As is tradition for Boxing Day football, a local derby, a short trip for supporters and easy travel arrangements awaits football fans up and down the country. But not for Charlton fans. A 380 mile round trip from Preview Towers, taking in the delights of Stonehenge and the M3 on the way to Yeovil is not the most welcoming prospect after a day of over indulgence, but let’s hope the Charlton team don’t leave their gloves on and give us all a belated Christmas present.
Hovering just above the relegation zone, Yeovil have only won once in their last six games at home and are on average conceding 1.5 goals per game down at Huish Park, whereas the Addicks are scoring over 1.8 goals away from The Valley.
With three games in quick succession, the Christmas and New Year period is always seen as pivotal, and a decent haul of points will set us up nicely going into the January transfer window where activity is expected. After a frustrating draw with Oldham (following an equally frustrating draw with Walsall) last time out, people bemoaned the lack of spark available from the bench with the likes of Wagstaff lacking the impetus many hoped, and the absence of a BWP alternative.
There are no questions about the defence (still the best in the league, 0.76 goals conceded a game), and the back five is likely to be the only aspect of the XI that stays constant throughout the next three games (injury dependant), yet you’d expect rotations in the rest of the team as 3 games in a week takes its toll. That being said, I fully expect the team that started against Oldham to hold firm and start down at Yeovil to try and get the mini-run off to the best possible start. The prospect of Johnnie Jackson returning in some capacity for the East End derby against Orient on New Year’s Eve is welcome and will provide options at a later date.
Yeovil is not an easy place to go, let alone 24 hours after Christmas. Minds can be elsewhere and players can be fed up about making a ridiculous journey on Boxing Day, but they’ll be over 800 Addicks fans there making the same journey hoping for a win. Which they’ll get. Just. 1-0 to Charlton.
Come on you reds!
Other Key Boxing Day Fixtures
Leyton Orient v MK Dons
Huddersfield v Chesterfield
Walsall v Sheffield Wed
Sheffield Utd v Notts County (27th)
Comments
Very annoyed I won't be able to get to Yeovil this time..........good luck and have a great day to those of you who can.
My general recollection of Boxing Day away fixtures are not very good I'm afraid...........I'm convinced that over the years we don't seem to have a very good record .
not sure how strong the yeovil side was against fleetwood town in the fa cup last week but they were junk
so i'd be disappointed with anything less than a win
with sheff wed having a tricky local derby at walsall we may get a chance to open the gap
0-2 comfotable addicks win
2-1 to us goals from Kermit and that lazy fecker BWP
*But it's closed - I just rung them, Rose and Crown.
Next 5 league games, Yeovil, Orient, Brentford and the 2 Sheffs. Big time in the season for us.
3-0 green kermit and bwp
Folkestone v Hythe for me.
Think we'll nick a scrappy win, Danny Green to get his first with a free-kick
jimmymelrose is back from France for this one so best we can hope for is a draw