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Charlton 4 Reading 2
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Charlton produced an excellent display of attacking football to recover from letting a two-goal slip and comfortably sweep past Reading in an enthralling Coca-Cola Championship clash at the Valley.
Goals from Matt Holland and Andy Gray put Charlton in control, but Ibrahima Sonko gave Reading a lifeline just before the break.
Stephen Hunt's retaken penalty drew the Royals level in the second half, but the excellent Luke Varney and Hameur Bouazza put Charlton back on top, before Sonko went from hero to villain by being sent off for a second booking late on.
The visitors started well and could have been in front early on when Liam Rosenior crossed from the right for Kevin Doyle but he failed to connect properly with the shot.
Minutes later Jimmy Kebe embarked on a teasing run down the right and jinked past Grant Basey into the box, only to see his shot saved well by Nicky Weaver at the near post.
Charlton eventually found their rhythm with Nicky Bailey instrumental and he found Bouazza on the left, who ghosted past Sonko into the box before sending a shot with the outside of his left foot agonisingly wide.
The Addicks were getting closer and duly went ahead after 25 minutes.
Yassin Moutaouakil's cross from the right fell to Bouazza, who passed to Varney and his deflected shot was parried by Hahnemann into the path of Holland - who tapped in for his first goal at The Valley in four years.
Reading were gifted a golden chance to get back into the game 10 minutes before the break when Moutaouakil bundled Doyle over in the box - but the Irishman smashed the penalty against the bar.
Five minutes later Sonko seemingly fouled Luke Varney outside the box but referee Lee Mason pointed to the spot and Andy Gray stroked the spot-kick home.
Charlton looked to be heading into the break in control, but Bobby Convey's teasing ball found Sonko - who headed in.
Reading immediately pressed for the equaliser after the break and were awarded a second penalty when the eagle-eyed Mason spotted a push by Jonathan Fortune on Leroy Lita.
This time Hunt stepped up and his tame penalty was saved by Weaver but the assistant referee adjudged the Charlton goalkeeper to be off his line and forced the penalty to be retaken.
Amid a chorus of boos from the home crowd, Hunt kept his nerve at the second attempt to clip the ball past Weaver.
The Charlton players appeared shell-shocked by the equaliser but gradually got into the game again and Varney sent in a deflected shot from outside the area which Hahnemann did well to palm over.
Varney was looking very bright and got the goal he deserved in the 69th minute when he met Lloyd Sam's cross from the right and directed a fine header past Hahnemann.
Three minutes later Charlton exerted their grip on the match once again as Moutaouakil clipped in an excellent ball to the far post where Bouazza had ghosted in unmarked - and he finished superbly on the volley.
Charlton were playing superb attacking football and Gray headed against the bar but was wrongly given offside anyway.
Seven minutes from time Sonko completed an eventful game by earning a second yellow for a foul on Bouazza and getting sent off.
Reading boss Steve Coppell brought on Noel Hunt in a last-ditch attempt to get back into the game.
The substitute made an immediate impact by heading against the bar - but the visitors couldn't find a way back.
Teams:
Charlton Weaver, Moutaouakil (Semedo 89), Hudson, Fortune,Basey, Sam (Ambrose 82), Bailey, Holland, Bouazza, Varney, Gray.
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Shelvey, Dickson.
Booked: Bouazza.
Goals: Holland 26, Gray 42 pen, Varney 69, Bouazza 72.
Reading Hahnemann, Rosenior, Sonko, Ingimarsson, Stephen Hunt,Kebe, Harper, Cisse, Convey (Noel Hunt 73), Doyle (Long 78),Lita (Pearce 85).
Subs Not Used: Federici, Kelly.
Sent Off: Sonko (84).
Booked: Sonko, Noel Hunt.
Goals: Sonko 45, Stephen Hunt 54 pen.
Att: 20,020
Ref: Lee Mason (Lancashire).
STAT ATTACK
Charlton,,,,,Reading
10 Shots On Target 5
3 Shots Off Target 5
3 Fouls (Conceded) 10
4 Corners 7
1 Yellow Cards 2
0 Red Cards 1
0
Comments
CHARLTON thumped Reading in a classic Championship encounter that, for 90 minutes at least, made us forget our golden Olympic heroes.
Maybe the criticism levelled at our pampered overpaid England players was justified in midweek with that lacklustre performance against the Czech Republic.
But here, no one could doubt the honest endeavours from both camps — even though we had a suspect refereeing performance from Lee Mason.
