@AlexAnder sums up the action from last night's encounter
After going a fortnight without a game, football came back to The Valley in some style. A highly charged and competitive game was once again won by Johnnie Jackson, who coolly slotted away two spot kicks in a matter of minutes.
On a night where the top six teams in the division faced each other, Charlton knew that a win against promotion chasing MK Dons was vital in order to keep some distance between them and the two Sheffield clubs.
With Charlton attacking towards their favoured Covered End in the first half rather than the usual second, the game started with both teams cancelling each other out. MK Dons moved the ball well, with Stephen Gleeson at the heart of the Dons fluid play. Chris Powell's men opted for a more direct style of play, whilst still maintaining the neat football that has reaped rewards so far this season.
MK Dons began to assert their authority on the game as the half hour mark passed, but an off the ball incident moments before half time between Yann Kermogant and Gary McKenzie resulted in the Dons defender seeing red, and left one man to take centre stage again. The set piece specialist stepped up to drill the ball low into the net past David Martin.
Charlton came forward again, and after what surely would have been goal of the season from Danny Green - a thirty yard strike which appeared destined for the top right hand corner before it fell back into Jackson's path. Alan Smith foolishly brought down Jackson. The clumsy foul left the skipper to his duties again. The outcome was never in doubt as this time he swept his second spot kick into the opposite corner to give Charlton a commanding lead at the break.
The second half was more frustrating for the home crowd. They wanted to see their team push on for more goals, but instead the home side seemed to sit back on what they had.
For all their approach play, MK Dons didnt really threaten the Charlton goal enough to have Powell making drastic changes to his side. Three minutes from time the Dons were rewarded for their much improved second half display, as Dean Bowditch cleverly curled a shot into Ben Hamer's right hand corner. The goal left the 15,000 strong crowd a little anxious as the game entered injury time. A succession of corners and long free kicks from Karl Robinson's side were sternly dealt with by the Charlton back line, who, until two weeks ago against Bury, had gone nearly eight hours without conceding in the league.
A win on Saturday at Tranmere would see the table toppers equal Alan Curbishley's all time record of 12 away league wins. Chris Powell's men will be hoping that another determined performance away from home will help them to pull level with this record.
Comments
Yann: Je ne sais pas!
Another fine report @AlexAnder.
"Oh monsieur Kermagant I can't resist you anymore"
I loved the picture. "Butter wouldn't melt in his mouth" Big Yann. Love it. :-)