Charlton Athletic 1 Derby County 1

By the sounds of it, a much better performance today and a far better game than Boxing Day delivered.

For some strange reason the table looks a lot healthier tonight and the results run for us pretty well today.

It was good to pick up on some positive feedback post game. Haynes attacking performance and goal (I look forward to seeing that), an Evina comeback, Solly and Wilson’s renewed partnership, a sublime performance by Ben Hamer, another lung-busting Pritchard game and the welcome, in my view, return of BWP.

The negatives were Morrison’s calamitous decision making, not helped by a hapless referee (who as my Mum would say “we’ve blimmin’ had before,” Haynes pulling a hamstring and another Valley Saturday without a win.

Derby play some good stuff though and I’d have taken a point, but only on the back of 3 on Boxing Day. Watford (1 defeat in 11) are next up and 1,400 Addicks will back the boys to the hilt.

Finally, it was brave of Powell to drop the three loanees – Seaborne, Frimpong and Hulse – today. The team was almost a throwback to last season and that group might not consistently be good enough at this level, but they wear that red shirt with bloody pride.

Come on you reds!

Addick Bloggers at The Valley: Addicks Championship Diary;
Powell-ometer: Some brave team decisions but question mark over whether he should have taken Morrison off at half-time.
Elsewhere: Cardiff beat a battling Millwall to go 5 points clear at the top, Hull are 2nd after beating Leeds in the early game and Middlesborough kept the pressure on after beating Blackpool 4-2. Forest grabbed a last minute equaliser at home to Palace, Leicester won at Burnley and Watford had an impressive win at Brighton in what Gus Poyet would call a very average division! Manager-less and coach-less Blackburn won at Barnsley and immediately the Tykes sacked Keith Hill. Bolton beat Birmingham, Huddersfield and Wednesday was goalless and Ipswich continued their revival under Mick McCarthy winning at Wolves.