Another Tight One Goes Against Us (Part Three)

I know we want to win all our games, and we knew that today’s result – whatever it proved to be - wouldn’t put an end to the uncertainty. But I really, really wanted us to win this one. Get three points, care little about the results of those below us. Anything less and we are really looking over our shoulder and the pressure to get a win next Saturday at Sheff Wed would become very strong, with three tough games after that to end the campaign.

In the event, for the third consecutive home game we lost, again by the odd goal, again with opportunities to at least get a point late on in desperation as we threw caution to the wind, again not managing to do that. In a strange game we might have been if not out of sight then at least two up after 20 minutes. Then after conceding an equaliser rather against the run of play we shrank and for the best part of the next hour either side of the break were second-best to a team able to pass the ball and keep possession, went behind to a breakaway goal, then tried all we could in the closing stages but came up short. Again. Just happened too many times for us to be complaining about the outcome.

The team showed two changes from Watford, both the result of injuries. In defence Clarke it seemed has picked up a knee injury and Fevrier – who has I think impressed with his cameo sub appearances – would start as the right-side wing back, all else unchanged. Coady was deemed unavailable after his dramatic intervention and, perhaps surprisingly, was replaced by Rankin-Costello and not Coventry, who remained on the bench, to team up with Docherty and Carey. Up front it would be Dykes and Campbell again, with both Godden and Kelman waiting in the wings and joined by a fit again Leaburn, giving a very attack-minded bench. With Kaminski still unavailable Brooks would again be Mannion’s back-up, Gillesphey and a now available Burke the defensive options, with Fullah and Berry also among the subs, with Knibbs missing out this time for some reason.

The introduction of Fevrier and Rankin-Costello did freshen us up, gave us more attacking momentum from the start. Both teams had a decent chance each in the first minute, first a Charlton attack ending with a good Docherty shot going just over, then a Preston guy didn’t make the most of space in the box, his shot saved by Mannion. And there were only three minutes on the clock when from a Carey long throw (him back in service with Clarke out) the ball was sent back in by Campbell and Rankin-Costello got to the loose ball ahead of his marker but his header came back off the post – and into their keeper’s arms to add insult to injury.

Preston did have moments in attack, with Jones having to deal with an awkward ball across the box facing his own goal. But the real chances were coming at the other end. Bell and Rankin-Costello combined on the left, with the former not quite getting off a decisive cross or shot, then Fevrier on the right helping to set up Campbell, whose decent shot was saved and put out for another throw. And on 17 mins this one proved decisive. The throw was flicked on by a Preston defender and dropped, Rankin-Costello again getting ahead of his man to sweep it into the corner of the net.

We weren’t done yet. A superb Fevrier run down the right to the byline, but his low cross couldn’t quite find Campbell, then Campbell’s ball across couldn’t quite find Dykes at the far post. At this point all seemed (very) promising. But on 24 minutes we were all-square, with what looked like a poor goal to concede. A routine ball in from their right caught our defenders rather static and their guy met it first around the near post. His scruffy header might have been deflected and looped up and over Mannion into the far corner.

After that doubt crept into our play, or Preston made adjustments. Perhaps both. But from then until the break it was almost all them, dominating possession and probing, pushing us deeper and deeper. A shot from a tight angle was saved by Mannion and, although we got joy from Chambers playing balls inside their right-back for Campbell to run onto, nothing came of them. Jones was turned and picked up a yellow for pulling their guy back. He also seemed to pick up an injury and was down for a while, but ended up able to carry on. Then Preston had a couple more chances late on, our sloppy play enabled a guy to play the ball in but a free header was sent wide, then a clever ball down their right was sent in and they didn’t quite manage to get a clean shot away.

At the break that first 20 minutes seemed a long time ago and it was clear we would need to up our game and/or make changes to come away with the points. But it was all square and everything to play for.

Instead Preston continued to dominate. On 51 minutes a ball down their right led to a low cross to the near post which their guy got to first, only to put his shot into the side-netting when he should have scored. Jones the Boss had seen enough and on 55 minutes made the first changes. Fullah and Godden were brought on, for Rankin-Costello and Chambers. That indicated TC going to left-side wing-back and from that moment Steve Brown on CATV was highlighting the potential for Preston to exploit space down our left side, with Campbell not always tracking back. The only surprise was that when they scored again, on 64 minutes, it was from a breakaway, but it did end up with three advancing on two and the ball played for the guy on our left side, who finished well.

Still plenty of time, but once again we were chasing the game. On 75 minutes Fevrier, who seemed to have swapped sides with Campbell, went on a very good run to the byline, put the ball into the mix at the near post, where it was met with a heavy connection by their defender. It hit their keeper, who knew nothing about it, and went behind for a corner.

Leaburn came on for Campbell, resulting in a formation of who knows what but essentially three up front and the emphasis now on long balls forward, with Fullah filling in on the right side of defence/midfield. Just after, on 76 minutes, one into the box fell it seemed for either Dykes or Godden but the shot was deflected wide. As we pressed forward we of course took risks at the back. Fullah lost the ball and their guy had a long run in on goal, ending up scuffing his shot, and the next minute Mannion was required to gather the ball from another break.

