Barnsley 3 (Benson 10, Norwood 54, Cole 76) Charlton 1 (Payne 85)
A comforting tumbler of Bushmills at his elbow, Kevin Nolan watched in growing horror a safe distance from Oakwell as Charlton’s miserable start to the season took another turn for the worse. Here’s what he made of it.
Winners only twice in nine league games prior to this daunting trip to South Yorkshire, Charlton plunged further into the lower reaches of League One on the back of this chastening defeat. Wearing the look of losers as early as the 10th minute when their laissez-faire defending allowed Josh Benson time and space to take two touches of a loose ball before launching it unstoppably into the top left corner, they were taught a lesson in finishing as Barnsley converted all three of their shots on target. Their own “consolation” was nothing of the sort, bringing comfort only to its scorer, Jack Payne, who was rewarded for a lively cameo with his first for goal for the club.
Described with devastating accuracy by co-commentator Peter Shirtliff as “a nice team to play”, the Addicks justified his innocent jibe by ruining their pretty approach play with finishing which, in the first half particularly, bordered on the comical. Jack Walton’s goal was the safest place to be as the visitors’ wild efforts peppered the patrons behind it. Comical it was…funny it most definitely wasn’t.
A lion-hearted leader of those gutsy 1987 Addicks, who survived three brutal play-off battles with Leeds United before winning the war at St. Andrews, Shirtliff touched lightly on the problem but knows hardly the half of it. He would have been justified had he gone on to describe The Valley as a “nice place to visit.” because home games have been reduced to exercises in inane cheeriness, during which visitors are practically invited to “call round any old time, make yourself at home, put your feet on the mantelshelf, open the cupboard and help yourself.” An invitation which humble Forest Green Rovers were happy to accept last time out. There’s a soft bellied centre to Charlton these days, a vulnerability Shirtliff was probably too diplomatic to explore. So consider it explored on his behalf.
Charlton’s fate at Oakwell was all but sealed when they stood off Benson as he prepared his splendid strike. Their failure was corporate but the individual can was carried by Albie Morgan, whose sluggish reaction to the midfielder’s threat was inexcusable. To their credit, they responded to the setback with a wave of attacks, which forced their hosts back but were let down by hopelessly wayward finishing. Sensing that their road to redemption lay down the flanks, wide men Corey Blackett-Taylor and Jesurun Rak-Sakyi were plied with long range passes and encouraged to take on their markers, something they did with mixed success. Chances came thick and fast and were just as quickly squandered.
Rak-Sakyi was his usual unpredictable self, beating several defenders on the right byline before Tom Edwards’ heroic block foiled him at close range. Blackett-Taylor cut in from the opposite wing but blasted haplessly over the bar, as did Sean Clare, Mandela Egbo and Eoghan O’Connell before the break. O’Connell redeemed himself by heading Nicky Cadden’s inswinging corner off the line but it can hardly have escaped Ben Garner’s attention that Charlton’s best chances had fallen to defenders. His side has been operating recently without a forward line, with Jayden Stockley a lone, struggling figure up front and young Miles Leaburn a willing but still raw contributor from the bench. Charlton have scored once in each of their last six league games, four of which have brought them 1-1 draws, the other two 3-1 defeats by Bolton and Barnsley. Without a win since their 5-1 demolition of Plymouth on August 18th, they have lost touch with the division’s pacesetters while sinking ominously into the danger zone.
Meanwhile, Charlton’s challenge, such as it was, evaporated when Barnsley doubled their lead ten minutes into the second half. Tricking his way through listless resistance, Devante Cole laid on a point-blank chance which James Norwood skilfully flicked past Craig McGillivray. Cole added his name to the scoresheet after Jordan Williams exploited a Stan and Ollie mix-up between O’Connell and Sam Lavelle. Payne’s 85th minute reply was a mere afterthought but might have earned its scorer an overdue start.
It’s generally accepted you need 10 games, on which to base a sensible prediction regarding a team’s overall prospects. On that basis, Charlton face a bleak midwinter. But listen, let’s not be glum about it. There’s Saturday’s visit from Karl Robinson’s Oxford to look forward to and all the non-stop fun that’s sure to bring with it. Hopefully Karl won’t leave empty-handed so be sure to wish him and his lads well. But remember not to smoke, throw flares or be beastly to your fellow-fan. And if you come across anyone who does any of those things, be sure to grass him or her up! It’s all about the matchday experience, you know. Not the bloody result!
Barnsley: Walton, Williams, Edwards, Anderson. Cadden (Larkeche 68), Kane, Norwood (Phillips 59), Benson, Thomas (Martin 85), Cundy (McCarthy 66), Cole. Not used: Searle, Hondermarck, Tedic.
Charlton: McGillivray, Egbo (Sessegnon 72), Lavelle, O’Connell, Clare, Dobson(McGrandles 72), Fraser (Leaburn 59), Morgan, Rak-Sakyi (Payne 72), Stockley, Blackett-Taylor (Kirk 59). Not used: Harness, Inniss.
Referee: Adam Herczeg. Att: 10,234 (588 visiting}.