Below-New Par Performance But Valuable Point

As the campaign resumed after the international break the abiding feeling, for me at least, was that our change of form and unbeaten run may have encouraged the view that the season was all but over - but that another win or two were still required if we were to avoid getting sucked back into it all. And there was no easy way to predict how this one might go, with Exeter having won their last two and having had if anything an even more mixed season than us, being up then down, now back up.

In that context, coming away with a point was not a bad outcome. The less positive slant is that for the second game in a row we put in a performance below the levels achieved when we were up against teams at the top. One or two may have been excused for being a little jaded after international trips, but if they needed a rest that should have been clear ahead of the game. In truth, with us off our A game and Exeter not really able to take advantage, we were served up a pretty average third division match low on quality. Either side could have won it, as against Fleetwood neither did enough to deserve to and neither can feel aggrieved at the outcome. They led for much of the game, we might have equalised just before the break, they might well have extended their lead, we drew level late on with an own goal, finally we might have won it at the death.

The team showed a change in central defence, with Hector in from the start to accompany Thomas and Gillesphey and no sign of Edmunds-Green. Otherwise it was as against Fleetwood, although changes on the bench saw Ness and Edun added, as well as Aneke, with Asiimwe and LuaLua not making the squad (and no sign of Wickham or the other Watson). No obvious reasons for the changes, but we’ve not been at the training ground.

I missed the first 10 minutes (would you believe the French work on Good Friday?) but by all accounts they were well on top, putting us under pressure from the off. And before long they had the lead. Exeter were allowed to recycle the ball down their right side and their guy had time to weigh up where to put the cross. He chose an area just beyond our central three it seemed, because Watson was left to jump against old boy Purrington. He won the contest and his header deflected off Watson past a wrongfooted Isted.

It took us a while to work our way into the game, but to the players’ credit they did manage to even things up progressively through the first half, without actually creating more than half-chances. A good Small run down the left ended with their keeper making a fairly routine save, and a little later a Hector long ball was brought down by Watson and his pull back for Anderson resulted in a shot decently parried.

After the opening period we’d denied Exeter any further real sights on goal and just before the break we did come close to levelling things up. Dobson received the ball on the left side and seemed to try to send it back across goal. The ball took a deflection off their defender, which sent it past their keeper and seemingly into an empty net before Purrington spoiled things for us again by managing a last-ditch clearance. The replays at half-time couldn’t provide an angle to tell if the ball had crossed the line and without the technology neither we, nor the officials, could be sure it had.

Jones clearly felt we had underperformed in the first half as a change was made at the break, with Ladapo coming on for Anderson, May dropping more into the hole. Ladapo made a difference initially, as did May in the deeper role, but nothing decisive resulted, just more half-chances, a Purrington block of a May effort matched by a decent save by Isted from a snap-shot inside the box. A further change for us was made just after the hour, with Aneke replacing Kanu. But shortly after that Exeter had the chance that with hindsight might have proven decisive. A simple enough move down their left and a ball squared found a guy on his own in the box. Perhaps he had more time than he wanted as he squandered the chance with a scuffed shot. Really should have scored, or at least make Isted work.

On 70 minutes it was Edun for Gillesphey, with a change to more of a 4-4-2 to try to press for an equaliser. But his first involvement was to divert an Aneke shot over the bar. As desperation was setting in, Bakinson and Campbell were introduced for Dobson and Small. And with four minutes left on the clock we did draw level, with a dollop of good fortune. A cross in from the right and Aneke outmuscled his marker to get to it first, only to put in a header that was going well wide before it hit another defender in the face and was neatly diverted down and past their keeper. It was a fitting way for the scores to be levelled as neither side had really been able to create decent chances through good play.

Now Exeter had to go in search of another goal and we had a line-up which ruled out pulling up the shutters, so the final period (with seven minutes of stoppage time) did produce opportunities at both ends. And of course right at the end a couple of flicks on a ball forward saw May released through on goal. He opted to go around the keeper but the angle then proved to be just too tight and instead of producing a winner for us his effort came back off the post. Couldn’t have wished for a better chance to take all three points, but we can’t say we would have deserved that.

