Crystal Palarse 2 Charlton Athletic 1

Charlton know how to ruin your weekend, and I’ve had a good one, but it could’ve been great. Walking around Bal Harbour in the Florida sunshine earlier today I was told by my other half to “bloody cheer up” but I realise it could have been plenty worse. I could’ve been one of the many Addicks being kettled outside of Selhurst today. There’s little less degrading to an adult football fan especially after seeing your team get beaten by one of it’s fiercest rivals.

For 75 minutes it all went our own way, but for the second time in a week we blew a lead late in the game to end it with nothing. Today was different though, because last week we were not impressive but by all accounts today we really played well. Defending manfully and attacking intelligently and creatively, but ominously only taking a one-goal lead into the break.

Yet, as I followed the game feverishly on my mobile, we were still ahead despite a revival from the Croydon boys as the game reached the latter stages but then within four minutes we were behind and Powell appeared unable to affect the result from the touchline and that was that, a second defeat to that lot this season.

In my mind a draw today would have been a fantastic result. Let’s be honest, Palace are looking pretty decent and have lost only once at home all season, and that was on the opening day. They have a very good manager, vastly more experienced than ours and have a habit, in Murray in particular, of getting goals, often out of nothing, which is something we have been unable to do this season.

It was a galling defeat, made worse by the fact we played so well for a long period of time, and over 3,000 Charlton fans took the piss, yet left that toilet of a football ground losers.

It took me a while to shake my hump, but I have had a great day, a great week in fact and another memorable time with my two girls, yet tonight, in a little while, when I lie in bed, I will be thinking of just one thing….. losing to that lot.

Addick Bloggers at that dump of a ground: Doctor Kish; Albury Addick; God, Charlton and Punk Rock.
Powell-ometer: Again Powell waited too long to bring on his substitutes. Even ahead, a decisive coach would have attempted to further gain control of a match or initiate changes to repel any signs of a comeback. His subs were once again a reactive measure.
Elsewhere: Cardiff opened up a 10-point lead winning at Leeds. Hull won at The Den and Watford came behind to beat Bolton. Boro were thrashed at Ipswich 4-0 and Brighton wee beaten by Sheffield Wednesday with Leroy Lita starting and scoring. Leicester beat Wolves, now in the bottom 3, last night and Derby beat manager-less Huddersfield 3-0. Rhodes scored twice ass Blackburn beat Bristol City. Barnsley won at Blackpool and Forest lost to Birmingham with Alex McLeish’s days said to be numbered.