On 81 minutes it was Berry for Carey and by now, through sheer weight of numbers, we were playing the game in their half (except for one breakaway when Preston managed to screw up a pretty simple two-on-one). On 89 minutes a Fullah ball in saw Godden’s shot deflected over the bar. We went into seven minutes of stoppage time and time enough for two more near misses. Dykes couldn’t get much power behind a shot from a good position, then best of all on 92 minutes he was put in by a ball headed on only for their defender to make an excellent last-second block. We had more corners, long throws, Mannion up for the last, but all to no avail.

The defeat, along with other results, including Portsmouth’s last-gasp winner at Middlesbrough and victory for Oxford, sees the gap to the bottom three reduced to five points, with four to play. And after that glorious week we’ve drawn two and lost three of our last five games, just two points from 15. We simply have to put in a good performance at Sheff Wed and win.

A Most Satisfactory Afternoon

After those two wins and a draw in a week had put us seemingly within touching distance of safety, relative ease, successive home defeats and the prospect of some (or all) below us in the league picking up points obviously raised the stakes for this one. A third consecutive loss and we’re looking nervously at the remaining fixtures; get something from the game and the gap to the bottom three would still look reassuring. It was a fixture which cried out for a performance of grit and determination on the road, a la Ipswich, Middlesbrough etc.

In terms of the game we didn’t really get that, it was a much more open game than might have been expected, with plenty of chances at either end. We didn’t manage to hold on for the victory having taken the lead, but can’t really complain, given that Mannion was clearly man of the match, making a string of excellent saves from among their 31 shots (and a fellow Addick has pointed out only on four occasions this season has a team faced over 30 shots, three times it has been us – and we’ve not lost one of the games, two wins and a draw). The point, plus three draws for the teams below us, and it all added up to a most satisfactory afternoon – not quite a glorious one but unquestionably good enough.

With a couple of games in quick succession there was always the possibility of Jones the Boss making changes from Friday. And there were two straight swaps for the starting XI, with Coady coming in for Coventry in midfield and Campbell brought in alongside Dykes, Kelman dropping back to the bench. With Kaminski not available with a shoulder injury, Brooks was the back-up keeper, while Berry was added to the subs, like Knibbs and Godden before him returning from injury, with Fullah not included.

Both sides came close in the opening couple of minutes, as first Jones the Player couldn’t quite get on top of a Campbell cross, then Mannion made the first of his saves to divert a good shot from their pacey and dangerous winger. That kind of set the tone. On 14 minutes Campbell cut inside, shot was a mess but the ball dropped quite kindly for Carey, who was unable to get in an effort on target, then Campbell fed Docherty but he couldn’t quite get his shot away, the move ending with Chambers shooting over. Up the other end and Mannion was called on again to turn one around the post as we were caught on the break, and from the resulting corner the ball was played back in to the far post and with Mannion deceived it came back off the woodwork and we managed to clear. That was all in the first 22 minutes.

On 32 minutes we had a free-kick for a foul on Campbell sent to the far post, but the header towards goal was gathered by their keeper. A bad lunge on Campbell resulted in another free-kick (and a well merited yellow, after Docherty had harshly received one). This one was pulled back for Chambers. His ball into the mix resulted in a scramble and as it sat up Docherty met it first only for his header to come back off the post with their keeper nowhere. As if to even things up, a Watford free-kick wasn’t dealt with cleanly and ended up with their guy prodding it into the far corner, only to be pulled up for being offside as the kick was taken.

The stats at half-time showed they had 57% possession with eight attempts on goal, two on target, against our nine and two. That suggested parity, but in truth aside from Docherty hitting the post they had the better chances, hitting the woodwork, pulling out saves from Mannion, and having their effort disallowed. We were the more content of the two with the game goalless, but there were too many chances being created to be confident it would stay that way.

Indeed, Watford began the second half well on top. A break from one of our long throws ended with a Mannion save, followed by another. On 59 minutes Jones the Boss decided on changes, with Rankin-Costello replacing Chambers and Godden on for Carey, who had struggled to influence the game, with Campbell filling in as left-side wing-back. And glory be a couple of minutes later we took the lead.

A Clarke long throw from our right was nodded on twice, the first deliberate the second less so, and suddenly it dropped to Godden, who for some unfathomable reason had been left all alone around the penalty spot (let’s give him credit, he’d lost his marker). He took it on his chest and hit it sweetly into the corner of the net as it dropped. He hadn’t quite managed to get us an equaliser on Friday, but now he gave us something to hold onto.

Watford reacted well to going behind, putting us under pressure for a while. But on 65 minutes we did have the chance to move further ahead. Godden made a nuisance of himself for their defender and Rankin-Costello pounced to pick up the loose ball. He was just about in on goal on the left side but when it came to getting the shot away he was stretching and scuffed it, their keeper able to turn it aside. And that proved costly as Watford drew level on 73 minutes.

Unfortunately for us their dangerous winger had not left the scene injured late in the first half, and when they won the ball in the middle of the park it was played square to their guy, who hit an immediate inch-perfect pass to the winger in full flight. Ramsay couldn’t get back to him and although the angle was fairly tight the winger hit it crisply low and across Mannion, for the one and only time in the game unable to get a hand to it.