The point already looks valuable, given the wins for Port Vale, Cheltenham, Cambridge and Reading, plus the point for Burton. Psychologically a defeat would have felt like being pushed back into the mire. As it is, the results served as a reminder that there is still work to be done. If we play as well as we did against Bolton, Portsmouth and Derby we will get enough points in the final six games to not just survive but end the season well. If we perform to the standard as against Fleetwood and Exeter there’s still a real doubt.

A look at the stats reveals that over the past 20 years 48 has been the average total for the side avoiding the drop from League One. But 50 is not unusual and on a couple of occasions it’s been 51. Getting five points from our final six games ought not to be beyond us, but stranger things have happened. And we start the final chapter with a tough one at home to Stevenage, who obviously badly want the points, then welcome Barnsley, who might be already mentally preparing for the play-offs but clearly aren’t a bad side. And the final games include ones against teams below us, Cambridge and Shrewsbury, which if we have already faltered could become six-pointers. You wouldn’t put the risk of relegation now at more than perhaps 10%, but that’s still a material risk. So can we please just play out of our skins on Monday and turn over Stevenage, just to stop any worries creeping back in.

One To Forget, ASAP

The seven-game unbeaten run, including three wins, may have eased the need to get a result today, but there was also the feeling that another win against a team below us and we could really put an end to any lingering relegation concerns. Also, no question we need to sustain the momentum to finish the season on a high with the next campaign in mind, while it was going to be interesting to see if an easing of the immediate pressure might affect performance, either positively (more relaxed, greater freedom) or negatively (less endeavour).

In the event it was a horrible game of football. Yes, it was played on a poor surface and in very tricky conditions, with the wind blowing strongly. But difficult conditions pose challenges to be overcome and it’s fair to say that both sides failed in that respect. The first half was plain dull, interrupted by one moment for them which drew an excellent save from Isted then rounded off by us taking the lead out of the blue as smart thinking by May turned a nothing situation into a penalty. The second half became more interesting towards the end just as their equaliser, equally unexpected, sparked some chances at both ends. Fact is neither side deserved three points, we take the point, the extension of the unbeaten run, and move on, as quickly as possible, happy to be in a position which a few weeks ago we would have grabbed with both hands.

The team was unchanged from Carlise, which really meant a number of contenders – including Hector and Bakinson, perhaps even Maynard-Brewer after a few recent Isted errors – not managing to secure a starting spot and kept on the bench, with no place as yet for Jones after his injury. The bench also included new signing LuaLua, with Wickham dropping out of the squad, Ladapo keeping his spot. It did mean that a team playing 3-5-2 with wing-backs and no wingers had two wingers on the bench (LuaLua and Campbell) and only one outright forward replacement (Ladapo). Wasn’t sure of the thinking behind that, but presumably it was all part of God’s plan.

Fleetwood apparently had the better of the initial exchanges, which thanks to my partner opting to change laptops for the stream I missed. I got up and running around the time Kanu took a knock to the head. He spent the remainder of the game with his head swathed in a bandage. If anything Fleetwood continued to pose the greater threat. On 20 minutes a ball played down the channel on their left reached their guy and it looked like the goal opened up for him to shoot into. Instead the shot was blocked by a desperate late challenge, which I think prevented a goal. Then Isted had his moment as a long throw wasn’t really cleared and with a lucky deflection or two their guy was through on goal. His effort was fortunately diverted to safety by Isted’s outstretched arm.

The next 20 minutes or so were truly unremarkable. Hopeful balls lofted forward, passes misdirected. But just as we were looking forward to a half-time cuppa, perhaps a bit of hypnosis to forget the previous 45 minutes, we won a penalty, in fortuitous circumstances. A ball forward by Thomas was headed back inside by Dobson but looked easy for their defender to deal with. He knocked it on then shaped to clear his lines, only for May to nip in and just touch the ball past him, then to be on the end of his swinging boot. Soft for sure but the ref really had no option. May got up and sent the penalty low into the corner.

The second half saw no change in pattern or quality. A poor Coventry pass was intercepted and put us in trouble as they had numbers forward only for the eventual shot to be blocked, then Charlton ‘old’ boy Sarpong-Wiredu headed wide from the resulting corner. It was surprising that we made no changes until we were in the final 10 minutes of normal time, with Ladapo coming on for May. But that really reflected the fact that we were happy enough with what we had and weren’t looking in danger of letting one in. Only we did, a poor one.

