Penalty pain for Charlton

Josh Windass netted a late penalty as Wrexham beat Charlton Athletic to earn a third successive home win in the Championship.

Nathan Jones' men had the better chances in what was an even opening half at the Stok Cae Ras - with Harvey Knibbs firing against the crossbar.

But the Welsh side carried the greater threat in the second half and had the game's decisive moment on 77 minutes as Windass scored his fifth goal of the season from the spot after Onel Hernández was penalised for a handball.

Victory extended Wrexham's unbeaten Championship run to five matches as Charlton's own five-game unbeaten streak in the league was ended.

The hosts survived a real scare just 40 seconds into the contest though as Isaac Olaofe was unable to prod the ball home after Sonny Carey's effort was saved by Arthur Okonkwo.

Wrexham settled and had their best opening on 17 minutes as Kieffer Moore teed up Max Cleworth from Issa Kabore's cross - with goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski tipping the defender's shot over.  Okonkwo reacted well to keep out James Bree's strike with his legs.

Both sides lacked a ruthless instinct in the final third, although the hosts were let off the hook in the 36th minute as Knibbs lashed against the crossbar from eight yards out after Dom Hyam slipped in his own box.

At the other end, Nathan Broadhead dragged a shot wide before Ryan Longman blazed over from a tight angle as the score remained level at the break.

Parkinson's men looked to turn the screw after the restart as Moore flashed a header across goal from George Thomason's inviting corner - with Longman firing well over soon after.

Josh Windass, Lewis O'Brien and James McClean replaced Broadhead, Thomason and Longman midway through the second half as Charlton sent on Hernández for Knibbs.

But the turning point came 15 minutes from time as referee Leigh Douhty awarded the hosts a penalty as substitute Hernandez handled McClean's cross.

Windass slotted his spot-kick into Kaminski's bottom left corner to break the deadlock with his first home goal for the club.

The game became stretched late on as Moore was well denied by Kaminski in the final stages.  Charlton came agonisingly close to equalising in the ninth minute of added time as Okonkwo tipped Luke Berry's header over/

Nathan Jones commented: "It's a moment of madness that's cost us at least a point.   I thought it was a tight game, we had a lot of chances in the first half and should have been ahead.  It's taken that bit of madness to break the deadlock. But I'm proud of the group for what they've given me because I can't ask for any more."

"We've come here twice now and been depleted with injuries. It seems like this place is a jinx. We just had to get to the international break, it gives us that respite. We're good in most areas, it's just defensively that we're a bit light. Bree couldn't take a set-play because of his groin."

 

Moore and Jones to battle it out

Nathan Jones is looking forward to the battle between Lloyd Jones and Kieffer Moore tomorrow - and has revealed he ran the rule over the Wrexham striker when he first started on the coaching ladder at Charlton Athletic.

Moore, 33, has been capped 52 times by Wales and scored nine times in 16 matches in all competitions this season, including a hat-trick against Coventry City in his last appearance at Stok Cae Ras.

Charlton vice-captain Jones has won 101 aerial duels in the Championship with only Moore able to better that, moving back into pole position with 105 after Wrexham’s 0-0 draw at Portsmouth on Wednesday evening.

Te manager said: “He is in a wonderful place. Some of the performances he puts in, you won’t see better defensive ones, at times. And he is a linchpin, in terms of our defensive responsibilities. We build a defensive structure around him. It allows the people who play around him to be the best versions of themselves, knowing he is that leader.

The Red Dragons drew 2-2 with the Addicks at The Valley in October last year, although Parkinson's men won the reverse fixture on home soil in April 3-0 - a result that earned the Welsh side promotion into the Championship.

Wrexham supremo and for mer Addicks boss Phil Parkinson admits there is an "edge" between Wrexham and Charlton Athletic as a result of the battles they had in League One last season.

Nathan Jones' men went on to gain promotion via the play-offs, and ahead of the meeting between the sides at Stok Cae Ras on Saturday (15:00 GMT), Parkinson said he is relishing the prospect of another exciting encounter with Charlton.

"It's going to be a really good game," he told BBC Sport Wales.

"I think it's going to be competitive and there's an edge between both teams after our competition last year.

"They're very Wrexham supremo Phil Parkinson admits there is an "edge" between Wrexham and Charlton Athletic as a result of the battles they had in League One last season.much similar to how they played last year, a similar shape and they've made a few improvements and some shrewd signings. They've done really well.

"We know Charlton are going to be very competitive in terms of the way they play, similar to the Portsmouth game in many respects, but we're prepared for that."

CAS Trust reckon Wrexham are something of a bogy team for Charlton: https://www.castrust.org/2025/11/is-another-hollywood-ending-in-store/

BBC: Charlton moving in right direction for promotion

Injury hit Charlton moved up to fifth in the Championship table by beating West Brom with a goal in the sixth minute of added time.

Addicks midfielder Greg Docherty had a first-half penalty saved by visiting goalkeeper Josh Griffiths and in a game of few clear cut chances the contest had looked destined to finish goalless.

But a long range effort from Sonny Carey, which took a deflection off substitute Chris Mepham and beat the dive of Griffiths, delivered the hosts a late three points.  Charlton extended a superb run of just one defeat in 10.

