Saturday 28 February 2015

Charlton Athletic 3 v Huddersfield Town 0

Well, well, well.  A banana skin served up and for once avoided in style. Twenty-three thousand home fans sent home happy and perhaps thinking about a quick return to the Valley.

The win moves us into the top half of the table, just, and sets us up for Forest at home on Tuesday. I was delighted by today. My part-time Tottenham supporting brother-in-law was back with his daughter and my mother-in-law and my girls joined us too. It was great to see all of them trace Johan Berg Gudmussen's sublimely struck free-kick arc into the top-corner and all leap involuntarily from their seats to celebrate. Great too to watch a similar response when Tony Watt seized on an opportunity on the hour to steer a low pass back across goal and into the far corner. If that wasn't enough, we also saw Watt burst through the Huddersfield central defensive pairing and sweep the ball high and right into the top corner to finish the contest. Watt a day.

It all started with a thunderous ovation for Chris Powell as he made his way to the visitors dugout. Typical Powell had to stop repeatedly to acknowledge supporters he knew personally and he did it properly as you would expect from a gentleman. He took his seat to a chorus of Chris Powell's Blue and White army from the 2,000 visiting Terriers. He got a round of Chrissie Powell's red and white army after three minutes but it was more muted and an after-thought for most following the opening ovation.

Powell then had to watch as we matched his side and then out-fought and and out-thought them to win the game. I was slightly worried to see us start without either Ben Haim or Bikey in defence but Johnson and Gomez saw far less of the ball than we have been used to with TBH and Bikey. What they had to do, they did comfortably enough but, for once, we took the play to our hosts. I am tempted to say we dominated possession. It certainly seemed like that but the stats say it was 50/50. That may feel like domination based upon our play so far this season. We certainly carried more goal-scoring threat and might have had a couple more with a tad more luck. Bar a superb one-handed reflex save mid-way through the second-half, Stephan Henderson wasn't really under any pressure. 

It really was a great day at the Valley for a change and if we owe that to Guy Luzon, then I am grateful. I bumped into my old mate John Hind before the match and he told me he hadn't been for ten years years as he introduced me to his son. We were home and away regulars for twenty years prior to that. Also bumped into stalwart Dave Walker during a pit-stop in the first-half and he complimented me on this blog - which was good to hear.

All-in-all a cracking day. The Royal Oak was buzzing this evening and the feel-good factor remains alive. Let's hope it continues this month and we secure our position in the top-half of the table. That may just give Roland Duchatelet food-for-thought about what might be possible given some consistency and commitment.


8 comments:

  1. Don't know how you churn these out after a few beers, but you always hit the mark pal. Good to see you before the game mate, AFKA

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  2. So pleased to hear Kevin Nolan was back the Valley today. He would have loved Tony Watt's brace as much as I did.

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  3. Cheers Dan - easy-peasy when it's this good.

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  4. We'll have to start calling JBG "Pierlo", Dave. That left foot is so sweet. Btw there was a roller with the tag "RDC" easing its way down Floyd Road as we arrived. Did the lads put on a show for the owner? No, they did it for us!!!!
    (I suspect that KM had borrowed the Roller for the day.)

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  5. Geoff = it was certainly a 'pearler.' Sorry to disappoint but that number plate and the old roller belong to former Chairman and Charlton diehard, Richard Collins. I believe Roland drives a black Porsche Panamera - far more European elite.

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  6. I watched your egg chasers capitulate to a spirited Italian side yesterday. Methinks you were in the right place and the CAFC victory must surely have eased the pain a little? See you on Tuesday. I'm getting ready to watch our lot against Ireland, should be a good un.

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  7. Pete,

    Glad I made the right choice yesterday. We were great. Still can't see Vern Cotter with the Wooden Spoon and no wins. Maybe stop the Irish Slam.

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  8. Thanks for clarificiation re the Roller, Dave. Glad we were suitably restrained as it passed. And there's no "e" in Pirlo. I think the adrenalin was still running high.

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Go on, you know you want to....