A good old fashioned F A Cup tie this. Chesham, struggling at the foot of the division below the Wings came to battle and they made a game of it.
Welling looked a division higher for much of the match and if anyone did percentage possession stats at this level, it would have been strongly in their favour. This despite resting a few players who might have got the job done earlier and more emphatically. However, the visitors fought hard and the defence played well with a resilient midfield that didn't give up despite having to watch Welling taking the game to them for long periods.
After about twenty-five minutes the match was stopped for no apparent reason. The lino on the Erith & Belvedere side of the pitch had spotted something no-one else in the ground had seen and alerted the referee who after a short exchange raced back across the pitch to inform the Welling management. Moments later a tracksuit hombre armed with a bucket walked around the pitch to the amusement of the supporters. By now, Alex Tokarcyzk in the visitors goal had jogged across to converse with the lino and with the pair of them laughing, it was clear the interruption was for something out-of-the-ordinary. The sight of of the bucket being used to carry scooped fox poo from the playing surface drew the obvious chant from the Wings fans - "you're shit and you know you are!"
The laughter ended shortly after as Chesham scored first against the run of play after half-an-hour. David Ijaha was caught in possession trying to play the ball out and Chesham's centre forward found the corner of the Welling net with a low shot. The pre-match team sheet which is posted inside the ground was unusually incorrect with a number of late changes, including the Chesham goal-scorer. Up until then it had been Welling doing all the pressing. Gavin McCallum was lively as was Jack Jebb, who once again got the man-of-the-match award. Big Danny Mills looked a threat but Welling were struggling to find him.
The Wings redoubled their efforts and responded strongly to going a goal down. A good passing move down the left let McCallum into the visitors box on the overlap and he ran into the near post before pulling the ball back for the arriving Jebb who couldn't miss. One-one and Welling nearly took the lead before the break, A surging run by Thierry Audel into the box from the left-hand side saw a fierce angled shot spooned away brilliantly by Tokarcyzk and it somehow cleared the rest of the goal frame.
In the second-half and with Welling attacking the Danson Park end there were more chances as they went for the win and we saw very little of Chesham as an attacking force and they were restricted to potshots from distance. A stream of crosses, most from Nassim L'Ghoul threatened to undo Chesham and it was one of these, a curling driven ball to the back post that looked to have done it. Danny Mills climbed unchallenged and had time to plant a thumping downward header on target. It looked a goal all the way but Tokarcyzk threw a panicked shape on his line and somehow got enough behind it to keep it out. Congratulated by his team-mates, the relief was short-lived.
With the clock running down a repeat back post delivery was met this time by the much smaller McCallum streaking into the box and his arriving pace meant there was nothing Tokarcyzk could do this time to stop the header.
It was good to hear that Grant had found the net equally late at the Valley for a copycat scoreline. I remember writing awhile back that Grant simply wasn't prolific enough a finisher to make it at Charlton, so it's a pleasant surprise to see him tucking the goals away this season. Lee Bowyer has four wins from four as permanent manager and the Addicts are up to an unlikely-looking sixth in the table.
Pete from Worthing messaged me last night to say he was missing the Valley and the winning football and is thinking about renewing his season ticket. Those still attending are certainly enjoying the football for a change and for that we owe Bowyer and Steve Gallen a debt of gratitude. Given the history under Duchatelet you have to wonder if our hopes will again be shortened at New Year if, riding-high, we find our side deprived of one or two of the better performing players as he continues to look to fund his losses. In the unlikely event we managed to win promotion, I wonder what price Duchatelet would place on us a Championship club?
Welling looked a division higher for much of the match and if anyone did percentage possession stats at this level, it would have been strongly in their favour. This despite resting a few players who might have got the job done earlier and more emphatically. However, the visitors fought hard and the defence played well with a resilient midfield that didn't give up despite having to watch Welling taking the game to them for long periods.
