Incredible defensive performance. They kept coming at us, and each time our boys put their bodies on the line.
Some old fool outside the ground asked me "do your lot play that bad every week".....the truth is, he will not see another team with nine men hold a 1-0 lead away from home like that in this division the way we did.
It's going to be Carlisle. I can feel it in my waters!
Posting having had overnight to sleep on yesterday's incredible goings on in the Battle of Boundary Park without reading any earlier posts or the OS so as not to pejudice my views. The first eyebrow raiser was the omission of BWP from the starting line up but not perhaps that surprising in the wake of DNG's injection of pace and strength against Orient. Maybe SCP knew his more physical presence was required but little did he know what was to unravel over the next 100 minutes! The game started off scrappily with both sides seeking one another out Charlton showing some nice touches but not troubling the keeper whilst Oldham were not there just to make up the numbers and the old wylie Shefti Kuqi always looking likely to create something. Hamer had to deal with a couple of long range efforts straight at him. No quarter was given by either side and a few bookings were dished out for robustness of tackle by the opposition whereas Waggy's 1st for his team was due to poor miscontrol towards his own goaline where he had his pocket picked and had no option but to bring the oppo down just outside the box. Then came the 1st sending off after half an hour? in. A poor left footed clearance by Hamer ultimately led to loss of possession over the half way line and Hollands went in firmly on the ground difficult to see if he left the ground but looked one footed. The crowd bayed for blood Mr Kettle obliged and off he went. Five? minutes later Yann was assaulted mid air by their CH and Mr Kettle decided to even things up 2nd yellow (I didn't recall the 1st). The half petered out with both sides looking for half time to regroup and advice from their managers how best to play 2nd half. Mr Kettle left the field to a crescendo of boos but this was only a taster of what was to come! The 2nd period was not long underway when DNG put Wiggy away down the left and his delicious cross was, met by the one player you would put your life on to score with his head..............SuperYANN and he duly obliged. Adiicks 1-0; now all we had to do was see out the next 44 minutes with the best defence in the league, for yet another grind out win on the road. Players continued to get shown yellow cards but it was not a dirty game, physical yes, committed yes, niggly yes but card after card never! Inevitably somebody else was going off and unlickily it was Waggy. He slid into a challenge got the ball and his momentum carried him into Firmin? who got caught but a bookable offence? never in a million years. I listened to Robbie Savage on 5 live on the way home and on this occasion I had to agree with him that referees know the laws of the game but do not KNOW the game. It's a physical contact sport but not according to Mr Kettle...........please do me a favour resign cos you ain't got a clue! Thirty minutes to go with nine men we feared the worst but don't ever underestimate the spirit of this group of players none of whom would have been out of place at Rourkes Drift (call for Off_it ). The Manager stepped up to the plate as well with inspired substitutions of fresh legs Pritchard for DNG and Taylor for Cook to make the average height of the brick wall of red shirts taller and stonger. The 500 travelling diehards played their part too encouraging every tackle and defensive header by the thin red line. Everything was thrown at them but that was the mistake the centre backs and keeper gobbled it all up and in the words of Oliver Twist seemed to be saying 'Can we have some more please'! Eventually, which seemed like 10 minutes of 5 minutes declared injury time, the final whistle went and we had overcome the altitude (one of the highest grounds in England), the P*ss Pot (Boundary Park) and man in black Mr Kettle. This was not a game for the purist with little football to enthuse over but what a dogged, spirited performance by the Champions elect. Onto Walsall now and hopefully some football to watch. COYR!
I am still buzzing from yesterday. This team just do not give up.Very impressed with Dale yesterday stepped up when Hollands went off and was the man talking to the players when Waggy saw red as well.
Wiggins MOM although after a performance like that is hard to pick anyone out as you feel that what CP says is so true "we win together and lose together.
After Dickov's program notes and after match comments i am starting to like him.
Cheers @Deadred and all the others at the game for adding your thoughts, much appreciated.
No problem 'Boss' always glad to be of assistance. Incidentally when was the last time we finished a game with 9 men? When Killer and Flash got sent off for fighting one another in 1979 maybe V Maidstone Utd in a 3rd round FA Cup tie?
