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Charlton v Doncaster | Fri 17 May | 7:45pm KO | Match Preview, Predictions, News & Views

Charlton Athletic (2) v (1) Doncaster Rovers
Friday 17th May 2019 ... 7:45pm Kick-Off
Referee: Gavin Ward (Surrey)

So how are your nerves after going through that roller coaster of emotions?

I imagine many like myself are still recovering from the emphatic win against Doncaster on Sunday, despite a slow start, goals from Lyle Taylor and Joe Aribo would give us an oh so important lead to take back to the Valley and so secure a win in the first leg of a Play-Off Semi-Final since the Ipswich Town victory in 1998 (for those desperately looking for inspiration)... Doncaster shouldnt be ruled out until the referee calls time on the match, they know what they must do, a single goal win can take it to extra-time and god forbid; penalties... a clear two goals and it is them that get to enjoy a trip to Wembley; the roller coaster of emotions that the Play-Offs evoke are only just getting warmed up, with an all but sold out Valley its a chance for the fans to truly become the twelfth man and so send us to a Play-Off Final for the first in twenty one years!!

Name: Doncaster Rovers | Manager: Grant McCann
Ground: Keepmoat Stadium

Doncaster should take heart from their defeat on Sunday afternoon; there have been five occasions in League One (or the Second Division before the renaming) where the home side have lost the first leg yet have still advanced to the Final... You have to go back to 2008 to find that last occurrence though: Leeds United would lose 2-1 at Carlisle United before getting rescuing the fixture at Brunton Park - To help Addicks nerves another 1-2 scoreline was recovered from in 2002, this time it would be Stoke City who would turn the fixture on its head and so enjoy a day out at Wembley.

Its clear though that Lee Bowyer isnt the sort of man to reflect on the history books, as proven at the Keapmoat on Sunday it was the Addicks who surprised everyone by altering their formation - Keeping John Marquis contained again will be one of the priorities for the Charlton Manager whilst Mallik Wilks will once again be a threat on the flanks, the fact that Doncaster have been able to call upon veteran: James Coppinger in fifty of their matches this season is nothing less than impressive, the 38-year old could be key to keeping his team mates calm in what'll be a game our opponents must win.

Oh and to genuinely calm Addicks nerves; Swindon Town were the last team to win 2-1 away from home in the opening leg, they achieved that feat in 2015 before going on to lose unfortunately at Wembley - The fact though their fans had to endure a 5-5 second leg against Sheffield United could hint towards some goals under the Valley floodlights.

Charlton Team News
In the first leg; Bowyer made the slightly surprising decision by naming Albie Morgan ahead of Jonny Williams (albeit justifying his decision prior to the match by wishing to stick with the team that had performed so admirably in recent weeks) - With so much on the cards its a change that you'd potentially expect to see happen this week, its a game when you want your best and experienced players, having played in the Semi-Final of a European Championships you'd expect a game like this to be simple for the calibre of a man like Williams (wry smile time)

Elsewhere; Chris Solly finally returns from his four match suspension (having earned his second red of the season against Oxford), Bowyer may well choose to stick with Anfernee Dijksteel who himself has performed to a high standard of late yet may choose to put Solly straight back into the team and freshen up the defence slightly - Josh Parker saved his best performance in a Charlton shirt for the encounter on Sunday lunchtime, despite pulling up midway through the second half with cramp its expected that the ex-Gillingham Striker will be fit to return to the line-up. Igor Vetokele remains a doubt with a thigh strain and is rumoured that his season is now well and truly over

Phillips
Solly | Bauer | Sarr | Purrington
Bielik | Cullen | Aribo
Williams
Taylor | Parker

Substitutes Bench: Maxwell | Pearce | Dijksteel | Forster-Caskey | Lapslie | Morgan | Pratley

Prediction
I sincerely hope that I have one more Match Preview to write, if this is it then its a pleasure as always but am going to make this section very simple - There is one question that Lee Bowyer should now be asking his players: Who they want to be facing next season; Do they want to making trips to Fulham and Stoke City... Or do they want to stay here in League One, sacrificing any potential glory, forever thinking what may have been and so face trips to the potential likes of Newport or Tranmere, thankfully for the time being its in our hands, now isnt the time for any slip ups!!
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Comments

  • Agree with your team FA except will he bring back Reeves on the bench instead of Lapslie. I have got to be confident and go for a 2-0 win
  • Great preview as ever ForeverAddickted .

    Come on .... , would Charlton let me down the day after my birthday ?


    4- 0 to us , @happyvalley shouldered around the pitch after the game by the Charlton players, Parker with a hat trick and a 35 yard screamer from Solly , after coming on from off the bench.


    A man can dream can't he .... Come On You Addicks !!!!

    Hope you get to enjoy your Birthday on Thursday
  • At Doncaster we played some of the most defensive stuff I’ve seen all season and still got out of there with two goals.

    I can’t see us scoring less than 2 at home, so by that reckoning Doncaster need 3 to tie it up.

    Gonna be a hell of a game.
  • Disappointed not to see a preview of the other semi final ;)
  • Disappointed not to see a preview of the other semi final ;)
    Can only waffle on so much before I draw the line ;)
  • I have a feeling we will take this 3-0, but trying to be more realistic, I’ll go for 2-2, Addicks through on aggregate 4-3. 
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  • A much tougher game than sunday.
    We squeeze through 2-1.
  • I think we stick with Arnie at right back. Can’t fault his performances since Solly’s suspension and he has the height to deal with Doncaster’s long balls
  • All the nerves in the stands, none on the pitch.

    2-0 Charlton.
  • I can see an unchanged team and a 3-1 win
  • 3-0 win . Parker with 2 and Morgan with the other .
  • I wouldn't change the team whatsoever. 
  • Great preview as always FA. 
    Hopefully one more to go before you can have a well deserved rest.
    I can't see Charlton scoring less than 2 in front of a packed valley. Do this and we can all start looking forward to a dark out at Wembley. 
  • I hope we don't just win, but that we go out there and show everyone how much better we are than Donny and lay down a marker to Sunderland/Pompey. We have nothing to fear from a fairly poor Donny side
  • Another 2-1
  • Can't see any reason to change the team, Aribo works best further up the pitch, while Dijksteel has been excellent.

    I hope we go back to the diamond formation though
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  • Please God a comfortable 2-0 to the Addicks with an early goal to settle the nerves
  • 1-0 to us.
  • finish the job started on Sunday .. then on to Wembley

    CAFC 2 v Doncaster Rovers 0
  • Id push Beliek into midfield. We look so much better when he's dictating the play, he has that natural ability to change the pace of an attack from central positions. 
    Agreed, can't see why Morgan wouldn't be involved from the off. 

    Him and Bielik link well

    Can't recall a much better midfield of Bielik, Cullen, Aribo and the in form Morgan in recent years. 
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