Charlton pay the penalty

A second minute penalty gave Reading a 1-0 victory over Charlton at The Valley this afternoon.  Late in the second half, Forster-Caskey was pulled down for what looked like a nailed on penalty, but the referee judged that it was dive and gave him a yellow card.

A first half goal from Aneke was ruled offside when it probably wasn't.  It just wasn't Charlton's day and may condemn them to the drop.

Having said that, our quality up front was poor.   Of 16 shots, only two were on target.  We have to take our chances and Bonne failed to make use of an excellent McGeady cross in the first half.   

Moreover, as Larry Wilson pointed out, our corners are not very imaginative (we had eight to one for Reading).

The penalty was conceded by Oshilaja and there was no doubt about the decision.   Puscas powered past Phillips.

Charlton tried to be positive throughout the game, but Michael Morrison was outstanding in defence for the Royals.

Richard Cawley tweeted: 'A third defeat in a row for Charlton but I'd predict Bowyer is going to be raging at those couple of big calls by Darren Bond. Home side didn't create enough. LB making his thoughts known to the officials before he leaves the pitch.'

Seething supremo Lee Bowyer said: 'The officials have cost us the game today, it's plain and simple. Chuks Aneke, his goal is a goal. And I said to the fourth official, "the linesman can't just guess".

You have to be 100 per cent right on these decisions, these are big moments, there are careers on the line.'

'If their penalty was a penalty then so was ours, because Jake got dragged to the floor, and it's a penalty.  Something has to be done, because that wasn't up to scratch, all of them, the ref and the two linesmen."

Former Addick Mark Bowen said: 'I felt a bit sorry for Lee Bowyer, it was one of those days when they were screaming for everything, and got nothing.There were decisions that I raised my eyebrows at too. Maybe on another day you get a few decisions that they didn't today.'

'You hope that these things even out over the season, but obviously it's tough for teams down at the bottom of the table.These things have happened to us in the past, and we have to take what we can get.'

The simmering supremo's post match interview with Louis Mendez is here: https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/charlton-boss-lee-bowyer-frustrated-as-his-side-are-on-the-wrong-end-of-refereeing-decisions-during-reading-defeat/

Charlton remain 20th, pending Stoke's game in hand.