We were now on the rack and it was them against Mannion. One from a narrow angle was turned around for another corner, and he repeated the exercise a minute later. Jones the Boss made another change on 80 minutes to try and stem the flow, with Dykes withdrawn for Fevrier, with a switch to a kind of front three. Fevrier, as on Friday, made a real impact. He won a corner and from that Godden blocked off their keeper but a defender go to it first before someone could head it into an empty net.

A Watford guy cutting inside saw his shot, predictably by now, turned around by Mannion, then on 89 minutes, just as the officials were indicating six minutes of stoppage time, Watford play around our box ended with substitute Ince hitting a fierce shot which hit Coady on the head and poleaxed him. After a long delay he was stretchered off, Gillesphey replacing him. I haven’t seen any word yet on how Coady is doing, but hopefully all will be well after some rest. Talk about taking one for the team.

Six added minutes became 15. There was still time for another Charlton break, with a three-on-three. But Rankin-Costello didn’t quite make up his mind and eventually his shot was diverted wide for a corner. And that proved to be that.

Before the game we would have been content with a point – and the other games all finishing as draws, meaning the gap to the bottom three stays at eight points with another round chalked off. Only five to go now. Of course Jones continues to talk of finishing the season on a high, but the overwhelming priority is just to be in this division next year. We now have Preston at home followed by Sheffield Wednesday away. If we can take four – ideally six of course – points from these two, we could be all but mathematically safe with three games to play. That, let’s not forget, will be no mean achievement.

Another Tight One Goes Against Us (Part Two)

Jones the Boss seemed to sum this one up in his preview, commenting that we would have little idea how Bristol City would shape up against us, having been on a very poor run but having sacked their manager and brought in Hodgson. Before that move we would have looked at this fixture and thought we could be confident of a win, one which would ensure that we at least maintained the gap to the bottom three, even though early in the season we had been very pleased to come away from Ashton Gate with a 0-0 draw. A lot of water under the bridge since then. We still had those hopes of course, just mixed with a little more caution.

In the event, we didn’t play well enough to have complaints about a second consecutive home defeat by the odd goal. Bristol played with a fluency and purpose that caused us all sorts of problems defensively, especially in the opening period, finding space between our back three and dominating midfield. They might have scored before they did. The surprise was that we pulled level, with a rare piece of enterprising play between Dykes and Kelman, albeit after the officials had erroneously given us a throw-in. At the break you felt we were fortunate to be level but that now it would be a really good game to go on and win. Instead we conceded a horrible goal to fall behind again, then when throwing caution to the wind in the final stages came up against a goalkeeper in fine form, or failed to be clinical when the chances came, and our claims for deserving a point based on this period have to be balanced by the breakaways that Bristol failed to convert.

The starting XI was pretty familiar: Mannion keeping his place; Ramsay, Jones and Bell forming the central defensive three, flanked by Clarke and Chambers as the wing-backs; Coventry, Docherty and Carey retained in midfield; while up front Dykes returned from international duty seemingly unscathed and Kelman got the nod over Campbell (among the subs) to start alongside him. On the bench we would have the very welcome return of two faces: Godden and more surprisingly Knibbs were back available, with not in the squad (an ankle injury according to the club) and Gough missing out.

In the opening 15 minutes or so we barely got a kick – and when we did have the ball were unable to do anything with it, with a scared back line reluctant to venture forward and the midfield pressed back to try to plug the holes, leaving the front two isolated.

We were almost behind just two minutes in as our back three seemed to be caught out moving forward, by a routine pass between them, leaving their forward with a clear run on goal. To our good fortune he missed the target, his shot clipping the outside of the post. But it was to be only a temporary reprieve as on 10 minutes there was something of a repeat. A ball threaded through was tempting enough to Jones the Player to stretch for it. But he didn’t make it, leaving their guy to take a touch then bury it in the corner of the net. We know what a season Jones has had, and that he will walk away with the PotY award again, but he seemed culpable for both incidents in a shaky start to the game.

After the dreadful opening spell we did manage to make the next 15 more even, without looking in any way threatening. But remarkably on 29 minutes we drew level. The ball went out on our right side for what seemed to be a Bristol throw, but the officials thought otherwise and Clarke quickly threw down the line. Dykes and Kelman combined in a fashion seldom seen of late between two Charlton forwards, passing to each other. Kelman ended up playing the ball astutely inside for Dykes, but there still seemed little danger as the angle was very tight and no supporting options were available. Nevertheless, Dykes managed to poke the ball goalwards and placed it perfectly, to rebound in off the far post. An excellent goal and all the two forwards’ work, leaving aside a little help from the officials.

The goal did set them back and, coupled with greater aggression in midfield on our part, the remainder of the first half was a balanced affair. Bristol did have a cheeky long-range free-kick which nearly caught out Mannion, we had some set pieces which caused them problems. But at the break you felt that if we could raise our game, attacking the Covered End, we could come away with the points.