The win also put another brick in the formidable defences being built by Nathan Jones and his side at The Valley where they have lost just one match in 24 in all competitions stretching back to December last year.

West Brom will be left wondering how they came away with nothing, but in truth, while their approach play delivered chances, particularly in the first half, their finishing and decision making in front of goal left plenty to be desired.

The best chance of the lot fell to the hosts after they were awarded a penalty when Ousmane Diakite was deemed to have handled under pressure from Miles Leaburn just after the half-hour mark.

The midfielder argued long and hard with referee Lewis Smith but in the end it mattered little as Docherty's telegraphed spot-kick was easily kept out by Griffiths diving low to his left.

The second period saw more life from both sides with Price forcing a fine save from Thomas Kaminski on 50 minutes, despite better options being available to his left.

And Carey served notice four minutes later of what was to come with a straight snap shot from distance which Griffiths kept out superbly diving low to his right to tip around the near post.

With the game heading into added time a point apiece seemed fair and generally acceptable to all parties, but a corner from the left for Charlton found its way to Carey on the edge of the box.

Gathering the ball and turning back towards goal he took one last speculative swing of his boot to earn his side three points and spark wild celebrations with the substitutes and management team on the touchline.

The  BBC commented, ‘Ipswich secured back-to-back promotions from League One to the Premier League in 2022-23 and 2023-24 and while there is still a long way to go to emulate their rise, Charlton are moving in the right direction.’

Nathan Jones on Sonny Carey: “He is positive in everything he does. "Every pass and touch he has is forward. Whatever run he makes is forward. Every shot zings or tests something. He has been an absolute revelation and it’s why we’ve brought him to the football club."

Nathan Jones just made an appreciative noise when he talked about Ibby Fullah. "I don't think he made a bad touch all night. I told him to light the place up - and he did."

 

Baggies firing blanks

Charlton have their injury woes, with unconfirmed rumors saying that Kelman has suffered a training ground injury, but tonight's opponents, West Bromwich Albion, have a number of midfield players out of action.

The Baggies have won four games away, more than they have at home, but have lost three.

They have now failed to score in three of their last five matches a nd head coach Ryan Mason says they have to be sharper in front of goal.  He said, 'We need to get inside the minds and bodies of the group to sniff out chances.'   Against Sheffield Wednesday, Mason felt that his side displayed anxiety and a lack of conviction.

Short at the back

Unless there is an exceptionally magic sponge in the medical room at Sparrows Lane, Charlton manager Nathan Jones is set to be without three defenders for the visit of West Bromwich Albion on Tuesday writes Richard Cawley.

Josh Edwards (ankle), Bell (hamstring) and Burke (foot) are all expected to miss out. Ramsay would, you expect, deputise for Burke at right-sided centre-back. It’s a change that likely would have happened anyway, even if the former Luton Town man was fit.  Campbell probably gets the left wing-back gig.

It leaves Charlton stretched defensively but they only have two matches to navigate before the international break.

The next chance to quiz Jones on the severity of the injuries to Bell and Burke will be in his post-match press conference after the game against West Brom.

If either is out for any serious length of time it hampers the ability to rotate. Not great timing, when you consider that Charlton play 10 games between November 22 and January 1.

Bell chimes with Addicks

Amar'i Bell reckons that the Charlton squad shows the same 'hunger' that saw his former club Luton promoted to the Premier League against all the odds.

'When somebody has something to prove and a hunger to achieve that is always going to work well, especially when there are so many people who want the same thing,' the 31-year old told the Football League Paper.  'Even myself, having got to the Premier League before, has made me hungrier to do it again.'

'What we have got now isn't the Luton spirit,' he insisted.  'It's a spirit the manager created with the character of all the personnel he broughtt in.   He knows what he wants to get out of the lads.  He drivesd standards and has an intensity that he wants to play at.'

'The fans have been amazing.   They give us extra motivation and help.   To hear them going crazy when we've made a goal-line clearance or put that strong tackle in lifts your energy levels.'

Kelman scores first Charlton goal

Swansea City fought back to claim a point at The Valley as Adam Idah's sharp finish cancelled out Charlie Kelman's first Charlton Athletic goal.

Kelman steered in from close range via the underside of the bar when Swansea failed to deal with Conor Coventry's hopeful ball into the box in the opening seconds of the second half.

But Swansea levelled as Republic of Ireland international Idah scored only his second goal – and his first from open play – since his £6m move from Celtic two months ago.   After volleying one effort narrowly over, Idah was given time to turn 20 yards from goal and took full advantage, arrowing a low shot into the net via the base of the post.

The draw extends Charlton's unbeaten run to four games, and means they have now lost only once in their past 23 home fixtures in all competitions.

Nathan Jones' team drop to eighth in the table.

The first half of was scrappy, with Macaulay Gillesphey coming closest to a goal with a header which was brilliantly saved by Lawrence Vigouroux.

Gillesphey may have been fortunate to still be on the pitch by that point, after the Charlton defender's sliding challenge on Eom Jisung in the first minute of the game went unpunished.  Swansea felt Gillesphey should have been sent off as Eom was running through on goal, but referee David Webb decided there had been no foul.

Nathan Jones said this was the toughest Swansea side he had faced.   He was disappointed that Charlton had been unable to impose themselves.