After about twenty-five minutes the match was stopped for no apparent reason. The lino on the Erith & Belvedere side of the pitch had spotted something no-one else in the ground had seen and alerted the referee who after a short exchange raced back across the pitch to inform the Welling management. Moments later a tracksuit hombre armed with a bucket walked around the pitch to the amusement of the supporters. By now, Alex Tokarcyzk in the visitors goal had jogged across to converse with the lino and with the pair of them laughing, it was clear the interruption was for something out-of-the-ordinary. The sight of of the bucket being used to carry scooped fox poo from the playing surface drew the obvious chant from the Wings fans - "you're shit and you know you are!"
The laughter ended shortly after as Chesham scored first against the run of play after half-an-hour. David Ijaha was caught in possession trying to play the ball out and Chesham's centre forward found the corner of the Welling net with a low shot. The pre-match team sheet which is posted inside the ground was unusually incorrect with a number of late changes, including the Chesham goal-scorer. Up until then it had been Welling doing all the pressing. Gavin McCallum was lively as was Jack Jebb, who once again got the man-of-the-match award. Big Danny Mills looked a threat but Welling were struggling to find him.
The Wings redoubled their efforts and responded strongly to going a goal down. A good passing move down the left let McCallum into the visitors box on the overlap and he ran into the near post before pulling the ball back for the arriving Jebb who couldn't miss. One-one and Welling nearly took the lead before the break, A surging run by Thierry Audel into the box from the left-hand side saw a fierce angled shot spooned away brilliantly by Tokarcyzk and it somehow cleared the rest of the goal frame.
In the second-half and with Welling attacking the Danson Park end there were more chances as they went for the win and we saw very little of Chesham as an attacking force and they were restricted to potshots from distance. A stream of crosses, most from Nassim L'Ghoul threatened to undo Chesham and it was one of these, a curling driven ball to the back post that looked to have done it. Danny Mills climbed unchallenged and had time to plant a thumping downward header on target. It looked a goal all the way but Tokarcyzk threw a panicked shape on his line and somehow got enough behind it to keep it out. Congratulated by his team-mates, the relief was short-lived.
With the clock running down a repeat back post delivery was met this time by the much smaller McCallum streaking into the box and his arriving pace meant there was nothing Tokarcyzk could do this time to stop the header.
It was good to hear that Grant had found the net equally late at the Valley for a copycat scoreline. I remember writing awhile back that Grant simply wasn't prolific enough a finisher to make it at Charlton, so it's a pleasant surprise to see him tucking the goals away this season. Lee Bowyer has four wins from four as permanent manager and the Addicts are up to an unlikely-looking sixth in the table.
Pete from Worthing messaged me last night to say he was missing the Valley and the winning football and is thinking about renewing his season ticket. Those still attending are certainly enjoying the football for a change and for that we owe Bowyer and Steve Gallen a debt of gratitude. Given the history under Duchatelet you have to wonder if our hopes will again be shortened at New Year if, riding-high, we find our side deprived of one or two of the better performing players as he continues to look to fund his losses. In the unlikely event we managed to win promotion, I wonder what price Duchatelet would place on us a Championship club?
I think that you may have seen an incorrect team-sheet. The Chesham goalkeeper was Alex Tokarczyk. Jack Giddens is East Thurrock's goalkeeper who played against Welling one week earlier.
ReplyDeleteTook George on Saturday. He loves it and even with Duchatelet still there I had to make a call by either supporting a boycott or enjoying father and son time at Charlton, nothing purchased from the club other than tickets.
ReplyDeleteAs you know, Argyle are my second team, my cousin has told me that they haven't been playing bad just that nothing goes their way, I thought they looked decent enough and expect them to start climbing up the league soon.
Our passing was very crisp but our final ball was lacking in quality, thought the defence looked a bit nervy at times and 2 months without Bauer seems an age. A decent enough performance and another win.
Had a couple of pints in The Oak pre game, disappointed that no ales were on tap.
What odds for a Charlton/Sunderland play off final?.
Thought you might make this one Paul. Great shout for the play-offs.
DeleteThank Mark. Yes the team sheet that was on the board was all over the place. Bradley Goldberg was playing according to that! I have corrected my write-up for future reference.
ReplyDelete