Much better. That's cheered me up. Full report when I get home. Stuck in traffic. Could be a while!!!!!!
Is funny what happens when the team is given a chance by the fans - No critism that I could hear and they put in an excellent performance that could have ended up 5-0 Part of me wonders what the game might have been like if Stevenage didnt have a game against Spurs coming up (i.e. players not wanting to get injured). I always said thats why we played poorly against Swindon (and lost 4-2, mean Parky lost his job) - Had we not had a fixture against Spurs coming up we'd probably have won
OK - here's the biggest laugh of the day - from the BBC Live feed. "Remarkable story emerging at Bournemouth. Russian co-owner's wife gave half-time team talk..." Did a lot of good, that.
Best performasnce since the early season 4 0 thumpings...Solly proved he should never of been left out at stevenage earlier in the season. We started with our best 11 and outclassed stevenage. BWP coulda had 4 but took his goal well and his alround performance was top notch. Very pleased funny though at full time all the football for a fivers on a jolly had left with all the away fans still in their seats. Hamer clapped pour fans in the south stand to see just a handful left
Just got home! Forgot what happens when 26000 turn up! Excellent second half. My marks: Hamer 9. Didn't have masses to do but by far and away his most assured performance in yonks. Solly 9. Showed how much we miss him when he's not there. Played against a team of giants and didn't allow himself to be bullied. Wiggins 8. Solid and did some good stuff going forward. Morro. 10. Nuff said! What a goal! Taylor. 9. I barely noticed him. Sign of a class act. Stephens. 7. Poor first half. Better second. Still prone to hit fancy fan passes without looking. Hollands 7. Can't decide whether he did a power of work that I didn't notice or whether he was anonymous! Excellent second half. Green 7. Brilliant and frustrating in equal measure. a couple of delicious crosses. A couple of chicken trackles one if which got him a sore face But tried hard and I really do like him unlike the two twats behind me who berated him all day. JJ 7 steadied the ship. Kermit. 10. I have never seen a more commanding aerial performance. Ever! And against a bunch of large bullies. When BWP gets fully on his wavelength someone will suffer BwP. 8. Tried his heart out. Got 1, should have had 4, could have had 6!! But he is getting into the positions again. Haynes. 7. Looks lively. Forced an excellent save. Pritchard. Only got 5 mins Stevenage were very disappointing. A team of very large cloggers. MK franchise, udders and Sheffield united all look way better. A nearly full valley. Nice to see even if it was full of plastics and kids. Didn't really get lively till we scored. Much happier than I expected to be tonight. We've remembered how to play! Pity we didn't get 6. We really should have done. Still pissed about Hayes. But a good day.
Huge relief to see us play as we did in the second half. We tore Stevenage apart and our superb defense never looked like conceding. Morro MOM for me, a commanding performance + THE goal!
What a result for the Addicks today! You won't see a better strike from a CB this season, Morrisons today was a absolute sreamer!! Could/Should of been 4-0+ Bwp missed 3/4 1on1s and a great chance from a header! Took his goal well though! Stevenage played the better the 1st half without creating no clear chances, we looked good on the break! 2nd half we looked a completely different team, dominated, played some brilliant football and throughly deserved the win! BWP was my Man of the Match! His off the ball play/runs was brilliant all game! Just lacked the composer with the chances he should of burried! But as long as he keeps getting in them positions i'm confident he'll go on another scoring run! Fingers crossed Sheff Wed win tomorrow so we can keep that 10 point lead! UP THE ADDICKS!!
Ybabobmij Absolute spot on with regard to the scores for each player. BWP tried his heart out and deserved more than the one he ended up with. The one he scored will give him confidence and chesterfield should be interesting. Yann was awesome and Morrison showed if anyone doubted that he is class above docherty at centre back. Good for the doc and hayes to score today for Wycombe but i would only want Hayes back. Watching solly today you cant understand how we didnt see the class he has before this season and he is one half of the glue that bind the team. Jacko although obviously not fully fit was the other half. Great for a packed valley to witness a really classy performance.
