Friday 29 December 2017

Superb point on the road

Charlton gained an unexpected point in a 0-0 draw at league leaders Wigan tonight in front of 372 Addicks. Charlton were well organised and difficult for Wigan to break down. As a consequence, Charlton have gone up to 8th, one point off the play offs.

In an action packed last twenty minutes the game could have gone either way, but the Addicks withstood a Wigan onslaught with Konsa at his best. It is worth bearing mind that the average age of the Charlton back four was 21.

Marshall was back in the team and Lennon made his first start for a long time. As a consequence, Konsa played at right back. Ahearne-Grant was up top with Magennis on the wing.

Sarr burst forward for 50 yards but a Wigan defender stopped him setting up Ahearne-Grant. On 15 minutes referee Kettle boiled over and booked Marshall for being hit by the ball from a quickly taken free kick as he repositioned himself.

Wigan had their first chance on 21 minutes when a cross came in, but the ball was headed over. An Ahearne-Grant cross was cut off just before Jackson could bundle the ball home.

On 45 minutes, Kashi was booked for a challenge. In the three minutes added on, Ahearne-Grant hit the side netting.

Wigan won an early corner after the break, but it was unproductive. A Kashi free kick on 53 minutes went over the bar. Marshall put in Ahearne-Grant, he rounded the keeper, but his shot was blocked from a very tight angle.

Magennis was booked for time wasting. On 69 minutes Amos saved well from Jacobs. On 72 minutes Holmes replaced Marshall. Lennon received treatment a few minutes later and Dijksteel replaced him.

For the remainder of the game Wigan started to threaten more as they saw the expected nailed on three points slipping away. Amos did well to smother the ball at the feet of an attacker. Following a Wigan corner, Amos saved a header from six yards out.

In a great break Ahearne-Grant ran the length of the pitch but was inches wide, Holmes put in a poor free kick in the last minute of normal time.

In time added on, Wigan hit the inside of the post. Byrne got a yellow card for a foul on Ahearne-Grant as he forged forward. He was replaced by Hackett-Fairchild. Sarr got a yellow card for time wasting. Wigan wasted a late free kick. The league leaders had been tamed.

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