Charlton Athletic 1 v AFC Bournemouth 0

We're off and we got the win we so desperately craved and can look forward to Friday evening's match at Leyton Orient. It was a controlled performance against an unambitious Bournemouth side who didn't look like they had any players who will make a difference for them in League One this season. They battled hard and kept their concentration and restricted us to a solitary goal but I suspect we would have scored three or four if we had managed the second goal that our first-half play deserved. 


The most encouraging thing about the performance was how solid our back four looked and the fact that our midfield had the freedom of the park. Dailly and Doherty were imperious in the middle and Jackson was untroubled at left-back. Chris Solly saw most of the action as Bournemouth probed Charlton's right flank and whilst he had to work overtime during the first sixty minutes, he really came into his own before moving up the field to allow Simon Francis to make his debut as a late substitute.


In the middle their was no start for Thierry Racon with Semedo and McCormack preferred in a 4-4-2, and Wagstaff and Reid on the flanks. McCormack saw plenty of the ball and his distribution was pretty good. He twice made runs and played balls out to Kyel Reid in the opening period that saw the speedy winger fly down the line before cutting in and pulling two low balls back fast across the box to the onrushing melee of players. Akpo Sodje got a touch to both; the first rocketed off the top of the bar with the goal gaping but he adjusted his touch for the second opportunity on 22 minutes and rammed home the winner. Man-of-the-match, Kyel Reid, also drew a save from the Bournemouth keeper from a free-kick but that was really all we managed in terms of goal-scoring chances. 


Pawell Abbott had a useful debut and I was impressed with his generous support for Akpo as well as as the players around him and he was professional in leaving the field after 60 minutes as the make-weight in a tactical reshuffle following Semedo's sending-off. 


That brings me nicely on to Grant Hegley, the referee, who had an absolute 'mare. He looked like a chronic homer in the first-half giving us a succession of decisions that were either 50-50 or clearly Bournemouth balls. None were critical to the outcome of the match but you had the feeling he might even things up in the second half and that's just what happened. He continued to make poor decisions and it hurt us when he dismissed Jose Semedo following a hard, low 50-50 tackle with Symes that left his opponent writhing on the ground and drew in all those players to hand. Hegley was quick to flash a straight red and I am guessing he saw raised studs, although I had a good view and honestly thought a yellow would have been sufficient. 


That largely ended our search for goal number two and we inevitably sat back and defended for much of the rest of the game. Bournemouth came on to us but didn't really look capable of scoring even though we all feared they might get the undeserved equaliser. Lee Martin came on for a disappointing Scott Wagstaff before the end and finished playing the lone striker after Akpo left the field. He doesn't look like a goal-scoring but his touch and awareness were very encouraging. As it was we played out the five minutes of added time largely in their half and can now look forward to building on this decent opening showing.


I called the result correctly before the game and was also sitting comfortably with my guess that the attendance would be c 13,000. My mate surmised that the South, West and North looked "barely half-full" and that the gate was maybe 12-13,000. I had to agree, so it was a surprise when it was given at 16,236. Oldham won't bring nearly as many as the 1500 Cherries who made the trip but I reckon Notts County and Dagenham & Redbridge will, so we should look forward to establishing a c 16,000 average if ewe can continue to get results, which would be no mean feat given our reduced season ticket base.


Elsewhere the biggest surprise was Plymouth's lunchtime win at St Mary's which put a smile on everyone's face as a pig-sick Pardew strutted and puffed the touchline. Brighton also got a good win at Swindon and, ominously, Huddersfield Town scored three at Notts County to top the fledgling table.


If I can still get tickets for Orient in Friday, I have decided to go and see us go three points clear at the top. Football's back, dont you love it!