Another throw down their left side was followed by a rash and missed challenge (think it was Gillesphey) resulting in their guy getting into the box with the ball. Isted came out but was rounded and from a tight angle he found the net via the far post. Just a collective lack of concentration, poor decisions made, and this time it cost us.

For the neutral the goal really enlivened the game as the final 15 minutes (including eight of stoppage time) saw good chances at both ends. Our defence seemed to lapse back into Keystone Cops mode as clearances rebounded off someone else, on one occasion almost back into the net, while Anderson won the ball back and it was played through to Ladapo, whose attempted chip was reached by their keeper. At the end of normal time LuaLua was introduced together with Hector, with Kanu and Watson making way. Then in the final couple of minutes first we somehow failed to score, as Hector completely fluffed a shot from inside the box and the ball back in by Thomas couldn’t be converted by Ladapo, then at the other end they were allowed space down their right and the resulting cross found a guy unmarked, only for his close-range header to bounce back off Isted.

Fleetwood might be happier than us to take something from the game, having been behind until late in the game; but their need for three points was the greater. We can’t complain about the result – and to be fair Jones said as much – as we didn’t do enough to deserve the win having been gifted the lead.

It is a game best forgotten by us at least. Players who have been excellent of late had poor games, the defence looked frail again, especially after they equalised, with Hector’s introduction increasing confusion, and nobody stood out. If anything you’d say May’s quick thinking got us the goal. I was surprised that it took so long for subs to be introduced, that Bakinson wasn’t given some time on the pitch, and that we had both LuaLua and Campbell on the bench but not Wickham, for a game in which brawn was always likely to be in greater need than brain.

Roughly six weeks and seven games left to go, the objective being to get as many points as possible, about as vague an objective as you can get. May will no doubt want to ensure he ends up as the League’s leading goalscorer, before he picks up our Player of the Season award. Others will be wondering if they fit into Jones’ plans for the next campaign. Yes, there’s an end-of-season whiff about it all now.

Tough Task For Tomorrow

I fear that for me this weekend will involve a forced break from tracking our surge back up the table (we can after all rise to 13th on the back of a victory at home to Carlisle and Orient turning over Wigan, if the games taken together produce a six-goal swing in goal difference) – unless my powers of persuasion climb to new heights. Saturday will see us drive over to outside Lyon for a birthday party for one of my partner’s brothers-in-law. The schedule apparently involves everyone leaving the restaurant by 16.00 French time (rather short for a French lunch I would have thought) and going back to the family home to continue. Now all I have to do is convince a majority (or a decent minority) of 15 French people that a dash back to be in time for the start of Charlton v Carlisle via the stream and to watch the game is the best option for us, as well as persuade my partner not to cause me serious harm as a result. The look of utter incredulity on her face when I first mooted the idea suggests that there is still work to be done.

So I might have to wait until the Fleetwood game before getting another dose of football. And that thought served as a reminder that the Cheltenham game was our last midweek/evening one of the season. Aside from a couple over the Easter weekend, it’s now Saturday to Saturday for us from now on. The downside is that we have to sit and watch to see if we get pulled back down the table as others use up their games in hand. The upside is that we really ought to benefit from being fresher than the opposition in our remaining games. Hopefully we can use that to our advantage.

The interlude for me provides a little space to update on the fortunes of my adopted French team, Lyon Duchere, as they vie for promotion back to National 2 (effectively the regional fourth division of the French football league system). They had topped the table from the start but predictably stumbled rather in the wake of the December statement issued by the club lauding their success (in the cup and the league). Nevertheless, at the time of my last update, after 13 games of the 26-game season Duchere were still top, having won seven and drawn five, scoring 22 goals and conceding nine. However, although the results remained good overall, they were then overtaken by a rampaging AS Saint-Priest, the team from the suburbs on the opposite side of Lyon (in the south-east), following a 1-1 home draw against FC Vaulx en Velin. Like Duchere, Saint-Priest were relegated from National 2 last season (although unlike Duchere – which took administrative relegation - this resulted from their standing in the league).

This paved the way for a top-of-the table clash in the 17th round of games, the match played at Saint-Priest’s Stade Jacques Joly stadium. The game began badly for Duchere and approaching half-time they were 2-0 down. But they pulled one back before the break and by all accounts (OK, the one on the Duchere site) were much improved in the second half, dominating play. The equaliser came in the 71st minute and apparently after that Duchere had chances to win but failed to take them, the match ending all-square.