That didn’t happen. Instead we began again rather tentatively, some incoherent play at the back resulting in a corner needlessly given away. Then on 54 minutes Coventry was adjudged to have fouled their guy on the edge of the box in a central position. That free-kick came to nothing, but we didn’t learn the lesson and just two minutes later Jones was penalised for a challenge, this time left-of-centre. The effort sent in took a deflection and clearly deceived Mannion, who pushed it to the side but not decisively. The ball seemed to be still going in and he managed to claw it away, but only to their guy running in. Confusingly he made a mess of it but the ball still found its way over Mannion and over the line before Ramsay could reach it. It looked a dreadful goal to concede, but not one you could simply label a goalkeeper howler.

We almost equalised again straight away as Bell and Ramsay down the right managed to set up Carey for an effort from close range, but he sent his shot wide. As the game opened up, Bristol twice almost added to their lead, first with a shot from a narrow angle which Mannion pushed away, then another save from him.

After the hour Jones the Boss made the first of his changes, with Campbell and Fullah introduced for Chambers and Kelman, pointing to a sort of 4-5-1. There was no decisive change to the pattern of the game, although we did come close as a Clarke cross was not dealt with and the move ended with a Fullah shot bringing a decent save.

On 78 minutes we began the devil-may-care finale, with Rankin-Costello and Godden replacing Coventry and Clarke. And on 81 minutes it was so nearly 2-2. A ball into the box was headed on by Jones and Godden was in. He shot low but their keeper somehow managed to get a leg in the way and the rebound didn’t drop to one of ours. That was followed by the first of Bristol’s clear breakaways against a team focused on attack, although they didn’t make the most of the space they had. Then on 85 minutes it was Ferrier for Docherty, with Campbell and Ferrier operating down the flanks and Dykes and Godden in the middle.

We did give it everything we had. Ferrier caused them no end of problems down the right and on 86 minutes an excellent cross from him found Campbell in space at the far post. He had to wait for the ball to come down but didn’t manage to compose himself and sent his shot badly wide. Dykes headed over the bar, then just before stoppage time a pass was intercepted and suddenly Bristol were in again, this time denied by a very well-time Ramsay tackle.

In the five minutes of stoppage time Campbell set up Rankin-Costello, only for his shot to be saved. From a corner Mannion came up and Bristol broke with three on two. Somehow Mannion made it back in time to make the save, then Godden was played in behind their defence but pulled his shot just wide. Another corner and a final long throw came to nothing and the whistle went.

A frustrating and potentially still very damaging result. My abiding thought after the game was that we continue to struggle when the gameplan is more than defend like dogs and hope to nick one at the other end. When the team goes out with that mentality the defence and midfield do an excellent job of protecting our goal. When, especially at home, we are inclined to think we ought to play a more open game we tend to come unstuck, usually falling behind and leaving it to a late onslaught taking risks to get anything from the game.

None of this matters if we go to Watford and grind out something, a draw or a win. Six games left and still a seven/eight points gap to the bottom three – but of course teams below us will pick up points on Monday as the six below us are playing each other. We can do nothing about those results, but we can steady the ship by getting something from Watford. Starting with another of those very welcome clean sheets.

Another Tight One Goes Against Us

After the dramatic week, in which we’d taken seven points out of a possible nine and staved off being dragged clearly into the relegation mix, and ahead of an international break, we went into this one with the feeling that a draw would be a reasonable return. We knew the form Norwich have been in of late – although their midweek defeat at Southampton probably finished off any thoughts on their part of a dramatic surge to reach the play-offs. So perhaps, just perhaps, they might be starting to think of their holidays, feel tired, and they had injuries.

In any event, we knew we would have to be at our best to get a result, which meant keeping the defence mean and tight and nicking one or two at the other end. We didn’t manage either. Over the full game Norwich deserved their win, despite their appalling time-wasting. They could have been more than one up at the break, but the second half was an even affair and either side might have scored. We hit the bar, were denied a possible penalty, had shots blocked, and nothing quite fell where it needed to inside their box. By the same token we had Mannion to thank for three or four excellent saves. We wanted the result to be like against Birmingham, it ended up being a repeat of Wrexham. Remarkably, in our last seven games now neither side has scored more than one, with a total of just 10 combined.

The team showed just one (predictable) change from Oxford, with Dykes returning and Leaburn dropping back to the bench, where Mitchell would lose his place. Mannion continued to keep out Kaminski, while Ramsay, Jones and Bell would again be flanked by Clarke and Chambers, Docherty and Coventry continuing to keep out Coady (and Rankin-Costello), with Carey in the more advanced role, while Campbell kept his starting place, leaving Kelman among the subs.

We struggled from the start to work out and counter Norwich’s system, with a mobile forward creating space and plenty coming through to exploit it. They kept the ball well and moved it forward to good effect. Perhaps we were too focused on defending our box and paid the price. It took them only four minutes to go ahead, a poor goal from our perspective. Ball played square to a guy just outside the box. His first touch was heavy and that perhaps made up his mind for him, as he ran to get there first, before a couple of converging defenders, and put in a good strike across Mannion into the far corner. Mannion got a touch on it but not enough to send it wide. The guy was just allowed too much space and not closed down quickly enough.

