Brentford 2 v Charlton Athletic 1

"We looked like a team which had had a win on Tuesday and just thought they could turn up and play. I told the lads before the game what to expect here. They (Brentford) are a team who are bottom of the league and were going to scrap for every single ball." Those the words of the Charlton Athletic manager who stood and watched it happen, just like the majority of the travelling Addicks who were hemmed in behind the goal in decrepit League One facilities.

It's easy to blame the manager when things don't work out and there were calls of "Parky out" before half-time which were rightly shouted down. The problem, though, is that this side appears to be sent out with limited ambition. That or we are simply far poorer than many, including the manager, believe. Once again, we looked content to defend. We were second to most balls and our challenges lacked conviction. It was a an accident waiting to happen and it only took 30 minutes for Brentford to put the match out-of-reach. 


Two superbly executed finishes which were woefully defended in the build-up as we missed chances to cut balls out, failed to clear properly or were skinned.
Towards the end of the first half we managed an effort which drew the ironic chant of "we've had a shot at goal."


Parky made two changes for the start of the second-half with Reid and Abbott coming on for Fry and Martin. It made a difference and we played the second -half like we had expected to play the first. Wagstaff netted his fourth of the season finishing a fine Reid run and centre. With the best part of twenty minutes left, we should have scraped an equaliser but we were just short of reaching the tempo required to force the opening. Akpo came on for a rampaging finish and managed to fire in a couple of shots which the cocky Hamer stopped.


You shouldn't really single players out when the whole team has performed poorly but I am not the manager. Martin was lightweight and he shouldn't be played as a striker when we have Abbott and Sodje on the bench. Benson did nothing that I can remember and if Reid is incapable of playing more than a half, you have to wonder why he doesn't start games when it's 0-0 rather than be brought on chasing the game. The Francis-knockers had a field-day and it wasn't a performance I can defend. As my mate Chicago Addick says "this is a poor division and we belong in it."

What a waste of a Saturday. I won't be bothering to travel again until 2011 at the earliest. At least we have the Ryder Cup today to take our minds off it. We are still eighth but with away games at Plymouth and Carlisle to come, I suspect mid-table beckons. Well and truly third rate.