Charlton Athletic Online

Southampton 0 Charlton Athletic 1

That's more like it - down to ten men after Jose Semedo was sent off in the first half for a dubious second bookable offence, Chris Iwelumo silenced the doubters on other blogs and finally headed in the winning goal for the Addicks three minutes into injury time.

I started the game listening to Radio Kent, but by half-time, reception was almost non-existent, so I had to rely on Sky Sports News for any goal updates. Nil Nil it said. Pards started the game with Varney dropped and Thomas starting, and the team shaping up in a 4-5-1 formation. Nil Nil it remained, half an hour left; on and on. Obviously backs to the wall stuff. with ten men, 4-4-1 was how we played. Nil Nil. Just ten minutes to go. Could we become the first team to stop Southampton scoring this season, and with only ten men? I'd heard the commentary about all the missed chances in the first half - Sodje hitting the bar, both keepers making saves, and shots flying wide. It didn't sound like a goalless draw but still it remained nil all, all the way to 4.50.

All the other scores were in and the classified results started to be read out - "Southampton Versus Charlton Athletic, late result, not yet in". On to League one. Then it flashed up. GOAL - Chris Iwelumo (90)! Yeahhhh!!!! A couple more minutes, then the final score came up.

The result takes us back up to fourth place, at least until after the Ipswich game tomorrow lunchtime, and gives the team a massive lift before facing second place Bristol City on Tuesday night. With Semedo now out in midweek, it remains to be seen if he will maintain this line-up (with almost certainly Therry Racon filling in for Semedo), or switch back to 4-4-2.

If we can avoid defeat at Ashton Gate, our season is going to be well and truly back on track, and we can start to look upwards once more.

Labels: Charlton, Chris Iwelumo, Southampton