Tuesday 19 February 2013

Addicks do double over Leicester

Charlton did the double over Leicester for the first time in 21 years this evening with Foxes anti-hero Yann Kermorgant scoring in both games. It will be a difficult result for those who have been predicting that the Addicks were about to be sucked into a relegation struggle.

There were three changes for Charlton in Leicester tonight, reports Paul May. Rhoys Wiggins returned to the side in place of Cedric Evina. Wilson was dropped after an indifferent performance at Hull and Dervitte played in front of the back four. Fuller was on the bench and Wagstaff came in to support Kermorgant as the lone striker.

An effort from Pritchard was wide of the top upright. A cross from Konchesky was cleared. A header went over the bar. Charlton needed to make sure that they tracked runners.

Wagstaff won a free kick, but Schmeichel saved from Cort. Charlton were pressing quite high up the park. Kermorgant was winning most of the balls that went up to him. A dreadful back pass was made by Drinkwater for Leicester, Pritchard picked out Kermorgant who scored with a great finish with his left foot from 18 yards out to make it 1-0 to the Addicks on 19 minutes.

The game entered a quiet phase. The home crowd was getting a little frustrated. Konchesky surged forward and woke them up again, but the referee pulled the game back for a dubious yellow card on Jackson. The free kick was punched clear by Hamer and the move ended in a Charlton goal kick.

The home crowd and Nigel Pearson went wild when Stephens leant in a bit. The impressive Pritchard won a corner kick. The home support and Nugent demanded a free kick and didn’t get one. Morrison cleared as the Foxes attacked. Leicester pressured again, but Solly cleared. The home support started booing as a free kick was awarded against Wood for handball. They were convinced that the referee was against them.

Hamer initially spilled the ball but then managed to smother it. Leicester put the ball over the bar when they had their best chance of the half. Solly had to block the ball at the expense of a corner. The ball swung harmlessly out of play.

A cross from Nugent was blocked by Wiggins at the expense of a corner which led to a throw in for Charlton. Two minutes were added on, quite what for was unclear. Hamer dealt with a cross well and the whistle went.

Half time: Foxes 0, Addicks 1

Leicester came out early to return to the hunt. Charlton eventually came out and did a drill, but there was no sign of the referee. The Foxes won an early corner but Hamer claimed at the second attempt.

Kermorgant put in a lovely ball, but Pritchard shot too early from too far out and it went high and wide. It could have been a turning point if Pritchard had been more clinical.

Jackson put in a free kick, Schmeichel tried to punch clear and he had to scramble back quickly to make a great save to deny Morrison who put in a left footed volley.

Konchesky won a corner kick for the Foxes. Stephens managed to half clear and then Pritchard put the ball out for a throw in. Morrison headed clear. Leicester kept up the pressure. Chris Wood finished well after a good pass from Morgan, but the offside flag was up.

Leicester’s tempo had picked up and the home support had found their voice, but the Addicks were still ahead on 60 minutes. Kermorgant continued to look impressive. Leicester won a corner kick. Morgan tried to get away from Cort, but Cort did enough. Leicester made a double substitution. Gallagher and Dyer came on and Knockaert and Marshall went off on 65 minutes.

Cort blocked the ball as the home support appealed for a penalty for handball. The Foxes got a corner. Cort was there covering Morgan again and Charlton won a goal kick.

Charlton recovered well from some pressure, but then Leicester equalised with the ball falling to Wood who side footed it past Hamer who had no real chance.

Hamer was alert as Leicester threatened. Dervitte came off for Haynes in a bold move by Chris Powell. Danny Haynes got a flick on from Kermorgant to put in the top left-hand corner with a superb strike to make it 2-1. It will be a contender for goal of the season.

Charlton won a corner, but the effort by Stephens was claimed by Schmeichel. Cort conceded a corner, but it was cleared.

It opened up for Leicester for a moment, but Cort did enough at the expense of a corner which was unproductive. Hamer had to move across the goal to push away an on target long-range effort from Drinkwater to concede a corner which was not easily cleared and another corner followed. The short corner went badly wrong for the Foxes.

Wilson came on to replace Stephens. Taylor replaced Wagstaff. Four minutes were added on. Leicester won a free kick, Hamer couldn’t make contact but the ball was just wide.

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