Bristol rovers away last year wasn't it? Can't remember ever being so frustrated at a game
As for yesterday I'm still buzzing great win after grinding out the result. Yann the Mann was destined to score after a beaut of a cross from rhoys. Great team performance.
roseandcrown - I've seen Dickov's post match interview, but what did he say in his programme notes?
Said how well CP had done this year and that we shoudl at the very least be in the Championship as we are a MASSIVE club with great support. Had nothing but god things to say about CP.
What a game yesterday, something to make you proud to be a Charlton supporter, talking about the support, I thought it was great yesterday, especially after the second sending off, thought the 5 minutes or so after the final whistle was really something. Also didn't see any Charlton supporters leaving early, got to be a first?
So much grit in this team, you can see the desire to get promoted. If we show that determination every week we will pass that line sooner rather than later. I would like one more "easy" win before the end of the season, the results lately are making me grey! So lets hope for that on Monday....
We never never do it the easy way, but such a sweet sweet ending and brilliant 2nd half support, we really were the 10th man. Brilliant to see how much it mattered, all the team congratulating Hamer at the end, lots of work defending so many crosses in the last 20 minutes. Brilliant atmosphere when Sir Chris walked to us at the end. The reds are going up !
The tension was unbelieveable, I thought the game at the Massives was bad enough but this was something else. The final back line of 5 complimented by Pritchard Stephens and Yann closing down anyone carrying the ball into our half meant they just kept jumping long balls in and Leon Cort especially was a mountain. We cleared our lines with great efficiency.
Stephens and Yann both nearly caught their keeper off his line with long range efforts from the half way line, icing on the cake if they had gone in.
6 points is all we need, have said to Ms Lat that Carlisle will be the promotion game, so glad she is able to come to the game
And it was a great pleasure to share unbounded joy and relief with the players and management pitch side at the end of the game, SCP was clearly overwhelmed, along with everyone else
The tension was unbelieveable, I thought the game at the Massives was bad enough but this was something else. The final back line of 5 complimented by Pritchard Stephens and Yann closing down anyone carrying the ball into our half meant they just kept jumping long balls in and Leon Cort especially was a mountain. We cleared our lines with great efficiency.
Stephens and Yann both nearly caught their keeper off his line with long range efforts from the half way line, icing on the cake if they had gone in.
6 points is all we need, have said to Ms Lat that Carlisle will be the promotion game, so glad she is able to come to the game
And it was a great pleasure to share unbounded joy and relief with the players and management pitch side at the end of the game, SCP was clearly overwhelmed, along with everyone else
COYR
Was Keithie there? Would loved to have seen their faces at the end.
Wow Deadred's report was so comprehensive it's hard to follow it. Agree with all he said. Would add that Cort was absolutely immense and won every header. Great cameos by Pritchard and Taylor at end. Thought Cook did really well in the midfield and has impressed me the last two games. Wiggins back to his best. Is Green fit as not on the bench?
Finally as mentioned magnificent support. Made the long trip worthwhile. Have so much faith in the defence that in my mind I never thought they would equalise, unless Kettle gave them a pen. 3 bad refs in a row, must be due a homer tomorrow? Will be a tough game and we need a break I think, Yann on his knees at end as given everything.
Anyone else notice that a couple of the blokes giving it to Hollands were clearly Stewards - Yellow Jackets and photo I.D's flapping about as they gave the wrist salute. Doesn't reflect very well on Oldham.
Imagine being a Shefield fan yesterday ... Wednesday gaining three points on us and Sheff U then the Oldham game unfolding, we lose a player hopes rise, they lose a player, hopes fade, we score a goal fade further, we lose a man hopes rise
United win Wednesday still in third, but surely charlton can't hold out, Charlton win. Table stays as it was this morning ... except one gamne less 5 to go and Charlton have three at home and two away one of which against Preston. Both Sheffields focus on 2nd, Wednesday crapping selves
Udders fans meanwhile buying play off branded razor blades
Posting before going back to look at the other posts. I thought it was a game which we pretty much controlled the whole time. Oldham were poor. They huffed and puffed but just couldn't blow the house down. Of course the referee affected the game big time. Don't know how it would have turned out without all the disruptions but, as it was, I couldn't see Oldham scoring in a month of Sundays.
