Leicester City 1 (Wood 69) Charlton 2 (Kermorgant 19, Haynes 78).
Kevin Nolan reports from the King Prawn Crisps Stadium.
Re-vamped Charlton, featuring three changes from the side which capitulated tamely at Hull three days previously, proved too good for promotion seeking Leicester City in this pivotal fixture. A wonderful winner from substitute Danny Haynes iced the cake but there was pleasure to be found in every mouthwatering layer.
With Rhoys Wiggins replacing his capable deputy Cedric Evina at left back, Dorian Dervite recalled to his familiar role as midfield defensive shield and Scott Wagstaff’s all-round industry preferred to Lawrie Wilson’s attacking instincts in right midfield, the Addicks operated from a sound but fluid 4-1-4-1 system. Yann Kermorgant was asked to operate on his own up top, a position from which the Beast of Brittany terrorised his former club, proving equally effective on the ground as he was predictably in the air. His was a masterclass in mobile front running but, on a day when almost everything else worked, there were heroes wherever you sought them. This outstanding result against one of the Championship’s best teams effectively dispelled the wispy relegation clouds hanging over SE 7, following four games without a win. Those same clouds have drifted across to torment another part of South East London but let’s not go there. Not our problem anyway.
A hesitant start saw City control the opening action, with tricky winger Anthony Knockaert bursting through to sting Ben Hamer’s fingers and Michael Morrison clearing resourcefully from Paul Konchesky’s dangerous low centre. The visitors hadn’t done much until Kermorgant fired them into their important early lead.
Popping up near the left corner flag, Wagstaff typically hustled dawdling Danny Drinkwater into seeking refuge from his attentions along the byline, presumably in search of goalkeeper Kaspar Schmeichel. Nipping in front of startled right back Ritchie De Laet, busy Bradley Pritchard cut back a low pass to the penalty spot, from where Kermorgant’s crisply struck drive unerringly found the bottom right corner. A pantomime hate figure in these parts since missing an overegged semi-final play-off penalty, the Frenchman celebrated his second goal against his former employers this season with gentlemanly Gallic restraint. There were those among us who would have made rather more of it. Indeed, 680 jubilant souls at the far end of the ground did exactly that.
City were not about to submit quietly, of course, and before the interval, Ben Marshall drove through the middle before hitting a drive powerful enough for Hamer to need two awkward attempts at saving it. A better chance was promptly carved out by De Laet, who rampaged through the challenges of Wiggins and Wagstaff to set up Knockaert but the Belgian blasted carelessly over the bar.
A second goal was clearly a priority and shortly after the break, Pritchard had the opportunity to put daylight between the teams but floated Kermorgant’s subtle pass over the bar. After Chris Wood’s foul on Dale Stephens, Johnnie Jackson’s free kick was pawed out to Morrison by Schmeichel, who redeemed his error by brilliantly turning aside the centre back’s venomous, angled volley.
Wood had otherwise been quiet but his voracious appetite for goals was fed on 69 minutes. Favoured by the run of the ball as another of De Laet’s aggressive runs was blocked, the deadeye Kiwi finished instinctively past a helpless Hamer. Suddenly, you didn’t fancy Charlton’s chances so much.
Reacting positively to the Foxes equaliser, however, Chris Powell’s introduction of Haynes was a bold move, even if the withdrawal of the excellent Dervite raised the occasional eyebrow but the move worked like a dream. Haynes hadn’t managed a touch before he read yet another of Kermorgant’s cleverly headed flicks and, with minimal backlift and barely a glance up, exploded a ferocious drive into the top left corner. Charlton’s opener had been greeted enthusiastically enough; the spectacular winner almost literally raised a small part of the roof.
Apart from Hamer’s superb save to keep out Drinkwater’s 30-yard rocket, there was, of course, one last hurdle to surmount. And that would be Charlton’s fabled vulnerability to the added time board, particularly when it shows four minutes. We’ve been there before but the Addicks were coping comfortably enough until Solly’s uncharacteristic foul on Wood gave the sharpshooter one last gasp chance from a 20-yard free kick. From the press box, his drive seemed bound for the net but more reliable witnesses cowering at the other end, assured us it flew well wide. Yeah, right! Course it did.
Must pull myself together before concluding. It definitely went wide and Charlton had finally laid their four added minutes bogey. The perfect end to the perfect day. Useful results elsewhere, too. What’s not to like about Charlton Athletic? And you just gotta love football too.
Kevin Nolan’s Match Report is brought to you in association with , 294 Burnt Ash Hill, London, SE12 0QD.
Leicester: Schmeichel, De Laet, Morgan, Keane, Konchesky, Knockaert (Dyer 64), James (King 79), Drinkwater, Marshall (Gallagher 64), Nugent, Wood. Not used: Vardy, St. Ledger, Logan, Waghorn.
Charlton: Hamer, Solly, Cort, Morrison, Wiggins, Dervite (Haynes 77), Wagstaff (Taylor 90), Stephens (Wilson 90), Pritchard, Jackson, Kermorgant. Not used: Button, Evina, Kerkar, Fuller. Booked: Jackson.
Referee: Michael Naylor. Att: 19,920.