Club Trip To The Valley To See Charlton V Reading
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9th Apr 2007 |
Barclays Premiership
Result: Charlton 0 Reading 0
Match Date: Mon 09 Apr 2007
Attendance: 26271
Venue:The Valley
The Clubs first trip to see a Barclays Premiership Match was on a calm Monday evening in April at The Valley. Over eighty Club Members including Players, Committee and Parents enjoyed their night out. Pity the game was a bit of a non event as both teams were scared of losing the match.
MATCH REPORT BELOW
Charlton inched their way further clear of the relegation zone on Monday night - but they had to be content with a point against Reading.
A second successive scoreless stalemate lifted Alan Pardew's side to 32 points and only the woodwork denied them heaping more pressure on their relegation rivals.
Talal El Karkouri came closest on the night when his powerful header from a Darren Ambrose free-kick crashed down off the underside of the bar before being scrambled clear.
Reading's best moment came when Korean midfielder Seol Ki-Hyeon forced his way through the middle but Scott Carson made a fine save and both sides also spurned decent late headed chances through Stephen Hunt, and then Zheng Zhi.
Hunt sent a diving header spinning just wide six minutes from time and Zheng could only head straight at Marcus Hahnemann in injury time as the Addicks pressed for a late winner.
So, another point to the Valley tally and an unbeaten run that now stretches to six games.
And with his side impenetrable at the back following a fourth successive shut-out, Pardew, who lost both Hermann Hreidarsson and Marcus Bent to injury in the opening half hour, will be looking for a slice of added offence from his side.
Some seven hours and nine minutes have passed since Damien Francis netted for Watford on March 3rd - and even more at The Valley since Frank Lampard struck for Chelsea exactly a month earlier - and it's such miserly form that has stabilised the goal difference column and added a couple more points over the pivotal Easter weekend.
Now it's over to the attackers ahead of Sunday's tricky trip to Everton where, for the second successive game, the Addicks will have the exact top-flight landscape in front of them ahead of kick-off.
It's still very much all to play for with five matches remaining and after that Goodison Park trip on Sunday afternoon closest rivals Sheffield United loom on the horizon.
Their destiny is still in their own hands, but what price a draw at Bramall Lane on Saturday?
After a Good Friday saw Charlton move out of the bottom three for the first time since September, Charlton were looking for a magic Monday to further enhance their position of safety ahead of kick-off.
Former Royals boss Alan Pardew made just one change from the 0-0 draw at Manchester City.
Darren Ambrose shrugged off his bruised bone to make a starting return on the right of midfield and Amdy Faye made way with Zheng moving into a more central role.
Pardew looked set to start with a 4-4-2 formation with Marcus Bent, who played wide on the right at the City of Manchester Stadium, partnering skipper Darren Bent up front.
Ben Thatcher was back on the bench after missing the last four games with a knee injury as Pardew kept faith with a defence that had kept three successive clean sheets.
Matt Holland was also back on the bench after missing out in Manchester and Kevin Lisbie and Dennis Rommedahl offered added attacking options in reserve.
Unbeaten in the last five matches the Addicks knew they could pile on the pressure on all their relegation rivals with a fourth straight home win.
With Sheffield United and West Ham United without a game, Charlton were safe regardless of the result but a win would heap further pressure on flagging Fulham and wavering Wigan Athletic.
Reading boss Steve Coppell sprung something of a surprise by opting to field Shane Long up front alongside England U21 ace Leroy Lita.
Kevin Doyle, who netted in the 2-0 Reading win earlier this season, was on the bench together with Dave Kitson while keeper Marcus Hahnemann shrugged off a hip injury to take his place between the posts.
Souleymane Diawara got across well to block an effort from Lita with less than 40 seconds on the clock with the home fans in good voice, warmed up as they were by a Freddie Mercury tribute act ahead of kick-off.
Lita then swung one of his bright yellow boots at a shot on three minutes with the ball flying high and wide.
But it was the Addicks who were a whisker away from drawing first blood on five minutes.
A foul from Hunt on Marcus Bent on the right offered the Addicks a free-kick and Ambrose's set-piece picked out a totally unmarked El Karkouri as the visitors switched off.
The Moroccan's header was firm but it crashed down off the underside of the bar before being hacked to safety.
There were initial appeals that the ball had crossed the line but television replays clearly showed it had not.
Nonetheless it was a positive moment and Alexandre Song showed some great skills when on the deck to hold onto the ball after slipping when in possession.
El Karkouri, back in his own box, got a second good headed clearance in as many moments as the visitors tried to get the ball in from their left
Lita was warned by referee Graham Poll after vehemently protesting a decision that went against him while Andre Bikey was well placed to clear after Hreidarsson had headed El Karkouri's deep free-kick back across the dangerzone.