The worst thing was there was a repeat performance on 13 minutes. Similar position, simple ball played into a guy with more time than he should have had. The shot was almost identical but with a little less power and this time Mannion was able to turn it away for a corner. The third of their real first-half chances came on 25 minutes as a Charlton attack broke down and Norwich poured forward at pace. Their guy cut inside Jones inside the box and although under pressure he should have done better than to send his effort wide.

In return we offered some balls into the box, with Clarke’s long throws continuing to cause chaos, plenty of effort, and a blocked shot or two. But we hadn’t really tested their keeper and at half-time we were really pleased to still be in the game, aware that we would need to improve to get anything from the game.

We did improve in the second half and several times were just a whisker away from equalising. That said, Norwich first came closest to adding to their lead, Mannion just managing to divert a low cross away from a guy sliding in at the far post. Shortly after that Jones the Boss made the first change, on 56 minutes bringing on Leaburn for Chambers, with Campbell moving to left-side wing-back. And that change sparked a spell of near misses.

TC made it down the by-line and played the ball in for Docherty, but the angle was tight and his effort was blocked for a corner. From that corner Ramsay got to the ball only for his header to come back off the bar, Clarke’s shot was then blocked and when the ball was sent in again Jones was pulled to the floor. No question he was being held, but whether it was enough to merit a penalty was unclear. But VAR would have given it and nobody would have been really surprised if it had been (contrast it with the daft penalty the ref gave Oxford for Ramsay’s challenge). Then another Campbell cross was met by Clarke coming in at the far post, but he was unable to control his header.

After that flurry of near misses Norwich did have a chance or two of their own. A guy’s shot was deflected and Mannion had to adjust to save, then had to get up quickly to get to the ball before one of theirs did. Mannion was to save again from a deflected shot.

On 71 minutes we changed formation with Fevrier coming on for Coventry, moving to a 4-4-2. And by now Norwich were happy to revert to time-wasting. OK, we would probably have done the same, but the ref was guilty of weakness in the face of it. He gave a yellow card to one guy then ignored the rest for the remainder of the game, finally adding on far too few stoppage time minutes. We still had chances, with Kelman and Rankin-Costello introduced for Campbell and Ramsay. On 94 minutes we almost grabbed a point as a long throw was half-cleared, Kelman dummied and turned well to send the ball back into the box, but Carey’s shot went wide, despite the efforts of Rankin-Costello to divert it goalwards. Dykes won a corner at the last, with Mannion joining those in the box. But it was cleared and the game was prematurely brought to an end.

In these last goals-starved seven games we’ve come out on top 1-0 in two of them, drawn three of them 1-1, and lost two 0-1. When the games are that tight you really can’t complain when you lose. Nine points from the seven. With seven games left we’d be very happy to take the same return, end the season on 55 points, which would surely be enough to stay up. The gap to the bottom three is still nine points and another round of games has been chalked off, the disappointment being WBA’s win at Bristol City, the relief being Leicester not converting a penalty which might have secured them a win at Watford. We are keeping our heads above water – and long may that continue.

Two Daft Decisions Lead To Share Of The Spoils

With all of us still buzzing after Wednesday night, the three unexpected points only slightly changed the dynamics for this one. Oxford’s three consecutive wins have changed the picture at the bottom, now its any two from a bunch, and for that they deserve credit, having made it seems astute additions in the January window. A defeat and we would still be looking over our shoulders, in the circumstances a draw would be acceptable, while a win and we would be all but safe (up to 13th – theoretically even 12th – before the others played). The abiding question was just how much was left in the tank after Middlesbrough, with Coventry, Docherty and Coady in particular having run themselves into the ground.

What we ended up with was a poor game in terms of football, with the two teams combined conjuring up three attempts on target between them, two of those being the penalties converted by each. The outcome was determined by two stupid decisions: the first by the ref, to decide that a routine challenge by Ramsay as the ball was sailing through to Mannion merited a penalty for them; the second by their defender, who crazily decided to grab hold of Jones’ shirt as their keeper came out for a ball into the box, leaving the ref with no option other than to equal things up on the penalty front. Given that ours was an equaliser in stoppage time, and that we didn’t remotely look like scoring, we are for sure much the happier of the two sides. And for the third successive game we were very relieved to hear the final whistle.

The team showed five changes from Middlesbrough – but in reality it was just a reverse of those made for that game. Kaminski was back on the bench but Mannion kept the jersey, as he deserved to. Ramsay, Jones and Bell came in for Gough, Coady and Gillesphey, with those three among the subs. The wing-backs were unchanged, as was the midfield trio again, with Jones clearly assuming that they were able to go again, while up front Dykes and Campbell came back in for Leaburn and Kelman. Or at least he was supposed to, but five changes became four as it seems Dykes was unwell and had to drop out, with Leaburn starting (and Mitchell added to the subs).

The first half was a non-event. We controlled the first 20 minutes or so, dominating possession without converting that into a goal attempt, let alone one on target. They came more into it after that, while looking equally blunt in attack. They had a free-kick from outside the box, after Chambers had been caught out and pulled back their guy, getting a yellow. It flashed comfortably over the bar. And that was the only strike on goal from either side. There were corners, throw-ins, free-kicks, a moment or two of confusion (when Mannion was coming for a ball but Bell brought it down, with both a little fortunate that Mannion was able to clear), and that was it.

