If the 3-2 victory over Bristol City on Boxing day was the win of the season so far, yesterday's thrilling match against table-toppers Albion, will be the draw of the season. It was a cracking contest which epitomises the Championship. A full-blooded end-to-end scrap with plenty of quality football and drama in amongst the blood and thunder.
Gone were Brunt, Barry and Austin from last week's warm-up Cup encounter and in came West Brom's A-team which featured ex Charlton youngster Semi Ajayi who replaced Brunt in central defence and Welsh striker Robson-Kanu who played just off Zohore.
With a gate just shy of 20,000, the match kicked off to good noise from both sets of fans and Charlton started brightly enough with an early low effort from Gallagher which skidded past the far post. West Brom eventually came into the game and when they did, a slip from Lockyer let Zohore in and a run at goal that concluded with a covering block from Oshilaja. Unfortunately, the ball sat still for the advancing Zohore who only had to fire it beyond the stranded Phillips.
Charlton responded well and within four minutes forced a corner in front of the visiting supporters. The West Brom fans behind the goal thought it clever to keep the ball and after 30 seconds of it being thrown around to big cheers, another was put into play. The incoming corner was delivered high to the back post and there, rising highest was Naby Sarr. His cross goal header might have been saved but Josh Davison was in the way and he reacted quickly to change the direction of Sarr's effort with a headed flick which beat Johnstone in the West Brom goal. Justice had been done and how the home fans roared at the equaliser.
West Brom might have taken the lead before half-time after a slick move saw them work it into the box at pace but they wanted a touch too much and a posse of red shirts managed to block the effort and get it clear.
Within a minute of the restart, West Brom were back in front. A quick passing move forward saw the ball played in Robson-Kanu and his near post touch diverted off the covering Sarr's outstretched boot and high above Phillips' head into the top of the goal. For twenty minutes after that it looked a matter of time before West Brom's passing and moving game would create another opportunity that would kill the contest but our back-line held firm and restricted their final ball. With confidence returning we again took the game to the visitors and with Doughty tearing into to them down the left and Davison giving Ajayi and Bartley a battering we were able to get more men forward and chances were coming. Doughty flashed a shot into the side netting and Green was also getting in the mood.
On 75 minutes the ball again went into the visiting supporters who, not having learned from their earlier mistake, thought they would play silly buggers again. Keen to get on with it, Phillips took another ball from behind the goal and delivered it downfield where it was collected and played to Doughty who carried it forward at pace. With men arriving in the box, Alfie cut back and swung a high ball to the back post. As it dropped, the player making the most determined move towards it was Thomas Alun Lockyer. The 25 year old centre-half leapt at the falling ball and caught it perfectly. His powerful neck thrust sent the ball goalward and the direction was perfect. It beat the diving Johnstone, struck the post and went in off the keeper's body. Nothing less than the Addicks deserved and after that there was a visible buzz about our play and a determination to hold on to what we had.
It was a stirring game which will live long in the memory. Dempsey, Williams and Forster-Caskey got on before the end and helped run the clock down.
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