Song's wild trip on Steve Sidwell earned him the first yellow card of the afternoon on 15 minutes and the Reading man, far from happy at the challenge, went toe-to-toe with his red-shirted rival.
The hosts broke quickly from the resulting free-kick but Darren Bent's deflected low cross was held by Hahnemann.
Then a slick interchange between Young, Zheng and Song saw the Cameroon midfielder open up the Royals rearguard on 20 minutes.
Young was the recipient of a fine slide-rule pass and cut inside before seeing his low drive saved by the visiting custodian.
As the 21st minute ticked by it meant Charlton had not conceded a goal for six hours and that record remained intact by a further two minutes thanks mainly to Scott Carson.
On an evening that votes were being cast for the club's player of the season, the on-loan stopper produced a fine reaction save to beat away a drive from Seol after the Korean was allowed to run - and run - from midfield.
After a fine save came some bad news with Hreidarsson unable to continue with what looked to be a recurrence of his knee problem and his 24th-minute replacement, Thatcher, came on to a rapturous ovation.
The left-back has become a real crowd favourite in his short spell at the club but it was Reading who took the upper hand as the hosts regrouped and another timely intervention from El Karkouri foiled Lita after the Royals broke quickly.
The hosts were then forced to make a second change with just half an hour on the clock when Marcus Bent pulled up.
Matt Holland entered the fray with Zheng pushing forward from midfield.
After a lull in significant action James Harper collected a loose ball and drove wide 10 minutes before the interval.
Carson then flipped over a header from Sidwell six minutes later after the midfielder had got his head to a Hunt corner.
At the other end Darren Bent's touch sent Zheng scampering away on the left but he shot high into the Jimmy Seed Stand from the edge of the box.
As the board indicating an extra two minutes to be played was displayed Harper spun sharply near the edge of the box and shot over the bar.
When the action resumed after the interval Nicky Shorey's curling free-kick from the edge of the box, after El Karkouri was adjudged to have leaned on Lita, cannoned off the top of the wall and dropped behind.
The hosts had a far better chance six minutes in after some forceful play from Zheng.
The midfielder surged in from the left but the ball squirmed away from him and eventually landed at the feet of Darren Bent whose curling effort flew wide of the left upright.
Then, after an Ambrose cross was only half headed out, Zheng saw his drive clutched diving to his left by Hahnemann.
The action swiftly switched to the other end with the Romford-born Shorey powering through from his usual full-back position and sending in a drive that curled just the wrong side of Carson's upright.
It was all action stuff - at both ends - and Hunt's clever flick on the edge of the box teed up the excellent Sidwell whose drive fizzed inches wide on the hour with Carson scrambling across.
Hahnemann dashed off his line to clear ahead of Darren Bent as the striker attempted to latch on to Darren Ambrose's searching pass and the American keeper smothered at the feet of Zheng moments later as the Addicks started to knock at the door.
Kevin Lisbie replaced the hard-working Song on 69 minutes as Pardew rolled the dice for a final time.
The visitors were the next to threaten three minutes later and El Karkouri headed over his own bar after Seol's high looping header drew Carson off his line allowing Lita to cleverly hook the ball back in.
Then Thomas charged down the left and veered into the box only for his pull-back to be cut out by a hooped defender with Darren Bent licking his lips on the far side.
El Karkouri required attention after an off the ball collision with Lita and Sidwell shot horribly wide from range in the 77th minute.
Then, six minutes from time, the Royals spurned a great late chance.
Ulises De La Cruz swung in a cross from the right and the ball zipped up towards the far post leaving Hunt all alone.
The midfielder flung himself forwards to connect with a diving header and as everyone inside SE7 held their breaths, the ball dropped inches wide.
Lita spun and fired a low snapshot that posed little problem to Carson while at the other end Ambrose, with no support to his right had to cut back and warm the hands of Hahnemann with a stinging drive from the edge of the box.
The hosts were then offered another opening in the second of three added minutes at the end but Zheng could only place a free header straight at Hahnemann after a cross from the right had picked him out in space.
And that proved to be the last action of a lively affair with the hosts now enjoying some clear daylight at the foot of the table.
Charlton: Carson; Young, Hreidarsson (Thatcher 24), El Karkouri, Diawara; Ambrose, Zheng, Song (Lisbie 69), Thomas; M Bent ( Holland 30), D Bent.
Subs (not used): Randolph, Rommedahl.
Booked: Song 15 (foul on Sidwell)
Reading: Hahnemann; De La Cruz, Shorey, Bikey, Ingimarsson; Seol, Sidwell, Harper, Hunt; Long, Lita.
Subs (not used): Federici, Gunnarsson, Oster, Doyle, Kitson.
Attendance: 26,271