Just back from the game and still trying to work out what happened - it was almost surreal....
Early in the game we looked good, then lost our way - but trying to play football on a pock-marked pitch like that isn't easy (at times we looked very poor and directionless). Oldham asserted themselves and we all knew it would be a tough day...then things took a turn for the worse with Hollands' sending off - which may well have had no malice, but it was a daft tackle to make and would obviously get him into trouble. When this came to pass, the team wilted a little and us fans were fearing the worst as a tough challenge had just got a lot tougher....
When the ref showed a second yellow to one of their man-mountains, we felt that the pendulum had just swung back in our favour and the players and fans were lifted. We then got into the game and great work by Wiggy (and a superb cross) met the one and only Super Yann (TM) who finished superbly despite the close attention of a defender - what can you say, the man is a Charlton warrior and has been a talisman for us this season. Quite frankly, I love the man and I don't think I am alone!
We pushed forward a bit more, but then Oldham recovered from their goal induced daze and really put us under pressure. I remember looking at my watch and thinking 'there is no way we can stand another 25 odd minutes of this'. Thankfully, I was wrong. The sending off of Waggy (who had just been getting the cheers from the fans following some great dogged harassing of their defenders to keep the ball in their half) was simply ridiculous and even the Oldham fans seemed to agree. TBH, CP did well not to have gone completely apeshit at that decision as by then both sets of fans were after the ref's blood...Another look at the watch and hanging on for the result looked even more impossible, but the players had different ideas.....they were resolute and unyielding and as they say in Scotland - 'they've got some stones'!
The celebrations with the players and with CP and his team at the end were great and, not for the first time, all a bit emotional. One aim!
P.S Oldham's ground is so ramshackle, you think that bits of it are going to fall off during the game. AND they ran out of tea at half time - that's not civilised. They are nice fans, but I really won't miss going back there, which is how I am hoping things are going to pan out!
Oh, and forgot to mention the comedy linesman in the first half that never actually seemed to look at the player with the ball and kept giving them throw ins after they had run the ball out of play or it had clearly struck an Oldham player before going out. Where the hell do they find these people...was he doing work experience or something?
Poor game, not a great performance but did what we needed to do. Not too chuffed with our tactics after taking the lead of sitting so deep but Powell knows what he's doing. Thought he was going to give a speech at the end when he walked over so slowly! Great day, chuffed to be there and although the referee was unbelievably awful (nonE of the red cards were justified) he did make a terrible game more interesting.
Now for a night out in Manchester to get bongoed......
Don't care if it turned out to be a rubbish game. Don't care if the ref ruined it. Don't care if we didn't play 'all that'.
That win was all about cojones and team spirit. Togetherness gets you through a pressured, backs to wall away game, particularly when down in numbers and your rivals turning up the heat.
lol some great wanker signs behind hollands when he was sent off
Having analysed the footage extensively I can confer oohahhm... congratulations to the Mancunian synconised "wanker" team and good luck at the Olympics lads !
none of them were reds - from what i can make out from that video, hollands' one was was one-footed and did he win the ball? to be fair theirs wasnt a red and waggy's... there is nothing that can really be said about that! so all in all, it should have ended 11 vs 11
There have been a few times this season when we' ve pulled something out that seemed to lay down a marker for the rest, today was a bit different as we had to produce a reaction to curb the surge in Owlish enthusiasm. I've used the M word on those previous occasions, I'll probably get hung on Monday outside the North stand for uttering it, but this was massive.
Haven't seen any footage yet, but Danny H and Waggy are about the last people I'd expect to get sent off for thuggery. Back in our prem days, I was moaning to my Wycombe mate about Poll, Styles et al - he said just pray you don't end up with the idiots we get every week, boy did he get that one right.
Seen all 3 sending off now and out of all of them the only one I can understand is waggys, from where the ref is at first glance it could look like a clumsy tackle, yet it also looks like he wins the ball
The other 2 are shockers , we have to appeal Hollands
Havent seen to much priase for SCP, most managers would have panicked and put on JJ and BWP great decisions with hindsight, in SCP we trust , a true gentleman and CAFC legend....great battling perfomance, cant wait for Monday!! COYR
Don't usually comment if I didn't go, but listened on the Radio, and was so emotional with pride at the end - This to me is what Charlton was is about. SO PROUD TO BE A CHARLTON FAN AGAIN!!! (Wish I could've gone, that'll be one of the games to remember in years to come)
Havent seen to much priase for SCP, most managers would have panicked and put on JJ and BWP great decisions with hindsight, in SCP we trust , a true gentleman and CAFC legend....great battling perfomance, cant wait for Monday!! COYR
BRILLIANT tactical subs and decisions it has to be said.