Great game and performance, best since the Preston game I think. Another report here: Charlton Athletic 2 - 0 Stevenage (25/02/12 - Match Report) A record-breaking crowd at The Valley witnessed a comprehensive Charlton victory over promotion rivals Stevenage. Bradley Wright-Phillips ended his extended goal drought after a Michael Morrison thunderbolt had given Charlton the lead shortly after the break. Thousands of fans took up the self-explanatory Football For A Fiver scheme, and the resulting crowd of 26,546 broke the 37-year-old Charlton record for attendances in the third tier of English football. The home supporters were not left disappointed, as a free-flowing Addicks side could’ve had many more than the two they notched, with Boro ‘keeper Chris Day producing a series of fine saves to keep the score respectable. Charlton immediately started on the front foot, boosted by some booming early support from the home stands. Rhoys Wiggins had a powerful drive charged down, before Danny Green nearly scored directly from an in-swinging corner, something he has been threatening to do throughout the season. Day had to be alive to claw the ball out of the top corner, with no one left on the back post. The match was a physical encounter, especially in the early stages. Stevenage top-scorer Chris Beardsley was taken off just 22 minutes in, after Charlton’s top marksman, Wright-Phillips, was the subject of lengthy treatment. The Addicks had begun to build up a head of steam, and this stoppage in play disrupted their dominance. Stevenage began to take control, former-Arsenal attacker Luke Freeman saw a shot deflected wide and shouts for a penalty fell on deaf ears after Yann Kermorgant looked to have tripped captain Mark Roberts. However, slightly against the run of play after 28 minutes, the hosts produced the move of the match. Goalkeeper Hamer sent the ball left to Wiggins, who brilliantly kept the ball in play before laying the ball off for Morrison. The towering centre back sent a cross-field pass long to Kermorgant, who nodded down for Green. His vicious cross was met from close range by Wright-Phillips, who could only send his effort inches over the bar. The expansive play being shown by the Addicks was something that has been missing from their performances recently, after a spell in October and November where the Addicks managed an impressive 19 goals in just 5 games, conceding three in the process. Wright-Phillips and Jackson failed to capitalise on half-chances, before the former was sent through by his tireless strike-partner Kermorgant on 36 minutes. Charlton’s Number 10 opted to lob the ‘keeper from the chipped pass, and saw the ball sail agonisingly over from inside the area. His frustration at failing to score again, after 14 games without a goal, was evident and he perhaps rued the opportunity to rifle the ball past the onrushing Day. Chris Powell’s men started the second half in magnificent fashion. After a corner had been half-cleared by the Stevenage defence, Morrison out-muscled his marker before unleashing a terrific half-volley into the top right-hand corner. That was the centre-back’s fifth league goal of the season, after joining from promotion rivals Sheffield Wednesday in the summer, and left the brimming Valley bouncing. Powell labelled the strike a “wonder goal”, and it set his team up for an inspired second half. 15 minutes later, Wright-Phillips finally ended his barren run with a deflected attempt. Stephens played him in with a precise low pass, before the front-man angled his drive across Day and into the goal via a deflection off Jonathan Ashton. The defender was charging back to clear the ball, but only helped in forcing it in when it appeared the initial strike was flashing wide. Wright-Phillips’ team-mates didn’t mind about the nature of the goal, however, as a full-team celebration emerged (minus the ‘keeper, Hamer) to revel in his break-through. The home faithful erupted into numerous chants for the striker, and the relief right throughout the club was clear to see. Green had cut in from the right and seen his left-footed drive flash past the post just moments before the goal, and seconds after it Wright-Phillips was sent clear again. He raced onto a lofted ball, but saw his drive beaten away. Wiggins then saw his fierce attempt saved, as opposition manager Gary Smith made a substitution to try and stem the flow of Addicks attacks. However, minutes later Wright-Phillips spurned another chance to increase his tally, opting for placement over power, but his shot was blocked by the legs of Day. A break in the Addicks dominance was found after a free kick was dubiously given against Green. The deep centre from Scott Laird was headed just off target by Roberts, and then Laird opted to shoot from a free-kick inside his own half after spotting Hamer well off his line. Fortunately for the Addicks ‘keeper, the attempt only succeeded in finding a section of the home crowd situated high-and-wide from the goal. Charlton skipper Jackson made way for pacey attacker Haynes shortly before full-time. The influential midfielder was making his first appearance since despatching two penalties against MK Dons three games ago, and his replacement Haynes also marked his return from injury here. Playing on his unfavoured left side of midfield, Haynes received the ball from goal-scorer Wright-Phillips, and jinked past two defenders before seeing his effort firmly stopped by Day. The ‘keeper then again denied Wright-Phillips, who could have easily scored a hat-trick if it weren’t for Day’s heroics in goal. The match ended with the Addicks playing five in midfield, after energetic midfielder Bradley Pritchard had replaced name-sake Wright-Phillips to allow the latter a deserved standing ovation, for what was a hard-worked performance. The final whistle brought an eruption of cheers from the 20,000+ home fans, in commemoration of one of the finest displays seen at The Valley for some months. The scoreline somewhat understated the hosts’ dominance over a team viewed as serious promotion contenders, although the result meant that Stevenage dropped out of the playoffs for the first time since early January. League leaders Charlton extended their advantage at the top to 10 points, although second placed Sheffield United visit Hillsborough for the Steel City derby on Sunday. With such a large cushion over any rival, Chris Powell looks set to lead his side to promotion come the end of the season. WG.
Quality report, Waddick. Nice one. I knew at half-time that we were going to win. Stevenage huffed and puffed but were never really on our level. The opera was superb again, and it was nice to see our original JJ doing the presentation at the break. Plus, the Indoor Bowls World Champion is an Addick and showed off his lovely trophy to us. Hamer 7 Solly 9 Morro 9 Taylor 9 Wiggins 8 Green 6 Stephens 7 Hollands 8 Jackson 7 Kermit 8 BWP 7 Great result and great day. COYR!
Yep, I wrote it. I put all my reports, previews etc here if you or anyone else wants to read them - http://thematchreport.tumblr.com/ And thanks for the responses
This one's brewing up nicely - http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17168996 What a joy and an undervalued asset it is to have articulate and measured views from both the Chairman and the Manager at The Valley.
Mountain out of a molehill in my opinion, as usual, blown out of all proportion by the media. Tewkes. Staying with things on the south coast, it looks like my local team, Pompey, are going to be in Tier3 next season, if around at all, I was looking forward to watching the Addicks at Fratton next season
