Charlton Athletic 2 v Sunderland 1 - EFL League 1 Play Off Final

Sunday 26th May 2019
SkyBet EFL League 1 - Play Off Final
at Wembley Stadium
Charlton Athletic (1) 2
Ben Purrington 35
Patrick Bauer 90+4
Sunderland AFC (1) 1
Naby Sarr 5 OG
Attendance: 76,155
Point & hope photo gallery: Click HERE

Because Charlton finished the 2018-19 season, higher in the League 1 table than Sunderland, they got to wear their first choice kit of red and white today, while the 'Black Cats', rather appropriately turned out in their all black change kit.
These two sides had met each other in a Wembley play off final once before, at the end of the 1997–98 season, with a place in the Premier League at stake. That game will always be remembered for the telling contribution made by Sunderland born Clive Mendonca, against Peter Reid's side, on a day that he netted a hat-trick for Alan Curbishley's Addicks team, against his home town club, before successfully converting one of the penalties that was required to separate the teams, who drew a thrilling game 4-4, after extra time.

Sasa Ilic interviewed pitch-side during the build up to today's game

Charlton went on to win the shoot out 7-6.
For the record, on that afternoon of high drama, twenty one years ago, all thirteen penalty kicks had found the net, prior to Michael Gray stepping forward to take responsibility for the 'Rokerites' seventh spot-kick, which was saved by the 'Valiants' goalkeeper Sasa Ilic.

Incidentally, I don't think that Sunderland still use that nickname since they moved out of Roker Park in 1997 and relocated to the Stadium of Light... and Charlton seem to prefer the Addicks these days, though I did notice that they were selling 'Valiants' mugs off for two quid in their club shop last week, when I nipped inside to get out of the rain, before the second leg of their play off semi-final against Doncaster Rovers, a game that they actually lost 2-3, after winning the first leg 1-2 at the Keepmoat Stadium. Subsequently, Charlton won that tie overall on penalties too.

Sunderland, for their part, qualified for today's final, by seeing off Portsmouth 1-0 on aggregate, after winning the home leg and defending their lead 'valiantly' in the second game, away at Fratton Park.
The Black Cats also faced Pompey at Wembley, in the EFL (Checkatrade) Trophy Final, back in March, where an attendance of 85,021 saw Kenny Jackett's side win on penalties, following a 2-2 draw.

The Wearsiders finished their 2018-19 campaign, three points and two league positions behind third placed Charlton. Having suffered relegation from both the Premier League and Championship at the end of the previous two seasons, they were looking to make an immediate return to the second tier, but ultimately, although they lost fewer games than any other League 1 team this season, their Achilles heel has been drawing far too many games... nineteen in total.

These two sides went head to head on the opening day of the current season, at the Stadium of light, where a ninety sixth minute Lynden Gooch goal, secured a winning start to the tenure of the newly installed Sunderland manager Jack Ross.

Meanwhile, the reverse fixture at the Valley in January, finished one apiece.

In the run up to today's 'winner takes all' showdown, at the national stadium; while adhering strictly to the requisite code of: pre-match psychology/kidology rules of engagement, the Addicks manager: Lee Bowyer, claimed that those previous results between today's finalists, meant that his team would be going into this game as underdogs... despite Charlton having enjoyed a far better run of recent form, that probably gave them a psychological edge, such are the confidence boosting quantities borne out of momentum.

However, that confidence appeared to ebb away at the outset of the game, as Charlton made a shaky start and were a goal down inside the first five minutes, when Naby Sarr, under no pressure at all, with no Sunderland player even near him, passed the ball back to Dillon Phillips, who inexplicably let it roll straight past him and into his net as he vaingloriously chased back, to no avail.
A few passes went astray, as the Addicks continued to stutter through the early stages of the game, but

Sunderland were unable to build on their gifted lead, or turn the screw while Lee Bowyer's side were looking vulnerable and their failure to grasp the initiative, while they were on top, was their undoing, as Lyle Taylor combined with Anfernee Dijksteel and Joe Aribo, before delivering the ball across the face of the Black Cats goal, from the right hand side of the area, to Ben Purrington, who knocked the ball past Jon McLaughlin at the back post. He could hardly have picked a better time to score his first ever goal for Charlton.

Patrick Bauer, who'd perhaps been a bit fortunate not to concede a first half penalty, when Charlie Wyke's goal-bound shot hit him on the arm, before Phillips denied Grant Leadbitter at full stretch; made good of another helping of good luck, deep into stoppage time at the end of the second half, when he scuffed initial shot from Josh Cullen's delivery, but stabbed the ball into the net via a deflection at the second attempt... as the game went into the fifth added minute.
Cue pandemonium all around me as the Addicks faithful celebrated their promotion from 'Division 3' like crazy... and who can blame them.
FT: Charlton Athletic 2 v Sunderland 1

Sunderland are probably already odds on favourites to clinch promotion out of the third tier of English football next season... and they've already got the nucleus of a title challenging side in situ; who, with the benefit of this years experience under their belts, will know that they need to be more clinical as regards finishing opponents off and closing games down when they're ahead.

Lee Bowyer managed to keep Charlton's season on course, despite losing striker Karlan Grant to Huddersfield Town during the January transfer window.

Hopefully the Addicks much maligned (and so he bloody well should be) owner: Roland Duchâtelet, won't cash in on the likes of Joe Aribo and Lyle Taylor, to keep Charlton ticking over, now that the club have reached the Championship... in fact, fingers crossed that the jump in status will make them a more attractive proposition to any potential buyer. Good luck to them to that end.

Although some of these end of season series of games, didn't go as I had expected* results wise.

I've really enjoyed witnessing, first hand, the cut and thrust of the EFL Play Off roster this term, that has served up a brilliantly dramatic climax to my own football travels, for the current campaign. 

It's been real, on the edge of my seat, gripping stuff... and I'm genuinely chuffed for Charlton's fans too.

My overall total of 149 games is far fewer than I have attended in a season, for many years, but, for me, it's never been about the number crunching... and if it ever did just become a list ticking exercise, then I would be watching football for all of the wrong reasons.