Nothing changed in the second half either (aside from Clarke picking up a yellow, a header from Coventry marking our first attempt on goal, and one of theirs chipping over the bar from inside the box), until they were given a penalty on 55 minutes. It was a nothing ball into our box which was sailing through for Mannion to claim. In front of him their forward made a token effort to get there and Ramsay tracked him, with a little nudge for good measure. The forward went down, Oxford players and fans howled for a penalty, and the referee buckled and decided in their favour. Just a poor decision. The penalty was duly dispatched, Mannion guessing right but unable to keep it out.

That obviously changed the game, gave them something to hold onto. Jones the Boss opted for a quick reaction, with Kelman introduced for Ramsay, who was injured in the clash for the penalty. That meant a back four with Campbell moving to the right side. But we took a while to settle into that and looked rattled with Oxford obviously lifted. They might have increased their lead as a ball was played through and their guy lifted it over an advancing Mannion. Mannion did, however, get a touch which took much of the pace off the attempt and Jones tracking back was able to hook the ball clear before it crossed the line.

On 67 minutes we made another substitution, Fevrier coming on for Coventry, Campbell switching back to the left side. But with Oxford now content to get everyone behind the ball when out of possession this didn’t result in any actual chances, despite balls being sent into their box. On 81 minutes we were entering Hail Mary time and Fullah and Rankin-Costello were brought on, for Docherty and Chambers. We were now putting them under more consistent pressure, them like us on Wednesday with no effective out-ball, but still not threatening their goal. And as we entered six minutes of stoppage time it really did seem as though it would be one of those disappointing afternoons, one in which the opposition scoring once would be enough to take the points.

Then their defender had his moment of madness. Another routine ball into the box was going to be dealt with by their keeper, like many others, but Jones was sent sprawling and it was obvious his shirt was being pulled. Having given a soft one at the other end the ref would have to give this one too. Kelman stepped up and, while his penalty wasn’t that firmly struck, it was well placed, just inside the post, their keeper like Mannion guessing which way but unable to get to it.

Strangely enough, with them suddenly having to go in chase of a winner we looked the more likely to score again at the death. That would have been amusing, but not to be. We were content with the outcome, just what the Oxford manager says to his defender doesn’t bear thinking about.

We do now have a week to rest up and get ready for the visit of Norwich, without having to worry too much about today’s other results. Nobody will remember the game, we won’t care about how we avoided defeat, just feel satisfaction that a very tired bunch just about managed that.

Never Be More Happy To Eat Some Cheese

To say that we went into last night’s game as underdogs was something of an understatement. The bookies had Middlesbrough around 2/5 on for the win, a draw at 4/1, and win for us at 8/1. Some of us even had a pre-match discussion about whether we should send the B team and let them have the points, to keep them clear of the Spanners at the top and to rest key players for the more important game at Oxford on Saturday. Boro had conceded fewest number of goals in the league, only Sheff Wed have scored less than us. But this is football, we’ve ground out some pretty plucky draws of late. All we would have to do is keep a clean sheet.

Thoughts of such an outcome seemed even more remote when we learnt the team, which seemed to have been picked with Saturday in mind. Ramsay, Jones and Bell would all be on the bench, with Gough, Coady and Gillesphey set to form a new central three. Clarke and Chambers were kept as the wing-backs, and the midfield trio of Coventry, Docherty and Carey would be unchanged, while up front Dykes and Campbell swapped places with Leaburn and Kelman.

We knew that, as at Southampton, we would be not just parking the bus but anchoring it in position. From first to last we allowed Boro to have the ball, bring it forward as slowly or quickly as they liked, but confront them with all we had when they reached our box – and when they made it inside the box. We all know the stats by now – and on paper they are amazing. They had 78% possession, 34 attempts on goal (seven apparently on target), pretty much one every three minutes. We had two attempts on target – and everyone knows what they were: Kelman’s first-half chance and the winner from Coady. What we are left with is the quote from the great Bill Shankly: ‘the best team always wins, the rest is just gossip’.

The stats can’t tell the full story. They can’t capture the level of commitment and determination we showed to defend our goal, the numerous blocks, the endless chasing and tackling (I’d love to know how many miles Docherty and Coventry ran last night). All the heroes of last night were from our ranks. The apparently makeshift central three were excellent, with Coady marshalling those around him, Gough rising to the challenge, and Gillesphey meriting nothing but praise, while Ramsay, Jones and Bell were introduced when the time was right. Docherty and Coventry were immense. Mannion stood up to everything that did get through. Even the front two played their part, holding things up when possible, winning free-kicks to relieve the pressure. It’s daft to say that we ‘deserved’ the win, nobody can question that it was just reward for an outstanding effort.

It is fair to say that if the game was played 10 times we would win perhaps once. If Boro had converted one of their early chances they could well have gone on to win by a few. Even in stoppage time at the end I was reminding myself that if they equalised we’d come away with a point, which would have been an excellent result. On another night a ref might have viewed Chambers’ poor first-half challenge as meriting a red rather than yellow. It would have been harsh – how many times do players make a mistake and lose control of the ball and try to make amends and end up putting in rash challenges? - but not a ‘wrong’ decision. And on another night Boro would not be so profligate when it came to actually converting the chances that came their way. It's not our fault they failed miserably in front of goal. They also have to look at their decision not to have numbers back in their box from our long throw.

