Saturday 12th November 2022
EFL League 1
Burton Albion (2) 3
Deji Oshilaja 38, Ben Hamer 45, Victor Adeboyejo 58
Charlton Athletic (2) 3
Charlie Kirk 26, 36, Jes Rak-Sakyi 76
Attendance: 3,084
Let the train take the strain they said... sixty-four minutes late arriving into Burton upon Trent the chuffing thing was, which is almost as long as it takes to submit the online 'delay repay' application form.
Burton Albion:
Sinisalo, Borthwick-Jackson, Oshilaja (C), Hughes, Powell, Smith (Carayol 90+1), Onyango, Adeboyejo (Dodoo 68), Taylor, Gilligan (Winnall 81)
Unused subs - Garratt, Mancienne, Keillor-Dunn, Kamwa
Charlton Athletic:
MacGillivray, Chin Lavelle, Inniss, Sessegnon; Rak-Sakyi, Dobson (Forster-Caskey 75), Fraser (Morgan 89), Campbell (Blackett-Taylor 63); Kirk (Payne 75), Stockley (C) (Aneke 63)
Unused sub - Elerewe
Craig MacGillivray was a late addition to Addicks starting line-up, after Charlton's Ghanaian international: Joe Wollacott, injured a finger during the pre-match warm-up, just eight days before the start of the World Cup in the Middle East.
Ghana's chief coach will be hoping that Monday's scan results confirm that Wollacott's damage isn't too serious, because his other goalkeeper: Richard Ofori (of Orlando Pirates) is currently injured too.
MacGillivray definitely won't be going to the World Cup, because he's Scottish.
But joking aside: a friend suggested that this humble scribe has been conspicuously absent from contributing any personal views pertaining to the forthcoming overseas international football event.
While stating the bleedin' obvious, inasmuch as: I'm not going to Qatar and this is fundamentally a blog about my football travels, I actually feel compelled to add:
1) A World Cup in November. Completely ridiculous.
2) In Qatar. Even more ridiculous. Never mind gesture politics and associations paying lip service to just and honourable causes, football is morally bankrupt and the moment the first ball is kicked to commence proceedings, those involved (i.e. all of them) will be taking a massively regressive step and dealing a hefty blow, to the many people who suffer because of tyranny, intolerance and (frankly disgusting) archaic prejudices, that have no place in a civilised society. Let alone a tournament that is meant to bring a cosmopolitan mix of all peoples of the world together, regardless of their lifestyle choices.
Money talks... but it don't sing and dance and it don't walk.
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| "We will remember them" |
Should you ever find yourself in such a predicament, don't be deterred by the amount of times you'll get bounced out of the system and taken back to the very beginning of the whole process. I'm certain that it's a built in part of the integral design of the template to put any potential user off from seeking the compensation they are rightly entitled to.
Persevere with it until the bitter end you goodly people, because you'll get there, eventually.
For the record there was no rail strike or industrial action causing any hold-ups today, just an antiquated and badly run rail network providing what has become the unacceptable norm for a weekend service.
The first half saw Burton dominate the early stages but Charlton took the lead with their first meaningful attack in the 26th minute.
MacGillivray had to be on his toes on 21 minutes for the first real chance of the game when Hamer's cross found the head of Sam Hughes at the back post and his header was superbly tipped over.
Ryan Inniss advanced from the back and found Kirk who picked out the bottom corner for his first goal since August.
MacGillivray required attention when he bravey intercepted Powell's cross that was inches from the boot of Adeboyejo looking to pounce on the edge of the six-yard box.
The former Crewe man added a second 10 minutes later with an audacious lob from the edge of the area direct from goalkeeper Craig MacGillivray's clearance.
The two goal lead last barely two minutes as Albion provided an immediate response. Hamer was felled on the edge of the box and Taylor's free-kick picked out the head of OSHILAJA who showed great strength to hold off his man and thump a header into the net.
And Albion were level before half time when some lovely football on the edge of the box allowed Onyango to cross for Adeboyejo to chest the ball down for HAMER to lash home.
Albion were level by the break. Former Addicks defender Oshilaja powerfully headed home a Terry Taylor free-kick before Hamer lashed home an equaliser after good work from Tyler Onyango and Adeboyejo.
It was end to end stuff as the second half got under way, Charlton looking to re-establish their lead early on before Albion got back onto the front foot and began to threaten at the other end, Powell seeing a shot through a ruck of bodies end straight into the arms of MacGillivray.
Adeboyejo lit up the second half with a thunderous effort to put Burton in front after 58 minutes to notch his 10th goal of the season.
But the visitors responded with 14 minutes remaining when the livewire Crystal Palace loanee Rak-Sakyi lobbed the ball over the advancing Viljami Sinisalo to rescue a point.
Hughes then planted a header wide of the post from Taylor's corner although there were strong shouts that it hit a Charlton hand and at this stage it was all Albion, Jonny Smith forcing a superb save from MacGillivray on 64 minutes before Oshilaja rose to head the resulting corner wide of the goal.
Adeboyejo left the field to a rapturous ovation from the home fans when he went off on 68 minutes to be replaced by new boy Dodoo.
Charlton made a double change with a quarter of an hour to go and within seconds were level. Chuks Aneke battled hard near the touchline and threaded a hopeful pass forwards when RAK-SAKYI got to the ball a split second before the advancing Sinisalo and lobbed the ball into the net.
Sam Winnall replaced the tiring Gilligan and he forced MacGillivray into an acrobatic save before Smith did the same from the left wing as Albion went it search of a fourth goal.
Dodoo forced a good save from MacGillivray after being released through on goal by Winnall as neither side opted to settle for a point.
The Addicks created a couple of late chances which were blocked effectively by the Brewers defence, but ultimately neither side could provide a final clinical touch to provide a winning at the end of a what had been a pulsating encounter. A draw was a fair result all told.
FT: Burton Albion 3 v Charlton Athletic 3
