Stockport County 0 Charlton Athletic 0
A good point ended a very good week for the Addicks.
It was a highly physical game where the ref let a lot go, possibly too much, but we held out and to a man the defensive unit were excellent.
The game caught fire straight away and I was thinking how much of a good advert it was for League One, but that changed into a game of real attrition.
In those early stages we had the best of it with Leaburn unable to get hold of a chance, and then Berry was closer from a nice Edwards’ cross.
County started the second period stronger and were the better side in a half broken up by interruption’s despite the referee’s preference to play on following every clash of bodies.
Aneke came on and just as a text appeared in one of my chats asking if Chuks could last 40 minutes he went down with a head injury which delayed the game for a long while.
Jones made changes early to deal with Stockport’s growing dominance. Anderson joined Chuks for Berry and Small to bring more muscle onto the field. Anderson did okay, but I did wonder if the game was calling out for a bit of Gilbert’s precision and control.
Mannion made an excellent save and then the home side hit the bar as they put a myriad of balls into our box. Nonetheless the back five with Docherty and Coventry in front of them held firm. Lloyd Jones too spent some time getting treatment following a heavy challenge.
As is almost expected we grew more threatening as the game moved to the end of normal time and Gillesphey flashed a header wide from an Anderson cross.
Seven minutes of injury time were navigated and we head back south with a point.
🎙️“I would have taken that all day long. Against three promotion rivals, two away games, having to do that, a bit of travelling. That’s a wonderful return. I’m proud of my team, proud of my club, fans magnificent again, travelling up here.” – Nathan Jones
⭐️ Will Mannion
🏟️ 10,338 (1,193 Addicks)
📸 Kyle Andrews
l thought the Ref was shocking. It makes me wonder what constitutes a foul in his eyes? First half TC was physically thrown off of the pitch. A good point on the road.
One of the worst refereeing teams I’ve witnessed for a long time…blantent fouls totally ignored…
I’ll happily take a point and not a great game to endure !!!
Referee was awful for both sides. Challinor said the same and also said that the 4th official was forever telling the ref stuff that he blatantly ignored.
Good result but total lack of creativity, our best chance was the Gillesphey header near the end which was from a set play. Anderson had a wonderful chance to play Campbell in on goal but was unable to execute a reality easy forward pass, a few games ago Gilbert came on and executed two inch perfect passes in the short time he was on the pitch. Berry, Docherty and Anderson are not good enough, the other options are Gilbert and McIntre or moving Ramsey into midfield and bringing Mitchell or Watson into the defence. Ideally I wouldn’t want to change the defence but the midfield has to be improved. We are too reliant on set plays at this point in time.
Have to agree with you again rieti with the midfield. Have no idea why Berry was on the pitch again, as thats the third time in a row he has played really poorly and missed another sitter in a row! Well I do, as he’s Jones golden boy from the past!
Alos have no idea why he brought on Chucks and Anderson when you have Gilbert and Godden on the bench, as neither did really anything. Chucks is now just too slow and past it, he just wins a few headers and thats it and Anderson runs around with a lot of energy but with too many poor passes! Where is Kanu, he’s not even getting a game in the under 21’s now, unlike Mitchell, who now seems out of favour as well, as neither can even get on the bench?
Lets all be honest here, apart from the defence, we were dreadful, apart from a shot by Ramsey we didn’t have one effort on target, as my friend who I go to the home games with, as we were watching it on Sky at his house, said if it had been another match he would have turned it off, as it was such a boring, dreadful game, of hoofing the ball up field and seeing if anyone could get hold of it, who wants to watch that?
Jones loves really praising his side, but come on Mr Jones lets be honest, we were very lucky to come away with a draw with a poor midfield and power puff forwards and if it wasn’t for your namesake centre back Jones, we probably would have lost. He holds the whole back line together and if he does get injured, I think we could kiss goodbye to any playoff’s!
You had various players you could have brought on, as you keep telling us you now have a strong bench, but obviously you don’t think they that great, as you seem very reluctant to use them, unless we are losing and then its all hands on the deck in the last 10 minutes.
Yes we scrapped a point, which I am happy about, but thats the only real positive thing out of a dreadfully boring Charlton side that had no idea going forward and could hardly put a pass together. I accept that we will see some more of these, but please please dont gloss them up and give bu……t how magnificent we were etc, as we are paying to watch these, just be honest and also make more subs if players are wilting &/or not up to it!
Mike and RiertiTotally agree with the vast majority of the content, but if anyone would have stated we would be where we are since that Crawley defeat at beginning of December, I would have given my arm and a half for it.Yes, a game where it could have gone both ways and yes, Berry has missed 2 great chances in 2 weeks but yes read Jones’s comments about the physicality.But, struggling to find yet again Gilbert been on the bench and not used and after all he has had 3 assists and he deserves a full 90+ minutes.Just obvious and yes Gilbert in over Berry and Jones has praised him up and he again stated just missing that bit of quality at the top end of the pitch and this lad has it and unless Jones see something on the training pitch.However, I am baffled about this and Godden, who is a real team player has quality too and seen Jones comments on the sites just now.Nevertheless, this week’s points tally is remarkable, and now we have a score to settle with Crawley but they are scrapping for their lives and again there is no easy game.Also good that 2 other results went our way but Bolton are very dangerous but so to are the others.COYR keep this momentum going and a fair few are playing each other two in the playoff positions.
The first game that I’ve watched for about six weeks. It was good to get an away point against another side in the top six,and keep a clean sheet. As already been said, as a unit the defence coped well enough, with Jones exceptional.
My one groan is the amount of times we still use the ‘whack it upfield’ aerial choice from defence, instead of playing through the midfield.
Campbell had a quiet game on the left I thought, and Leaburn was shackled by their centre half.
What a bounce back after Birmingham, 3 wins and a draw, 1 goal conceded, still on the coattails of 2nd place and looking solid for the playoffs.
Where’s the positivity!!!??? I’m sure when we’re playing like Pep’s Barcelona it’ll come.
I’m happy with the point, neither team did enough to win, that makes seven points from nine from the week, which we would have taken before the Orient game, but we have to beat Crawley – that’s our game in hand.
All in all a very physical game and we coped with that side, I don’t think we would have stood up to that a few months ago. There’s a chance that we will meet again in the play-offs, if so we need to beat them at our place, I wouldn’t want to go there needing a win.
Jones and Gillesphey were awesome at the back and dealt with everything thrown their way.