That result means that Duchere stay in second place, two points behind Saint-Priest. Of the 17 games they have won nine, drawn seven, and lost just one, giving 34 points, with 28 scored and just 13 conceded (including four in one game). Saint-Priest have lost three but won 11 and drawn just three, scoring 39 in the process (ie more than two per game) and letting in 16. With nine games each to play it isn’t yet entirely a two-horse race (only one will be sure of promotion), but the nearest team which could go up (the division contains the reserve teams of top-flight clubs and they cannot be promoted) are four points adrift of Duchere. The next round will see Duchere at home to AS St Etienne 2 (ie St Etienne’s B team), which looks like a tough one as they sit in third place, while Saint-Priest will travel to bottom-ranked Ain Sud – although they recently held Duchere to a draw, so who knows?

So it is all to play for, even if Saint-Priest have to be considered favourites given their two-points advantage and better goal difference. Duchere’s season looks like going to the wire. Thankfully our does not; let’s just hope that still looks the case after the next couple of games. Now it’s back to that job of persuasion I have on my hands.

Couldn't Have Asked For More

With only a couple of other games being played, and none of relevance for our position, we knew the parameters ahead of last night’s game: win and we move up to 14th, creating a gap of seven points from the relegation zone (albeit with Cheltenham and Port Vale having two games in hand) with Carlise at The Valley up next; lose and we have Cheltenham back breathing right down our necks, just a point behind with the two in hand; draw and we take what positives there are and move on. It wasn’t a game to go into to play for a point but the emphasis was on ‘must not lose’ rather than ‘must win’, with neither team likely to care a jot about how.

Neither should we. We won, we breathe easier this morning, perhaps even in a lighter moment as the coffee kicks in to wonder what all the fuss was about. The game itself carried echoes of Saturday, when we failed to take chances to extend a lead and ended up surrendering two points, as well as many games we have seen in the past. We led again at the break but had spurned several good opportunities to score more. We struggled more in the second half and to their credit Cheltenham put us under increasing pressure as we seemed to tire. They did indeed equalise, like Northampton, and with 20 minutes left on the clock looked quite likely to go on and win the game. Earlier this season and last the chances are that would have happened. But now Jones was able to look to a stronger bench to make changes and introduce fresh legs. One of those brought on scored a good second, rather against the run of play, and we were even able to enjoy the final moments as a defensive slip and Small’s persistence gave May the chance to finally put the ball in the net against his former club.

The team was unchanged from Saturday, with Jones opting this time against any rotation, perhaps influenced by the fact that Aneke, having apparently been rested on Saturday because we needed him for last night, remained absent. The only adjustment was Jones returning as a sub, with Edun not making the squad.

Now whoever labelled football as ‘the beautiful game’ hadn’t seen anything like the opening period last night. Every ball quickly hit long by both sides, no time taken on the ball, no thought given to a pass, everyone closed down, throw-ins the opportunity to deliver a long one. To say it wasn’t pretty is a massive understatement. But again, neither side will have given a monkey’s given what was at stake - and to be kind you’d describe the period as one when both teams were looking to soften up the other, to win the key battles and achieve a kind of dominance. Then, just before 20 minutes were up, for some reason we had out of nowhere a little slice of football – and a goal.

Isted’s long clearance dropped to Dobson on the right and for some reason instead of lofting it forward once more he played it inside to Coventry. As for the pass for Kanu at Derby, he delivered a perfectly directed and weighted ball between defenders for Watson to run onto. His low cross was in turn met adroitly by Kanu, who directed it low and into the net.

That goal gave us a lift and rather deflated Cheltenham and it’s fair to say that for the remainder of the first half we created chance after chance which we failed to convert. That said, Cheltenham threatened at times, able to pressure by getting the ball into our box, without creating real chances, with our defensive cover generally good. And they did have a decent shout for a penalty, when Watson clumsily challenged their guy around the goalline and didn’t get near the ball. Replays at half-time indicated we could have had no complaints had it been given.

