Kevin Nolan’s Match Report: Scunthorpe United v Charlton Athletic (17/03/2012)

Scunthorpe United 1 ( Parkin 21,pen) Charlton 1 (Wright-Phillips 6).

Kevin Nolan reports from Glanford Park.

Battleweary, disjointed and out of step with each other, Charlton are not so much charging into The Championship as sneaking up on its blind side. This scruffy, scrappy draw, in conjunction with favourable results elsewhere, could possibly be regarded as a lumbering step forward, not that there was much encouragement derived from their ponderous performance. Apart, that is, from a very useful point.

That modest return was assured by a 6th minute flash of pure quality that stood out among the depressing dross which followed it, like genuine wit from Jimmy Carr.
The well-documented woes endured by Bradley Wright-Phillips during an 11-game goal drought might have seriously undermined a weaker character but bolstered by the heartening support of management, teammates and supporters, the slim marksman soldiered through the growing pressure, kept his head and turned it around. Form, they say, is temporary, while class is permanent. His scoreless slump was ended when notching Charlton’s second goal in the 2-0 win over Stevenage on February 25th, since when five more goals, including a career-first hat-trick at Chesterfield, have rippled the net in as many games.

Wright-Phillips’ 20th goal of the season was the work of a confident, back-in-the-groove player, on whose finishing skills the Addicks will be heavily dependent down the promotion home stretch. The approach play wasn’t bad, either, a sharp give-and-go between Scott Wagstaff and Yann Kermorgant tearing holes in United’s left flank. Wagstaff emerged goalside of left back Jamie Reckord and provided a short pass which Wright-Phillips drove crisply inside the right post.

Off to the best of starts, the visitors looked likely to double their advantage with Rhoys Wiggins testing the reflexes of Sam Slocombe and Danny Hollands volleying narrowly over the bar after Slocombe punched out Wiggins’ cross. But their bright start was derailed by another of those errors which have recently plagued a previously impregnable defence. There was no immediate danger as Garry Thompson eluded Wiggins to drill in a low centre which was destined for Ben Hamer’s hands until Michael Morrison ignored his keeper’s loud call and intervened to needlessly return the ball to the winger’s feet. Caught on the back foot, Wiggins pursued Thompson along the byline before chopping him down at the near post. Mammoth journeyman Jon Parkin made short work of converting the penalty.

Pegged back after 21 promising minutes, the wind had effectively been taken from the Addicks’ sails. The initiative was seized by the Iron, who pushed the league leaders back and with wide men Thompson and Andy Barcham prominent, dominated possession. Thompson set up Parkin to shoot wide of the left post, before Wiggins heroically blocked Thompson’s vicious volley. In the throes of a busy afternoon, Wiggins somehow turned a miscued shot from Thompson into the hands of a startled Hamer.

With Scunthorpe in complete charge, Mark Duffy cut in from the right; his cross cleared Damien Mozika’s head but Parkin half-volleyed wastefully over the bar. Charlton were at sixes and sevens again when Barcham ran at the heart of their defence, left Morrison and Matt Taylor in a slipping, sliding mess and shot low for the left corner; at full length, Hamer saved brilliantly. Barcham tried again with a cleverly curled effort but Hamer stood firm again. Surprisingly nimble for his hulking size, Parkin then dribbled through but was hustled into prodding wide under concerted pressure.

The best chance of the second half, ironically, fell to the beleaguered Addicks. Kermorgant leapt prodigiously at the far post to nod down to Wagstaff, unmarked no more than six yards out, but the over-eager wide man clumsily scuffed the chance into Slocombe’s waiting hands.

As news filtered through that second-placed Sheffield United were having problems of their own with Tranmere Rovers, a dogged draw became a valuable result, one which left Charlton still clinging to their nine-point lead at the top. That cold statistic will comfort increasingly careworn manager Chris Powell – plus satisfaction at least that his decision to prefer Darrel Russell’s selfless industry over Dale Stephens’ more cerebral talents was vindicated by the replacement’s energetic contribution. Russell was undoubtedly favoured by this course and distance, a consideration shrewdly recognised by Charlton’s rookie gaffer. He’ll need to hold his nerve as the finishing line approaches. Somehow you feel he will.

Scunthorpe: Slocombe, Byrne, Mirfin, Reid, Reckord, Thompson (Robertson 69), Mozika, Walker, Barcham, Duffy, Parkin. Not used: Lillis, Nolan, O’Connor, Ryan.

Referee: Robert Lewis. Attendance: 4,544.