Charlton Athletic 2 v Accrington Stanley 3

This evening's game at the Valley between struggling Charlton Athletic and Accrington Stanley was overshadowed by the ongoing demands of increasingly angry and frustrated Charlton supporters that manager Nigel Adkins be replaced.

Following the defeat at Lincoln, Adkins made four more change to the starting line-up. Charlie Kirk, Harry Arter and Josh Davison were all dropped and Elliot Lee had not yet recovered from Saturday's knock. Incoming were Clare, Morgan, Blackett-Taylor and Stockley.

In a scrappy first-half, it was clear that MacGillivray had finally been told that he no longer had to play out from the back and we were treated to a more direct style of play which at least saw us sustain some attacking football. There were still too many niggly and unnecessary fouls which disrupted the momentum of the game but at least we didn't have to watch the ball being played around the back continuously to no effect. 

After nine minutes the visitors took the lead from a superb free-kick. Former Charlton youngster Harry Pell stepped up to drive his shot over the wall and high into MacGillivray's right-hand corner. It provoked the first calls of 'sacked in the morning' and 'we want Adkins out' but there was little anyone could have done about the goal. However, it did galvanise Accrington and they began to come forward with more confidence and cause us more problems. Pell was involved in everything and played the pantomime villain at every turn. He had already celebrated his goal too cockily in front of the Covered End and been pelted for his troubles and he was then booked with Souare after making a nuisance of himself ahead of a corner. That didn't stop him, however, from nearly making it 2-0 with another free-kick that rattled bar and post before bouncing suspiciously close to the line and out. Some have said it was in.

After that we managed an equaliser. Alex Gilbey picked up a ball inside their half and ran on. He overplayed it but made good his chase and got a toe to keep it going. He caught the ball on the goal-line and could only cross and hope. Red shirts were closing in but it was an Accrington player who got a touch ahead of his keeper and turned it in. So 1-1 at half-time and another 45 minutes with no Charlton efforts on target in spite of having more ball in our opponents half for a long time.

Charlton restarted the second-half in a hurry and penned Accrington into their box for five minutes, Blackett-taylor looked like he'd been told he had done nothing in the first half and would be off after five minutes if he didn't do something. Gilbey was also charging down the left and between them we forced a several corners from which Stockley missed two decent headed chances.

After that we slowed and Accrington once again threatened. There were getting forward with ease and we were all over the place in defence. On 57 minutes they broke down our right and as their winger tore in he pulled a ball back across the box and with two red shirts continuing their runs it went behind them to Pell who had time and space to control the ball and pick his spot. It was dire defending. For ten minutes after that our heads dropped and I told Pete a third was coming. MacGillivray did very well to beat out a superb effort but Accrington weren't to be denied. Hamilton finished it after he was allowed to get to the box and turn along the 18 yard area before squirting a shot low inside MacGillivray's post.

Three-one down and Adkins made changes, Clare, who had disappeared in the second-half, was hooked for Washington and Davison came on for Blackett-Taylor. Washington did very well to chase a lost cause, beat his man to get free in the box and pick out Stockers who had time to adjust himself before driving home for 2-3. There was huff and puff after that but Accrington had a victory to hold on for.

The weirdly absent Jaiyesimi was brought on after 91 minutes in what might have been Adkin's final apology before he is dismissed which surely follows this evening.