The half-time stats would seem to suggest equality: near split possession, nine shots for each time, two on target for them, three for us. But they don’t tell the story. Before the half-hour May almost doubled our lead as a long ball dropped for him and Kanu, only for his shot to be blocked by a prostrate defender. Watson almost provided a repeat of the goal with another low cross, a May corner was turned against the bar by their keeper, and from the next one Small got to the ball only for his header to go wide. Next up May bore down on goal, his shot was parried but came back to him, only for the chance to be hashed, then from another Isted clearance flicked on May chipped the keeper only for the effort to land on the roof of the net. Dobson got into a good position at the end of a good move but couldn’t get a shot away, May had another shot turned away, and finally Small put in a cross from the left which Dobson headed over.

There was more than enough in all of that to have seen us clear by half-time, but of course we’d seen it all before on Saturday, so confidence in the end-result was qualified. And whether as a result of Cheltenham improving, us tiring, or both, the second half was to be a different affair.

Basically our chances dried up and they enjoyed greater possession. We had greater difficulty clearing our lines, upping the pressure. And it told with around 20 minutes of normal time to go, not long after Edmonds-Green went off injured, replaced by the returning Jones, which might have unsettled us a little. Watson was bypassed down their left and another weary-looking challenge was avoided, their guy cutting across the face of goal. His shot didn’t seem especially threatening, but Isted was able only to turn it away rather than gather it and the loose ball was put into an empty net as their guy was first to it.

On the balance of play at that moment, irrespective of our first-half chances and given past experience, I suspect most Addicks would there and then have taken the point, fearing that with the momentum in their favour Cheltenham could well get the winner. But we saw out the next 10 minutes or so and then made a double-change, with Bakinson and Ladapo replacing Anderson and Kanu. And the fresh legs made a difference.

With around five minutes to go Dobson won the ball well after a throw-in had been cleared and with players still forward the ball was returned into the box. Bakinson did well to control it on his chest and as it dropped put in a shot on the turn which went under their keeper and into the net. It was the sort of finish which we had been waiting for since he arrived.

Now we had just five minutes and what proved to be five additional minutes to see out – but again the spectre of games past was not absent from our minds. Instead this time we were spared nail-biting closing moments as their defender slipped, allowing Small to collect the loose ball inside the box. He squared it to an unmarked May, who was able to run it into the empty net. He will have been very grateful after all his attempts on goal to have been presented with the goal and was probably thinking about what level of celebration was appropriate before he’d even scored.

So a most satisfactory result and suddenly the focus is not on the winless run but on being undefeated in six, including the top three, with two of them won (and should have been three), up to 14th in the table (yes, we have played more games than others), and with Carlisle at home and Fleetwood on the road up next. The expectation will be that after these two games we can put aside any fear of relegation and start planning the summer hols. Of course football seldom works like that, the scope for what would now be viewed as banana skins is apparent. Jones and his team will not need reminding and will no doubt stress that the job is as yet far from done. Just that for now at least we couldn’t have asked for more.

One Point Gained, Two Left Behind

I don’t think we were collectively cocky enough (yet) to actually expect a win yesterday ahead of the game, away against opposition some way above us in the league and who left The Valley in January with all three points. But no question the levels of optimism had been lifted sharply by the three-game mini-series against the top clubs, especially the win at Derby. With no disrespect intended, to have gone toe-to-toe with the top three and emerge with five points, to then get rolled over by Northampton would have been a serious setback for a team far from out of the woods, especially with Cheltenham away just around the corner.

What we got was another committed, determined display - but in the end what felt like a setback as we didn't win. Much if not most of it was far from pretty, not helped by the blustery conditions and wet surface, but we dominated the game for all but a couple of short periods – and even during them prevented Northampton from registering any attempts on target. We won the individual battles, showed greater desire than them, took the lead early on and in the second half had at least three presentable openings to double that lead and probably put the game to bed. We didn’t take any and paid the price, as a howler from Isted gifted them an equaliser their play had not merited. Whether you blame more the chances not taken or the mistake doesn’t matter (clearly a case of both), we wasted two points which should have been ours.