As for the actual chances, no question that in the first half we had the best one. On 26 minutes Carey fed Clarke down the right. He saw Kelman making strides to get into the box and laid it on for him, only for their keeper to make himself big and block the effort from close range. It wasn’t a gimmee but you felt Kelman will be disappointed not to have given him no chance.

Set that against a ball drilled low from their left across our goal-line, a one-two which led to another ball in which their guy for once unmarked put wastefully wide at the far post, and when they pulled us apart and a low ball in from their left was struck well by their guy only for it to crash back off the bar, with Mannion perhaps just getting a touch on it. Add in other interceptions, blocks, last-ditch tackles, and just getting numbers in their way and from our perspective the first half had been a success, while they probably went off still convinced that they would win the game.

The second half was no different, other than that we scored from pretty much our only chance. After a spate of substitutions by both sides on 56 minutes – we brought on Ramsay for Gough and replaced the front two with Dykes and Campbell - there seemed no danger as we won a throw on our right. We all assumed Carey would try to launch it into the box. Instead Clarke took it and rather than a lofted delivery sent in something more powerful with a lower trajectory. It beat Dykes and his marker at the near post but was met by Coady, just ahead of their defender, who only needed to divert the ball goalward, which he did to good effect. Perhaps it was arrogance/complacency that they had so few back defending their box. Whatever, it cost them dear.

The remainder of the game, save for one moment when TC was played in behind but couldn’t make it count, was a litany of Boro half-chances not converted. Several headers from inside the box went wide or over the bar, one shot from a very good position was weak and Mannion saved (their effort contrasted with the way Kelman had taken his chance on Saturday), many other attempts were blocked or diverted wide for corners. There was a scramble or two, sometimes chaos inside the box due to sheer numbers. Then after five minutes of stoppage time we had the sheer joy of the final whistle.

So, where does it all leave us? For me, there will be penance. In pre-match exchanges some other Addicks were talking of the possibility of nicking a win. I said if we did that I’d eat some cheese, which would for me be a worse punishment than eating my hat (any which way you want it the stuff is disgusting, I have normal taste buds). My partner Suzanne will select the stuff – and never will I eat some cheese more happily. The last time I did this was in return for us winning at Leicester curtesy of Kermorgant goals (his revenge for ‘Totally Sh*t From The Start’). I should have learnt my lesson then.

For us, I think the morning after we’re still trying to assess what it all means, three totally unexpected points. For sure we’re not safe yet, those below us are now bunched up, as Oxford’s three consecutive wins have ensured they are far from being written off. Given that Leicester and West Brom have more quality than you’d expect from relegation-threatened teams, at this stage you can’t predict with any confidence which two will join Sheff Wed. And that points to the risk of a relatively high number of points being required to stay up. But after consecutive wins we clearly do have a good cushion.

Somehow Jones the Boss and his team will have to get everyone physically and mentally ready for the trip to Oxford, with an early kick-off. Their January additions have clearly worked wonders for them and they appear a different side to the one we beat at The Valley. Also, while we know what to do when away at Southampton or Middlesbrough, when it has come to away at Blackburn, Portsmouth, Norwich etc we seem to get caught between focusing on a clean sheet and trying to put away on paper weaker teams. I’d suggest going up against Oxford now is tantamount to taking on a top-six team. Just how we approach and manage Saturday’s game is a real test for Jones. Well, he is paid to do the job.

Major Stride Towards The Goal

Getting nothing out of the Wrexham game had upped the pressure on this one, as did Oxford’s win at Preston (with their next two games being both at home, against Blackburn and then us), while the Blackburn v Portsmouth draw wasn’t the worst possible outcome. You couldn’t say it was a ‘must-win’ game for us, but it wasn’t far off, as failure to win would leave us looking at the fixture list and wondering where the points we need to stay up would come from (aside from Oxford next weekend, after the trip to Middlesbrough). And not winning becomes a habit; it would stretch the run of games without a win to five.

We managed to avoid that and secure the points, thanks to another excellent defensive display, one assisted by Birmingham’s strange decision to start with -and persist with – a centre-forward who couldn’t handle being given a lesson by Jones in particular, supported by the excellent Ramsay and Bell. We restricted them to one effort on target, a tame free-kick down Mannion’s throat, and really just a few moments of danger after Stansfield came on for the final half an hour or so. At the other end Dykes, clearly up for the challenge, gave us hope that we might nick one, which with the introduction of Kelman we finally did. To our massive relief, it proved to be enough.

For the team, the main question pre-match was which defenders would not be available. We assumed Burke would be out, after his early injury against Wrexham, and Jones the Boss had indicated that Sichenje and perhaps Bell too might not make it. At least we would have Coady back available. In the event Bell made it, but Sichenje did not. With Kaminski still injured, in front of Mannion would be a back three of Ramsay, Jones and Bell, with Clarke and Chambers the wing-backs. Coady only managed a place on the bench, with a midfield of Coventry, Docherty and Carey reminiscent of earlier in the season, while up front it would be Dykes and Campbell, with Leaburn and Kelman in reserve. Also on the bench would be Gough and Fullah, with Berry not in the squad.

