Close, but no cigar

Charlton lost 0-1 to Leicester at The Valley this afternoon.  It's the first game the Addicks have lost at home since December 2024.   Charlton played well, but the relegated Premier League side had one moment of real quality.   The Addicks had their chances in the second half, but could not find the back of the net, although one attempt by Jones was disallowed because of a tussle in the box.

Bright start to this game, end-to-end stuff with Abdul Fatawu on the right and Jeremy Monga on the left showing quick feet for City and earning their side a corner.  Kayne Ramsay needed a spot of treatment for a facial injury before they take it.

Leaburn was unlucky to be caught half a yard offside,   An Addicks corner was unproductive.   A Leaburn shot deflected for a corner.   Conor Coventry picks a Leicester pocket in their own half but Miles Leaburn sees a 20-yard blast cannon over the bar off Jannik Vestergaard, and the Foxes are able to deal with Josh Edwards' curling corner.

Leicester had a lot of the ball in the opening stages but the vast majority of it has been in their own half or on halfway. Charlton were doing a good job of pressing them into errors.

Jordan Ayew managed to get in behind Lloyd Jones for a moment and drove towards the box, Jones manages to get back goal side and forces Ayew to eventually drag a low shot a yard or so wide of Thomas Kaminski's right hand post from just inside the area.

Good battle between Jordan Ayew and Lloyd Jones with the Addicks defender being penalised after bundling into the forward in midfield.

Nathan Jones was making himself useful, trotting onto the pitch to help remove a foil balloon and streamers which had blown onto the playing surface.

Clumsy from Abdul Fatawu who barges Tyreece Campbell over near the corner flag giving the Addicks a useful set-piece opportunity. Conor Coventry's high cross was however routine for Leicester keeper Jakub Stolarczyk to claim just outside his six-yard box.

Charlton had a very clear plan to press the Leicester players high up in their own half when they're on the ball and so far it's working.  Conor Coventry and Greg Docherty haven't given the Foxes any room to move in the midfield and when they do turn the ball over the Addicks get players forward quickly and looked a threat.

Abdul Fatawu provided  a rasping 25-yard strike from the right which Lloyd Jones stooped to deflect behind off that big forehead of his.  The corner drops to Louis Page on the edge of the box but the 17-year-old snatches at his volley and blazes well over the crossbar.

Josh Edwards whipped in a free-kick from the right flank which is met by the head of Kayne Ramsay at the back stick, only for his effort to fly off-target.

Steve Brown said we had not allowed the Foxes to settle into any rhythm at all, the pressure was so good.  Good move from Charlton as Miles Leaburn played a neat reverse pass through for Sonny Carey, whose inviting near-post cross was well cut-out by the sliding Luke Thomas.

Conor Coventry ooks aim from 25 yards and scorches a swerving effort towards the top corner, only for Jakub Stolarczyk to fly across to his left and tip the ball around the angle of post and bar.   Great save.

Kayne Ramsay was penalised for a challenge on Jeremy Monga which gives Leicester the chance to get the ball in the box but once again they can't make anything of it.

Four minutes added on.   An aerial collision near the Addicks box bought both sets of trainers back onto the pitch to treat Abdul Fatawu and Josh Edwards.

Leicester had enjoyed more of the ball in accordance with their possession style but the Addicks were well drilled and prevented the visitors from doing much with it in dangerous areas.   Steve Brown praised the harassing by Charlton.

HT: 0-0

Charlton started the half on the front foot and Tyreece Campbell wins a corner down the left. Conor Coventry's ball in was met by the head of Lloyd Jones, with Hamza Choudhary just glancing it past Coventry's next corner was met by Kayne Ramsay at the far post and Jakub Stolarczyk makes a fine block on his line at near point blank range. 

The dangerous and experienced Fataw opened the scoring for the Foxes on 48 minutes with a brilliant goal.    Leiceter worked the ball neatly through the Charlton press to Abdul Fatawu on the right. The winger drifted inside towards the box, got a yard on Josh Edwards and bends a glorious effort from an angle into the far top corner of Thomas Kaminski's goal.   He had no chance of saving it.

The first goal Charlton have allowed this season, from the first shot on target they have allowed in their box across the three matches.

The Addicks were seeking a quick response and a cross from the right breaks to Tyreece Campbell just beyond the far post but Hamza Choudhary did brilliantly to throw himself in the way of Campbell's strike and deflect behind for a corner.

Miles Leaburn just put a little too much force behind his angled through ball for Greg Docherty who had acres of space darting into the Foxes box and the ball rolled through to the grateful Jakub Stolarczyk.   Heads in hands all round for the Addicks, that was a real chance.

Conor Coventry went into the book for hauling back Boubakary Soumare as he threatened to break away.   Jordan Ayew followed him into the book for his protests to ref Dean Whitestone.

It was Charlton.  Miles Leaburn somehow corralled a high ball in the box, spins, and sees his near post strike on the stretch deflected behind for another corner.  Josh Edwards' corner drops to Sonny Carey but his fierce volley from 18 yards is blocked in a forest of legs.

Tyreece Campbell and Miles Leaburn combined to send Rob Apter haring down the right but his low shot was heading for the side-netting, until it is tipped behind by Jakub Stolarczyk, who got hisangles wrong, for once.  Rob Edwards had two attempts to take his corner as the ball was rolling the first time but a looping header from Lloyd Jones at the far post evaded the stretch of Stolarczyk and somehow skews past the upright off the heel of Conor Coventry.

Lloyd Jones went into the book for a foul on Patson Daka and Leicester almost capitalised from the deep free-kick, Jannik Vestergaard getting two bites at the cherry in the goalmouth but scuffed his final effort from the floor which made it a simple save for Thomas Kaminski flopping to his right.

Another Charlton corner from Josh Edwards was met by a flashing header from Conor Coventry at the near post, taking advantage of some static defending from Jannik Vestergaard, but his effort flew over the Foxes crossbar.   This was a real chance.

Harry Winks and Silko Thomas came on for Leicester, with Jeremy Monga and Oliver Skipp the ones to make way as Marti Cifuentes tried to regain the initiative in the final 20 minutes or so.

Rob Apter went off to loud applause and Kelman came on.    Carey came off and Harvey Knibbs came on.

Josh Edwards put in a mighty throw which Miles Leaburn met with a powerful close-range header which was straight at keeper Jakub Stolarczyk who clings on well

The Foxes made sure their substitutions took an eternity.  Greg Docherty and Miles Leaburn went off for the Addicks with Tanto Olaofe and Joe Rankin-Costelloe sent on to try and spark an equaliser for the Addicks with five minutes plus added time remaining.    Josh Edwards was replaced  by Gillesphey.

Charlton were throwing everything forward at the moment with Lloyd Jones staying up top as a makeshift forward and proving a handful for Caleb Okoli in particular.  Six minutes were added on. A deep Addicks corner was nodded back into the middle where Tyreece Campbell could only steer a header over the bar from eight yards out.  He had time and space to do better.

Those in attendance saw a real contest, but the armchair managers will soon be at their keyboards explaining how they would have done better.

Steve Brown said that we won in every department, but admitted that we were guiilty of missing some very good opportunities.