It was reasonable after Tuesday night to expect pretty much the same team and formation, perhaps with a little rotation where necessary. In the event, Jones made some changes and the big news was the absence from the squad of Aneke. Rested? I thought the idea of keeping him as a super sub, playing 30 minutes or so, was that he would be available for all games. The back three/five in front of Isted was unchanged, with Jones still suspended and Hector returning to the fold from injury but only on the bench (with Ness losing his place there), while in midfield Camara dropped out of the team (and the squad) and Dobson returned to the starting XI, to partner Coventry and Anderson. Up front May, newly crowned EFL Player of the Year, was paired with Kanu, with Ladapo the only obvious replacement from the bench, which also contained Asiimwe and Bakinson.

My first impression was that the line-up seemed a little cautious, that we might lack a little in terms of attacking threat from midfield, with no real box-to-box player and no Camara or Watson(L). Whether they could provide the support for the ‘small’ options up front, and whether Dobson and Coventry in tandem would work (after Coventry had his best game in a Charlton shirt at Derby) all remained to be seen. But Jones has been getting the calls right of late and may have been taking account of the opposition’s strengths/weaknesses – and before anything took shape in the game we were in front.

A decent attack down our right caused some chaos in the Northampton defence and when the ball was half-cleared Watson laid it off for Anderson, whose decent enough effort took a deflection on its way through a number of players, wrongfooting their keeper.

We might have scored again in the first 20 minutes or so, with a fizzed cross from the right only just clearing heads in the box. But as the game progressed Northampton did seem to get a foothold and had a better period in terms of possession and dictating the pace. But we continued to look the more likely to score, even if most of the game involved balls in the air held up by the wind or blown beyond their target. May had a shot deflected for a corner and at the break the stats showed we had had five attempts on goal, three on target, against four and zero for them. We were still good value for the lead.

Northampton did have a moment before the hour when they found some space down their left, leading to a guy taking a shot from a narrow angle into the side netting, but in general we were keeping them at arm’s length. By that time Northampton had made four changes and us none, which was a fair reflection of which side was the happier with the way things were going. And then we had a spell from which we really should have emerged even happier.

On 69 minutes, just after we made our first change with Ladapo replacing Kanu, Coventry sent in a delightful cross from the right and it dropped nicely for May. He didn’t need to jump, just to pick his spot. He was off by about an inch as the header sent the ball against the post and back out, with their keeper nowhere near it. Not long after Coventry played in Watson and his low cross only needed a touch from someone, Ladapo not getting to it in time. Finally May found himself with the ball inside their box, took a touch, and stretching was only able to get in a poked shot which was saved.

That spell ended abruptly as their keeper sent it downfield. There seemed no danger as it was played back to Isted, but he opted to turn and took a heavy touch, which invited a challenge from one of theirs. The ball went square and another had the simple task of planting it into an empty net. Just one of those horrible goalkeeping errors for which there is just no legislating.

That still left around 10 minutes plus stoppage time, but suddenly we were obliged to try to win a game which had seemed to be in our pockets – although nobody can tell how Northampton would have handled the final stages if they were still behind. As it was not surprisingly the goal gifted to them gave them a lift. A double-change late on saw Hector and Campbell introduced for Watson and May, with Edmonds-Green shifting to wing-back. Quite how Hector managed not to get a yellow during his brief spell was a mystery, but aside from a fierce Northampton effort just over the bar nothing much happened through the six minutes of stoppage time and we were forced to settle for a point.

Before the game that might have seemed a reasonable outcome for us, but all we can do now is look at the table and consider that the extra two points would have lifted us to the dizzy heights of 15th. At least now it’s five games unbeaten, albeit with four of them draws. If you want another positive, we can now say that with 10 games left survival is technically in our own hands as if everyone wins all their games we stay up (unless Shrewsbury were to turn around the goal difference). We know perfectly well we really have to make the unbeaten run six on Tuesday night, or have Cheltenham a point behind us with two games in hand. It isn’t a ‘must win’ game for us, although we will expect a win if the performance level is sustained, it is a ‘must not lose’, although that shouldn’t influence the approach.

I can’t help thinking back to late November, the last time I actually saw a game at The Valley, for International Addicks Day. That low-key affair against Cheltenham was settled by two May penalties. If you’d said then that the return fixture would be a relegation six-pointer we would have replied that the suggestion was daft, we still then harboured play-off hopes. What we can hope for now is that the game, followed by Carlisle at The Valley on Saturday, will all but end those relegation concerns and start to shift the focus to preparing for next season.