The first half was a pretty even affair, but one that on actual chances we more than shaded. Both teams were quick to get men back behind the ball and for spells were pressed back. They started the better, perhaps finished the better, but in between we had a spell of dominance that could have resulted in us being ahead at the break.

The first real chance came on 18 minutes as Docherty intercepted a ball forward on the left side and slid a pass forward along the line for Dykes to run on to, in the clear but some way out. A burst of blistering pace to be in on goal is not exactly his forte, so seeing their keeper off his line he tried his luck with an attempt to curl one over his head into an empty net. Now Dykes had an excellent game, but he got this one wrong and the ball barely got off the ground before going harmlessly wide.

A much better opportunity came a couple of minutes later. Campbell was fed by Dykes and did well to get to the byline and send in a low, hard cross. It was deflected away but only to Clarke in space just inside their area. But his first touch was heavy and although he got his goalbound shot away their defenders had closed the space and the effort was turned away for a corner. And from that corner Coventry came in at the far post and looked likely to score before their keeper got a touch to the ball to divert its path and result in it being put wide. The final effort of note was after the half-hour as Carey whipped a ball into the box which only just evaded Dykes, then Campbell couldn’t get it under control, finally the ball looping up for Docherty, but he was unable to get any power on his header which was easily saved.

Birmingham had their share of possession but, despite the trickery of Gray on their left, were unable to convert that into attempts on goal (they had just one, none on target). Their centre-forward’s only contribution to the game was a nasty, late challenge on Jones. He was shown a yellow for it; on replays it might have been interpreted as a red.

Early in the second half that guy should surely have received another yellow and been off the pitch. A lofted ball forward was watched and headed clear by Jones, but the centre-forward, running towards Jones, had no real interest in the ball. He clattered into Jones, deliberately. The ref, who had a decent enough game aside from this and another key moment, bottled it and just gave the free-kick. We’ve benefited in the games against Sheff Utd and Leicester from referees making the right calls and showing red cards, but that was not the case today. Remarkably Birmingham didn’t substitute the guy immediately.

We did have a decent opening on 53 minutes as Dykes went low to deflect on a ball forward and Campbell ran in behind. But their defender did very well to get back and make a key challenge to divert his effort behind for another corner. But the game then took a turn in Birmingham’s favour as the made two changes just before the hour, the sad centre-forward and Gray withdrawn and Stansfield sent on. Immediately he was dropping deep and not offering Jones a predictable challenge. For a while it seemed as though the changes might result in them taking the lead.

An unlucky (for us) break down their left saw their winger get clear, only for his cross to be put behind, and from the resulting corner a half-clearance fell to a guy on the edge of the box in space, but his shot was blocked. Stansfield skipped past two challenges down their right, only for his cross to be cleared. And then the ref gave them a free-kick on the edge of the area. The effort was easily saved by Mannion (and was to be their only one on target all game).

It was time for us to make changes, but also evident that Jones the Boss might have a dilemma. Should he switch formation to the 4-3-3 that we’ve tried before, with Campbell and Fevrier operating either side of Dykes? Or should he keep the shape and change the personnel? He opted for the latter and on 69 minutes Rankin-Costello and Kelman came on for Docherty and Chambers, with Campbell switching to left-side wing-back.

Just four minutes later we were in front. A Carey long throw from our right side was helped on by Dykes (or a defender) and Kelman took control of the resulting scramble, taking a touch then managing to get his body shape right to shoot well, beyond their keeper’s dive into the net. Instinct and coolness when the chance arose, qualities which have of late been in short supply.

Still a long way to go. The game might have been settled on 78 minutes as from a poor Birmingham clearance Clarke received the ball and went into the box, only to be flattened by the challenge. Have to see it a few more times before being able to say for sure it was a penalty, but certainly a case for one. Instead, just after Birmingham came as close to equalising as they were to, with Stansfield playing in their other sub on the left. He cut inside but his curling effort was just overdone and went over.

If anything in the closing stages we might have scored again. Leaburn replaced Dykes, who had put in a real shift, Carey had a shot blocked, Kelman fired wide but from an offside position. Just before the start of five minutes of stoppage time Gillesphey and Coady replaced Cambell and Coventry, to shore up the defence, and the only moment of note before the end was Leaburn shooting wide from inside their box. It mattered not, at the final whistle we celebrated.

The sense is one of massive relief. With Oxford having won two on the spin and with two home games coming up, the simple equation of them and Sheff Wed taking two of the three relegation spots is now far less clear-cut, while the sight of Leicester and West Brom vying for that third place still seems odd. The win gives us vital breathing space ahead of the trip to Middlesbrough – one for which we will presumably park the bus and view anything as a bonus – and then Oxford away next Saturday, a game we’d hope to win but might now be content simply not to lose. Nine points clear of the relegation zone with 10 games to play. Not safe of course, not comfortable yet either, but a major stride towards staying up.