EFL League 1
At the Valley, Floyd Road, Charlton
Charlton Athletic (2) 4
Miles Leaburn 20,
Jayden Stockley or Alex Hartridge OG 25,
Chuks Aneke 84,
Jack Payne 90+1
Exeter City (1) 2
Jay Stansfield 37,
Sam Nombe 90+4
Attendance: 11,411 (inc. 833 away fans)
Charlton Athletic:
Wollacott, Egbo, Inniss, O’Connell, Sessegnon (Clare 66); Rak-Sakyi (Payne 76), Dobson, Fraser, Kirk (Blackett-Taylor 76); Stockley (C) (Aneke 82), Leaburn (Morgan 66)
Unused subs - MacGillivray, McGrandles
Exeter City:
Blackman, Caprice, Sparkes (Chauke 89), Hartridge, Harper (Kite 60), Collins, Stansfield, Nombe, Key, Brown (Cox 90+2), Sweeney (C)
Unused subs - Brown, Smith, King, James
Exeter City won promotion to League One at the end of last season, when they finished as runners-up in League 2 (on goal-difference) to Forest Green Rovers, who themselves drew 1-1 at the Valley three days after this re-arranged fixture was originally going to be played (Saturday September 10th). But in the event it was cancelled, along with all other football, as a part of a nationwide mark of respect, when Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth 2nd passed away.
Had tonight's game have gone ahead as scheduled, then Matt Taylor would still have been managing the Grecians. But during the interim he's left Exeter to take over at Rotherham United from where Paul Warne had resigned to fill the vacant hot seat at Derby County, who currently play a division below the Millers. Some might ask why an ambitious manager would drop down a rung in the Football League as a career path choice. I suspect that they should field that line of enquiry towards the money, because that is where the answer lies... and it talks the loudest too.
Subsequently today's visitors installed their Under 18 manager Kevin Nicholson and first team coach John Hill in charge, in an interim caretaker capacity, in time for their away game at Barnsley on Saturday, where they came away with a 0-2 win courtesy of a brace of goals from Jay (son of Adam) Stansfield.
On the same afternoon Ben Garner's Addicks were playing out a goalless draw at Sincil Bank.
I'm happy to report that this evening's lively encounter was the complete antithesis of Saturday's dirge of a game at Lincoln; after which I had arrived home almost traumatised by the days events and steadfastly announced that: "If that crap I've just witnessed today, is what is passing itself off as football these days, I'm going to have to find something else to do on Saturday afternoons in future, instead".
To which Mrs W wearily replied: "Oh right, so it's Chapter ten-thousand and seventy seven of that never ending story now is it!?"
Oh shurrup you!
Football addicts all know (don't we), that just because we've sampled some ropey gear, the next fix will be a whole lot better, or the one after that, or... well, eventually something good will come of it. Won't it? Thankfully tonight was the proof of that, hook me up for another shot of the good stuff.
My faith in football is restored, for now leastways.
Charlton's owner has Thomas Sandgaard recently (as in over the last few days) had to make a U-turn of Liz Truss proportions, by slashing the price of match tickets at the Valley, after they had risen to what was a particularly high-level for third-tier football, this season.
That said, Addicks season-tickets are an absolute bargain and are set at more realistic levels that most definitely represent excellent value for money.
Maybe the hike in the cost of individual tickets on a game by game basis, was an experiment, or ploy if you prefer, to see if more people would be tempted and willing to pay for the whole campaign up front, in a lump sum.
But if that was ever the case, it appears to have backfired.
Times are hard and football supporters, just like everybody else, are having to spread costs of their leisure pursuits and lifestyle choices, while budgeting accordingly.
I am quite sure that there are many more people who would like to be season-ticket holders at any number of clubs, but who simply can't afford the outlay all in one go, as priorities take precedence..
And these are the same fans who will be put off by the increased costs of watching football, on an match by match basis, as and when they're able to go... assuming they haven't already been priced out.
Clubs putting up prices for those that buy tickets on the actual day of any given game, is a practice that is understandably resented as well. Although Charlton aren't alone in practising this specific brand of extortion, in fact they are one of three clubs that sidestepped already this season, as a veto against these pay on the day surcharges which are becoming more and more commonplace.
I don't know about you, but I'm definitely of the mindset that says: why the effing hell would I pay £26 on the day of a match, when the same ticket was £3 cheaper yesterday?