We had everything at The Valley of Entertainment — and no wonder the Sky TV boys went home happy.
Six goals, three penalties — one retaken — and a late sending off to boot. The 20,000-odd Charlton fans had been waiting for this super show for months — including their manager Alan Pardew.
Luke Varney finally repaid some of the £2.5million transfer fee splashed out on him by his boss, which is why he raced into Pardew’s arms following the third goal.
Pards said: “Reading’s second goal from that retaken penalty seemed to spur us on — and after that we were awesome. We just didn’t accept that we would get beaten today.
“Nicky Bailey was outstanding, considering he is not long out of the non-League — and he justified every penny of the £400,000 we paid Southend. We were strong in every department — Varney was brilliant.”
Reading played their part in this thrilling, open encounter but their defence looked as dodgy as the Chinese taekwondo judges.
Credit
They fought back from 2-0 down to draw level early in the second half — only to throw it all away.
Boss Steve Coppell groaned: “I don’t think anyone can look at themselves and say, ‘I did well today’.
“When we got back to 2-2, I thought the momentum would be with us — yet all credit to Charlton, who came back strong and really got at us. But we didn’t defend well.”
Matt Holland gave the Addicks the lead on 25 minutes with a simple tap-in after keeper Marcus Hahnemann failed to hold Varney’s deflected shot.
Reading were presented with their first penalty on 34 minutes after Yassin Moutaouakil felled Kevin Doyle, who duly thumped his spot kick against the bar.
Charlton were on fire and took a 2-0 lead four minutes from the break after the official pointed to the spot again when Ibrahima Sonko had pushed Varney in the box.
Andy Gray showed Doyle how it should be done — firing home the penalty. But Reading soon replied with a goal themselves right on the half-time break with Sonko leaping to head home Bobby Convey’s cross.
The visitors drew level on 54 minutes when Mason stunned the home fans again with yet another penalty decision.
This time Jonathan Fortune was pulled up for shoving Leroy Lita.
But Stephen Hunt let his side down when he hit his spot kick straight at Nicky Weaver.
Retake
An eagle-eyed linesman came to Reading’s rescue when he spotted the keeper had moved — and Hunt was successful with the retake.
Pardew said: “The referee told me he had acted in the letter of the law but it seemed madness for me because we will see keepers move a million times this season.”
But Charlton did not let their heads drop — and Varney put them ahead on 68 minutes with a wonderful header from Lloyd Sam’s centre.
And to cap an amazing afternoon, Hameur Bouazza fired home a sizzling volley to make it 4-2 home on 71 minutes.
The thrills and spills did not end there — and Sonko saw red for fouling Bouazza six from time.
Charlton confirmed last night that they are to re-sign their former defender Leroy Primus from Portsmouth.
Pardew said: “The fans just love him here.”
Charlton 4 Reading 2
Goals from Matt Holland, Andy Gray, Luke Varney and Hameur Bouazza gifted Alan Pardew a win to savour over his former employers as Steve Coppell’s visitors were left to rue a host of mistakes and missed opportunities - including a Kevin Doyle penalty.
Holland ended a four-year barren spell in front of goal when he put the hosts ahead after 26 minutes.
Then, after 34 minutes, Reading striker Doyle was awarded the first of three penalties during the game by referee Lee Mason, after being bundled over in the area by Yassin Moutaouakil.
However, the Ireland international, clearly distracted by the recent transfer speculation surrounding his future at the club, missed the chance to put the visitors on level terms as his spot-kick thundered off the crossbar.
Five minutes before the interval, in a bid to appease the home fans, Mason again pointed to the spot following defender Ibrahima Sonko’s challenge on Varney. Andy Gray succeeded where Doyle failed, to put Charlton further ahead.
Sonko, who was to have a mixed day, atoned for his earlier error, however, heading Bobby Convey’s cross past goalkeeper Nicky Weaver, giving Reading a glimmer of hope going into the break.
Stephen Hunt put Coppell’s men back on level terms, with the third penalty of the day, following Jonathan Fortune’s foul on former Charlton loanee Leroy Lita. He had to take it twice, but Hunt grabbed the equaliser after 53 minutes.
Varney’s header restored Charlton’s lead 16 minutes later before Bouazza’s stunning volley put the gloss on Charlton’s second home win of the season.
Sonko compounded Reading’s woes after he was dismissed following a second bookable offence moments before the final whistle.
Yes, i'm sure that was his main concern as he stepped up to take the pen............