Charlton Athletic 6 Shrewsbury Town 0
A great win and attacking performance today and one to enjoy, but it only goes to make this whole season more of an annoyance. I look at the table and even Portsmouth are still in with a shout of a play-off place, as those above Pompey wobble. Yet there we are back in no man’s land season over.
Still, there wasn’t much wrong with today’s victory and at this point in time with 7 games left it’s about setting a tone for the summer and next season as well as giving us Addicks something to smile about.
I was at the above game with my Dad. I remember it like it was yesterday. A Friday night game under the lights. We had to score five to win a game that season and Hales was on absolute fire.
Great days. Not as great as many others that followed, but times when there was always hope and excitement. It’s where the club need to get back to.
The first 25 minutes of today’s game passed without incident other than Clare limping off, until Scott Fraser lifted a beautiful free-kick into the net from 20-yards. I can’t make my mind up about Fraser..
Then Morgan who is at the ‘last chance saloon’ finished a swift counter-attack with a clinical finish. I really do hope that some of the swift counter attacking play we saw today becomes a trademark of Holden’s Charlton. It was great to watch combined with some high pressing and Morgan was central to most of it. I have pretty much made my mind up about Albie, but I still hope I’m wrong.
The half finished with Rak-Sakyi slaloming into the box to finish with the outside of his boot for a great solo goal. The lad has been up there with the Cullen’s, Bielik’s and Gallagher’s, but Palace are bound to send him elsewhere next season, if only to spite us.
The 2nd half saw Thomas, who played well again at left back, almost score a 4th before Leaburn did, assisted by Thomas. Miles finished from distance with the confidence of a young man with so much ahead of him. I just hope it’s in SE7 for a season longer.
A dodgy penalty saw Tom Flanagan sent off, who doesn’t have much luck against us, and Leaburn stepped up to score his 2nd and his first double.
A clean sheet was just as important today as a good home win, and at 5-0 Shrewsbury had their best spell, but Inniss and by then youngster Mitchell stood firm, as the marauding Addicks hunted down a 6th, the first at The Valley for 46 years. Does Inniss stay as a squad player behind Hector and Ness next season, if the former wants to stay?
We thought it was 6 when Rak-Sakyi headed in a lovely Henry cross but it was called off-side. Henry was impressive when he came on, but he has to be exposed to more high-pressured match situations.
But with 5 minutes of added time we pushed high up the field as various players lined up to get shots in. Henry had one of them but the ball fell to Bonne on the penalty spot, unmarked and onside, and he scored his first goal since January 2022. I think the phrase is ‘he needed that.’
In fact we all needed that. Enjoy your evening’s Addicks.
Dean Holden: “We looked dangerous on the counterattack all afternoon. There’s no doubt it’s the most complete performance since I came into the job. The second biggest thing is the clean sheet, but the other thing is our fans got to see a complete performance because it’s a long time coming. We’ve been good away from home and decent at home but not good enough. I’m pleased that the guys who turn up on a matchday at The Valley have got to see a lot of goals. A good afternoon.”
Stats (CAFC first): Possession – 55% / 45%; Passes – 426 / 348; Accurate passes – 349 / 260; Shots (on target) – 17 (11) / 11 (1)
Photo credit: Kyle Andrews
Chicago Addick 
Take a big bow charlton players and Dean….what a blinding performance that inspired everyone who watched the game.
Total commitment,enhanced by Dean’s tactical approach that must have left Shrewsbury wondering if the result was an April fool stunt !!!
We need to follow this up at Bristol and you never never know we could get to hge play-offs?
I’m going for a glass of red wine and wallow in the result.
Enjoy Chris, but you may need to drink the whole bottle to think we will make the play-off’s 😀🍷
🍷🍷😂😂😂😂😂😂
Saka is much too good for even the Championship but Palace will not spite us but what a wonderful player and just hope somehow Leaburn will stay just for one more season but probably sold for peanuts as we need money for the rent.
What a farce of a situation what with the Ownership of The Valley and Sparrows Lane.
Enjoy this win but with the same players why did they not do it earlier again a new squad for next season.
Nice result for once even if against a side already on their deck chairs. but just shows what a waste of time and money the last 6 months have been.
One swallow does not make a summer.
Thanks CA and yeah crackin result even more of a shame that our player of the season is a Palace loanee
A great result that sums up our season – when things click we get results.
Six goals but not just one method of scoring – a couple came from the high press and forcing mistakes, a free kick from range, a fast breakaway, a penalty after a goal bound shot was batted away by a hand then Macauley Bonne doing what he should have been doing for the last couple of months and lurking with intent around the penalty spot to pick up loose balls. Other than that there were plenty of shots on target and this sets things up for a strong run-in. Obviously the play-offs have disappeared over the horizon but seeing the team crank out a few wins and at home is the least we deserve.
Consistency is what we need though and we need this kind of performance more often. Some players and teams might be looking to the beach but the road to next season starts here.
We have a good crop of young players coming through and what this season might be memorable for is that a number of them are establishing themselves as first team regulars. It certainly won’t be memorable for finishing in mid-table anonymity.
I think it was good to see our youngsters have a run with no pressure. Henry has great vision and I think Ness shows composure.
Not sure why you doubt Fraser. He ouses quality and should be better n a strengthened squad next year, if we get one.
Like you I enjoyed this ad much as our last 6 gasket at the Valley, rare occurrences😂