It's the same seat, the same view and the same bloody game when all is said and done... and if (as happens on occasions) I've had to wait until the morning of a match to find out if I could definitely attend or not, why on earth would I have bought a ticket in advance, just on the off-chance that I might be able to use it?
Mr Sandgaard, who in August of 2020 said that he expected it to take "a couple of years" to gain the trust of the Addicks' fanbase, now appears to be more concerned with 'breaking even' financially at the club, than making regular announcements about his grandiose ambitions, such as the target of a second placed finish League 1 this season and returning to the Premier League in the next five years.
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| 30th Anniversary in December |
Not that good housekeeping and sensible planning moneywise isn't a wise and prudent course to take. Caution prevents abortion, as the saying goes, But a bit of consultation and goodwill goes a long way. Addicks fans know these things, more than most, given their recent history.
And on that very subject, if you weren't already aware of the timescale involved, in December it will be exactly thirty years since Charlton Athletic returned to the Valley, following their 'hiatus' at Selhurst Park and more latterly Upton Park.
But, getting back on topic; increasingly delicate matters have not been helped by club officials, employed by Sandgaard, hitting out at the fans on social media for not turning up at games in sufficient numbers to financially prop up the club owner.
I hear that the Supporters Trust at the Valley are seeking a face to face meeting with the club owner, to discuss all the the above, plus a number of other issues that have arisen of late.
It's best practice to defuse ticking time-bombs, I would have thought. So hopefully some helpful dialogue will see a few wrinkles that are beginning to develop ironed out, so that people can start to focus on the football again, which'd make a nice change.
Ah yes, football, that was why I was in south London tonight, so moving swiftly on: the Addicks impressed me no end against their visitors from Devon, as they slammed the door firmly shut on an eight-game winless run in League One, with a performance that all of those present enthusiastically warmed to.
The game was twenty minutes old when Charlton capitalised on their lively start and took the lead (it had been coming), when George Dobson played a defence flummoxing pass forward from a central position to pick out the run of Miles Leaburn, who swapped the ball between his feet, before unleashing a right-footed shot past Jamal Blackman, as he advanced into the area.
And inside five minutes, the home side doubled their lead, when Scott Fraser crossed to Jayden Stockley, who's shot across the face of the visitors goal hit Alex Hartridge and changed direction, taking it away from Blackman and into the back of the net.
Feel free to argue amongst yourselves, as to whether it was Stockley's goal to claim or Hartridge's own goal, I'm sure that both players would give you the same answer if you asked them... either way it was 2-0.
In the thirty-seventh minute, Jay Stansfield, a former Exeter City youth team player, who is back at the club on loan from Premier League side Fulham, finished well from twenty yards out, to half the deficit
The game ebbed and flowed nicely well into the second-half and Exeter almost drew level in the seventy-fourth minute, when Jack Sparkes' strike crashed against Joe (or is it Jo Jo) Wollacott's crossbar.
With eight minutes remaining Chuks Aneke was introduced from the Addicks bench with immediate effect, scoring with his first touch just moments later, when he latch on to the ball in the visitors goalmouth after Dobson's shot had been blocked.
Aneke was also involved in Charlton's fourth goal, when fed the ball out wide to Corey Blackett-Taylor on the left flank, who crossed for Jack Payne to head home as the game went into stoppage time.
Five minutes into added time, Aneke inadvertently contributed to another goal, when he conceded a penalty, (allegedly) toppling Sam Nombe inside the Charlton area... and the same Grecians player got up to score from the resulting penalty.
But it was too late for the visitors to mount a comeback and Charlton's fans went home happy with the impressive style shown during tonight's win, the high tempo level of the performance displayed by their favourite team and the full-time score.
FT: Charlton Athletic 4 v Exeter City 2
On the subject of Charlton striving to get more bums on seats at the Valley... I reckon that a few more easy on the eye recitals of the beautiful game, in all of it's splendorous glory, coupled with an upturn in results, would soon have those turnstiles clicking more steadily again.
Or is it too much to hope that tonight's thoroughly entertaining fare wasn't just a one off?
Only time will tell... watch this space!
Exeter entertain Oxford United on Saturday, while the Addicks will be back at the Valley on Monday night, when Portsmouth are the visitors. And I have it on very good authority that I will be here again then too.
