton meanwhile were content to play the ball out to the flanks and throw crosses into the box for their tiny target men. As a consequence, the first-half was short on goal chances although Deon Burton did get on the end of a Forster flick from a Borrowdale punt but his angled drive was beaten away by Higgs in the Leeds goal. News of Tranmere's opener against Millwall trickled through just before the break causing a roar to go up from the Jimmy Seed Stand.


Charlton came out much more positively second-half and Leeds were either content to sit back or they were pressed back as we began to exert some sustained pressure and forced a succession of corners. Bailey and Borrowdale were working well down the left and Richardson and Sam were keeping busy on the right although Forster and Burton looked lost despite both working tirelessly for a breakthrough. Richardson was pumped up for the match and had an eye on scoring from the off.


Just when we looked to be running out of steam, Phil Parkinson made the unusual move of a triple substitution with Akpo Sodje, David Mooney and Kyel Reid coming on for Forster, Burton and Racon. I couldn't argue with the changes although I might have kept one back. It was at this moment that Tranmere scored their second, ironically courtesy of Andy Robinson, a Leeds loanee. The volume from the away end went up a notch as Leeds fans sang "just a draw and we're going up." Charlton continued to attack with renewed vigour and the game noticeably increased in pace. Beckford came on to huge applause from the visitors but it was still Charlton asking all the questions and Sam Sodje should have scored following an aerial scramble in the Leeds box which saw the ball drop onto his head four yards out but he went for power and his header flew over the bar.


It was a sign of things to come for Leeds because with two minutes remaining, Sam Sodje knocked a cross back at the far post and Akpo got enough on it to force it in off Naylor on the line. Three stands erupted at this and the noise coming from the Addicks was as loud as I have heard all season. It was silent in the Jimmy Seed for once and they had to watch in horror as Kyel Reid struck the inside of the right-hand post at the Covered End and it careered across goal to safety seconds later.


With five added minutes, Leeds finally began to get forward. Beckford side-footed wide at the near post before finally getting the chance of the match five yards out but his thunderous header was somehow saved by Randolph. It was an incredible stop from near point blank range which he managed to push over the bar. I remember Dean Kiely once making a very similar stop but it was absolutely top drawer and caps an impressive spell of games by Randolph where our conceded figure has dropped to 0.5 per game. Rob Elliot is going to have to wait a bit longer for a recall.


So we are still in with a very slim chance of being promoted automatically next Saturday but it's the play-offs in all likelihood and the club will begin selling tickets for the home game tomorrow. I am off to India for a week with work first thing tomorrow, so will need to rely upon my Good lady to bag my seats.