Just got back and haven't read the other postings yet but wanted to say what absolute heroes those players were. They battled and fought and ran their bloody hearts out for the cause and scored a beauty of a goal too. Would have been even better if Kermy's long range effort had gone in as well. As I'm sure others will have said, another absolute joke of a ref and a linesman who couldn't even see the ball go out of play when it happened right in front of him (twice!). I lost count of the bookings (5 or 6?), most of them for innocuous challenges, and two of the sendings off were totally undeserved. It wasn't even a dirty game.
Comments
great deep cross by wiggy for kermo to finish
b'mouth goal at sheff utd was funny keeper thru it into the back of b'mouth striker who was running past him, just turned around and finished
Good cross from Wiggy and good goal by Yann the Man.
Looked like 3 clear non-sendings off.
And Waggy's the biggest joke of the lot.
The referee's ineptitude (great word, BDL !) proven with 9 yellow cards and 3 reds.
Early in the game we looked good, then lost our way - but trying to play football on a pock-marked pitch like that isn't easy (at times we looked very poor and directionless). Oldham asserted themselves and we all knew it would be a tough day...then things took a turn for the worse with Hollands' sending off - which may well have had no malice, but it was a daft tackle to make and would obviously get him into trouble. When this came to pass, the team wilted a little and us fans were fearing the worst as a tough challenge had just got a lot tougher....
When the ref showed a second yellow to one of their man-mountains, we felt that the pendulum had just swung back in our favour and the players and fans were lifted. We then got into the game and great work by Wiggy (and a superb cross) met the one and only Super Yann (TM) who finished superbly despite the close attention of a defender - what can you say, the man is a Charlton warrior and has been a talisman for us this season. Quite frankly, I love the man and I don't think I am alone!
We pushed forward a bit more, but then Oldham recovered from their goal induced daze and really put us under pressure. I remember looking at my watch and thinking 'there is no way we can stand another 25 odd minutes of this'. Thankfully, I was wrong. The sending off of Waggy (who had just been getting the cheers from the fans following some great dogged harassing of their defenders to keep the ball in their half) was simply ridiculous and even the Oldham fans seemed to agree. TBH, CP did well not to have gone completely apeshit at that decision as by then both sets of fans were after the ref's blood...Another look at the watch and hanging on for the result looked even more impossible, but the players had different ideas.....they were resolute and unyielding and as they say in Scotland - 'they've got some stones'!
The celebrations with the players and with CP and his team at the end were great and, not for the first time, all a bit emotional. One aim!
P.S Oldham's ground is so ramshackle, you think that bits of it are going to fall off during the game. AND they ran out of tea at half time - that's not civilised. They are nice fans, but I really won't miss going back there, which is how I am hoping things are going to pan out!
Poor game, not a great performance but did what we needed to do. Not too chuffed with our tactics after taking the lead of sitting so deep but Powell knows what he's doing. Thought he was going to give a speech at the end when he walked over so slowly! Great day, chuffed to be there and although the referee was unbelievably awful (nonE of the red cards were justified) he did make a terrible game more interesting.
Now for a night out in Manchester to get bongoed......
Haven't seen any footage yet, but Danny H and Waggy are about the last people I'd expect to get sent off for thuggery. Back in our prem days, I was moaning to my Wycombe mate about Poll, Styles et al - he said just pray you don't end up with the idiots we get every week, boy did he get that one right.
I am shi***** my pants.
I am the alter ego of nla.
Simple as ... we won it.
I last went their over 20 years ago ... it was bleeding freezing , i sincerely hope its at least another 20 years before i go back again.
M6 toll road is awesome by the way!!
We're going up, and going up as Champions.
The other 2 are shockers , we have to appeal Hollands
, a true gentleman and CAFC legend....great battling perfomance, cant wait for Monday!! COYR
wasis about. SO PROUD TO BE A CHARLTON FAN AGAIN!!! (Wish I could've gone, that'll be one of the games to remember in years to come)Hope those who play on Monday recover in time!