Addicks fall at the final fence

After the surge in confidence amongst Addicks fans in the last few weeks, yesterday's performance at Accrington Stanley was a reminder of how far we still have to go to be good enough to leave this desperate division. 

Needing three points to remain in control of our destiny, we put in one of the most insipid showings in a season littered with them. Lacking any creativity we clung on desperately until late in the game when Stanley finally got they goal they deserved. I turned off after 87 minutes and headed to the Royal Oak for a couple to lighten the mood. Yet another last minute goal was only salt in our wounds which keeps us in the hunt mathematically but not realistically.

We lost our chances of automatic promotion back in January when Accrington Stanley beat us comfortably at the Valley. Of course there were still enough points to be gained to have won the title then but you have to look at how you have been playing and the results you have been getting. You can't make a silk purse from a sow's ear and the idea that we might be one of the two best footballing sides in the division was laughable. 

I also believe we lost our play-off chances with 12 games to go when we could only draw with Shrewsbury at home. The run that was inspired by the return of Famewo and then Inniss, and the change of manager looked like we might be thrown a lifeline. However, as I said you have to look at how you have been playing and the results you have been getting and it still looked a hard ask, particularly when you consider our weakness in midfield and difficulty dominating games. The freak result at Plymouth, which clearly told you more about them than us, had everyone purring and thinking that maybe we could do it but we promptly fell flat on our faces with a defeat and two draws which was more typical of the season.

Yesterday's match was an underlining of our frailties and, I have to say, our conservative approach to far too many games this season under Bowyer and now Adkins. Perhaps they were reacting to what they have in terms of available players and deciding that tactically that was our best way to win games. It certainly paid off away from home where we won so many games by holding on, drawing the sting and then taking a lead we could defend. At home, though, it simply encouraged the opposition to have a go and look at how often and successfully they did just that.

This season was undoubtedly affected by no crowds. The huge increase in points won away from home through all the divisions shows the loss of home advantage. I cannot imagine a Charlton side playing so consistently poorly at home in front of a large and vociferous crowd. It would have quickly become very uncomfortable and would have forced an improvement of sorts that we simply didn't see this year. 

Nigel Adkins will now need to rebuild and Thomas Sandgaard will need to support him as I am sure he will in the transfer market. I really hope Adkins build his own side and is bold enough to move out a healthy number of these players who are not good enough for the Championship and not good enough to get promoted from League One. 

If we are not to risk becoming the Leyton Orient of 2020's London, we have to get promoted next season. Our stadium, potential support, revenues and owner all deserve that. It should be possible but already you can look ahead and see that we may need to finish above the likes of Sheffield Wednesday and even possibly Derby County.

Nigel Adkins needs to show some intent in the remaining two games. A perfect opportunity to play more fringe players and have a look at them in the first team before the season concludes.