Welling United 0 v Charlton Athletic 1

First, I should own up to the fact that I missed the first and last ten minutes of this game due to other pressing matters. Secondly, the caveat that you shouldn't read too much into these games where relative fitness and familiarity (or lack of it) with team-mates can play a disproportionate part on the outcome. Having said all that, and bearing in mind the extremely low expectations that Charlton fans took into this match, we can't be unhappy with what we witnessed. Welling won't be laughing all the way to the bank but the attendance of 2008 was probably better than some feared amid the current Charlton apathy.


The back five looked very solid throughout. Elliott was assured. Doherty and Llera looked very comfortable in the middle and Solly and Jackson swept up on the flanks. A leaner and fitter-than-ever looking Jonathan Fortune came on for Doherty in the second-half but he slotted in and looked just as easy. Basey got a go at right back too with no change in performance. In the middle, Racon and McCormack combined very well in the first half and, dare I saw it, we saw the holding player in McCormack that encouraged Racon to move into space and dictate play that we missed after the first 15 games of last season. McCormack was very busy and whilst his distribution wasn't anywhere near good enough, I was encouraged to believe he will be an able replacement for Nicky Bailey although he won't get forward enough to get anything like the number of goals.


Waggy was out right and Esajas on the left. It was the Sheffield Wednesday triallist, who caught the eye. He saw plenty more ball than Wagstaff and carried the game to the hosts. There was one particular move in the first half that drew the crowd in. He raced on to a ball (from Racon I think) and beat the full-back to the touch before bursting through and playing a superb ball in between the keeper and Akpo Sodje whose lunge was a foot short of what would have been a very good goal. 


Upfront We looked short of power once again. Sodje was another player who looked like he's been on a diet since the end of the season and I started wondering if the new shirts had anything to do with the improved appearance of so many. Maybe I'll get one after all. Bauza looked reasonable although he played in the hole and doesn't look capable of playing a forward role in a strict 4-4-2. Sodje looked a yard short of fitness but the goal he scored was a peach of a back post header from an excellent whipped cross from Solly who fashioned a yard of space in front of the corner flag from which to deliver the killer ball.


Every player was swapped at some point during the second-half with fringe players, youngsters or triallists but we maintained control of the game. On reflection, you have to be encouraged that we can only improve between now and 7th August and that our side will only get stronger. Not bad from here and certainly much better than anticipated.