On a dank, if not called cold night in SE7, we applauded the news that Lee Bowyer has finally signed a three year contract extension, safe in the knowledge that he was holding on until his backroom leaders, Johnnie Jackson, Steve Gallen and Andy Marshall were also in a similar position with their deals. Under the floodlights it was also encouraging to see more names returning to the matchday squad from months of injury - the promise of Spring remains.
In a 16,424 gate, the Cottagers brought a decent following for a change with over 2,000 fans, although anyone with impaired visibility would have wondered if there were 500 given how quiet they were. They had come to see the Slaughter of the Lambs, in match even Charlton fans were predicting might be the numerical thumping some feel we are overdue. Indeed, in the opening fifteen minutes I made a conscious note of Cavaleiro, Onomah, Cairney, Arter and Reid as Fulham got on the front foot and overlapped us on both flanks.
Purrington, Pearce, Lockyer and Matthews were working flat out to keep up and Cullen and Partly were also deeply involved in the massed defence. Cavaleiro drove a low cross-shot just wide of Phillips' dive and the far post and Phillips stopped another direct shot from Reid.
It looked a matter of when, not if, but we came back into the half and a couple of galloping surges from Alfie Doughty served to warn the visitors that we had a threat, even if it wasn't Tomer Hemed.
We made it in level at half-time and regular supporters will know the fear of the opening fifteen minutes this season. Well, Michael Hector should have scored soon after the re-start in front of his supporters when he met a back-post corner highest but couldn't direct it between the posts. The effort flashed wide and the Valley took a collective breath. After that, things improved for the Addicks in that Fulham seemed to have run out of attacking ideas. Oztumer and Pratley were beginning to break up the Fulham fluidity in midfield and eventually both Arter and Cairney were subbed. Williams, Taylor and Green also made their way on as Oztumer, Morgan and Hemed trudged off as Lee Bowyer tried to win the game. Taylor's craft was enough to unsettle Fulham and Williams' surging runs meant Fulham had even less time to trouble our defence.
We might have even nicked a winner late on when Taylor drove deep down the right and whipped a great low cross to the back stick where Jonnie-Boyo was sliding in. Luckily for Fulham their covering man managed to get a toe on it first and nearly scored himself.
So, 0-0, a clean sheet after three months and a much more bouyant feel around the Valley as we headed home. With ten days rest before our next game at home to Barnsley, we have the opportunity to prepare ourselves properly to win again and secure what would be three vital points against a side that would then be nine points below us with a worse goal-difference. That task would be immeasurably easier if Lyle Taylor gets re-signed in the meantime and increased the spreading feel-good factor of a slightly concerning takeover which has created some unfortunate questions about the financial commitments of our new owners. It's early days but ESI have taken their first few unsteady steps.
In a 16,424 gate, the Cottagers brought a decent following for a change with over 2,000 fans, although anyone with impaired visibility would have wondered if there were 500 given how quiet they were. They had come to see the Slaughter of the Lambs, in match even Charlton fans were predicting might be the numerical thumping some feel we are overdue. Indeed, in the opening fifteen minutes I made a conscious note of Cavaleiro, Onomah, Cairney, Arter and Reid as Fulham got on the front foot and overlapped us on both flanks.
Purrington, Pearce, Lockyer and Matthews were working flat out to keep up and Cullen and Partly were also deeply involved in the massed defence. Cavaleiro drove a low cross-shot just wide of Phillips' dive and the far post and Phillips stopped another direct shot from Reid.
It looked a matter of when, not if, but we came back into the half and a couple of galloping surges from Alfie Doughty served to warn the visitors that we had a threat, even if it wasn't Tomer Hemed.
We made it in level at half-time and regular supporters will know the fear of the opening fifteen minutes this season. Well, Michael Hector should have scored soon after the re-start in front of his supporters when he met a back-post corner highest but couldn't direct it between the posts. The effort flashed wide and the Valley took a collective breath. After that, things improved for the Addicks in that Fulham seemed to have run out of attacking ideas. Oztumer and Pratley were beginning to break up the Fulham fluidity in midfield and eventually both Arter and Cairney were subbed. Williams, Taylor and Green also made their way on as Oztumer, Morgan and Hemed trudged off as Lee Bowyer tried to win the game. Taylor's craft was enough to unsettle Fulham and Williams' surging runs meant Fulham had even less time to trouble our defence.
We might have even nicked a winner late on when Taylor drove deep down the right and whipped a great low cross to the back stick where Jonnie-Boyo was sliding in. Luckily for Fulham their covering man managed to get a toe on it first and nearly scored himself.
So, 0-0, a clean sheet after three months and a much more bouyant feel around the Valley as we headed home. With ten days rest before our next game at home to Barnsley, we have the opportunity to prepare ourselves properly to win again and secure what would be three vital points against a side that would then be nine points below us with a worse goal-difference. That task would be immeasurably easier if Lyle Taylor gets re-signed in the meantime and increased the spreading feel-good factor of a slightly concerning takeover which has created some unfortunate questions about the financial commitments of our new owners. It's early days but ESI have taken their first few unsteady steps.
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