I must admit I was relieved when their big lump at the back got his red card. He could have been a handful for Yann who pretty much could do what he wanted after that. I just felt Chris knew what he needed to do to win this. The quality in the first half was poor but I felt Chris just wanted to contain them. The goal just after half time was just what the doctor ordered and from then on it was containment again which worked pretty well. There were a couple of nervy moments but Hamar never really had a difficult save to make.
I thought both the Hollands and Waggy sending offs were harsh. The Charlton crowd were immense. Only 600 odd but felt like more. The drummers excelled. Finally, I thought the pitch was actually pretty good. After looking through the match thread I couldn't understand the comments about that. The ground really is a s***hole though. :-)
I wont forget the passage of play when Yann was bundled off the ball towards the dug out and received treatment off the pitch whilst Kettle waved play on. For the next minute we only had EIGHT!
THEY LITERALLY THREW HIM BACK ON THE PITCH.
No wonder he lay in a heap for about 2 minutes after the final whistle' he must have run miles for the cause especially the second half. A true warrior.
Comments
Some old fool outside the ground asked me "do your lot play that bad every week".....the truth is, he will not see another team with nine men hold a 1-0 lead away from home like that in this division the way we did.
It's going to be Carlisle. I can feel it in my waters!
Wiggins MOM although after a performance like that is hard to pick anyone out as you feel that what CP says is so true "we win together and lose together.
After Dickov's program notes and after match comments i am starting to like him.
Llera in the last minute!
As for yesterday I'm still buzzing great win after grinding out the result. Yann the Mann was destined to score after a beaut of a cross from rhoys. Great team performance.
Radio reception went just after the sending off it was so fristrating, did not know the result till just after 5.
Great performance by the team, the line is beckoning and this is one line we are all allowed to cross
Stephens and Yann both nearly caught their keeper off his line with long range efforts from the half way line, icing on the cake if they had gone in.
6 points is all we need, have said to Ms Lat that Carlisle will be the promotion game, so glad she is able to come to the game
And it was a great pleasure to share unbounded joy and relief with the players and management pitch side at the end of the game, SCP was clearly overwhelmed, along with everyone else
COYR
Finally as mentioned magnificent support. Made the long trip worthwhile. Have so much faith in the defence that in my mind I never thought they would equalise, unless Kettle gave them a pen. 3 bad refs in a row, must be due a homer tomorrow? Will be a tough game and we need a break I think, Yann on his knees at end as given everything.
United win Wednesday still in third, but surely charlton can't hold out, Charlton win. Table stays as it was this morning ... except one gamne less 5 to go and Charlton have three at home and two away one of which against Preston. Both Sheffields focus on 2nd, Wednesday crapping selves
Udders fans meanwhile buying play off branded razor blades
I must admit I was relieved when their big lump at the back got his red card. He could have been a handful for Yann who pretty much could do what he wanted after that. I just felt Chris knew what he needed to do to win this. The quality in the first half was poor but I felt Chris just wanted to contain them. The goal just after half time was just what the doctor ordered and from then on it was containment again which worked pretty well. There were a couple of nervy moments but Hamar never really had a difficult save to make.
I thought both the Hollands and Waggy sending offs were harsh. The Charlton crowd were immense. Only 600 odd but felt like more. The drummers excelled. Finally, I thought the pitch was actually pretty good. After looking through the match thread I couldn't understand the comments about that. The ground really is a s***hole though. :-)
Will start collecting the votes from your S/T books #CAFC tomorrow... @CAFC_RoD & # #LibSE7. Who You gonna vote for ?
THEY LITERALLY THREW HIM BACK ON THE PITCH.
No wonder he lay in a heap for about 2 minutes after the final whistle' he must have run miles for the cause especially the second half. A true warrior.