Charlton stun Ipswich

Charlton Athletic stunned Ipswich Town with three goals in 12 second-half minutes at Portman Road to pick up their second away win of the season.   The Addicks are now in the play off places at 5^th.

The home side, previously unbeaten on their own patch this term, dominated the first half - but Ivan Azon had an effort smothered by Addicks goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski and Ipswich forward Chuba Akpom hit the crossbar.

Charlton, who have now won four of their past six games, made them pay, as Sonny Carey scored his fourth goal in seven games and then Macaulay Gillesphey headed in a second.

Ipswich, who have now lost two on the bounce and saw goalkeeper Alex Palmer limp off injured in the first half, were clearly rattled, and Miles Leaburn added a third shortly after going on as a substitute.

The south London side had conceded a total of 14 goals in their previous three games against the Tractor Boys, and with the home side dominant early on, this meeting looked like going a similar way.

Azon was denied by Kaminski, the dangerous Jack Clarke had an inswinging corner headed off the line by Charlton's Greg Docherty, and then Akpom smashed a shot against the bar after great approach work by Azon.

The loss of Palmer, who seemed to suffer a muscle problem as he raced out of his area to sweep up, did not interrupt the flow of the game, but Charlton then created the two best chances of the first half as a warning of things to come.

Isaac Olaofe, in his first league start, turned away from Ashley Young and ran clear of the defence only for substitute goalkeeper Christian Walton to save with his feet, and then Gillesphey miscued a glaring chance over the bar from James Bree's wicked curving corner.

The dancing feet of Clarke continued to look like Ipswich's best means of opening up the visitors, but Kaminski turned the former Sunderland man's shot over the bar and then Akpom headed his fine cross narrowly wide.

Charlton came alive again after 52 minutes as Carey picked up Leif Davis' headed clearance and drove straight back at the defence, peeling left to beat Dara O'Shea and then driving a low shot beyond Walton.

Suddenly it was all Charlton as Walton produced a fine save to deny Charlie Kelman, and following the resulting corner, Carey's cross was flicked by Olaofe's heel at the near post and ballooned off the diving Walton to fall neatly onto the head of Gillespie for 2-0.

Kasey McAteer thought he had pulled one back with a far-post header, but an offside flag ruled the goal out.

Charlton rubbed home their superiority when Conor Coventry retrieved an over-hit corner and played a sharp pass towards the byline. Tyreece Campbell collected and delivered the ball onto the head of Leaburn, who made it three.

George Hirst's poor touch denied Ipswich their final chance of retrieving something from the game, and Charlton could have added a fourth when Leaburn and Campbell both went close.

Nathan Jones told BBC Radio London:

"It was a magnificent result - some squad, some team."

"In the first 25 minutes we had to get to grips with it because we were really passive and allowed them to work patterns and get their good players into areas, and we had to defend the box really, really well.

"Then we became more aggressive, got on the front foot a little bit more, and we had four really good chances in the first half.

"At half-time I got into the players and said 'Look, if we want to be passive, these are a good side who will play round you and through you'. In the second half we were really aggressive and went after the game.

"The goals were excellent goals and the game-changers that went on were excellent. It was some performance."

 

Capital performance

Charlton moved to the edge of the play offs in 7^th place with a 3-0 victory over Blackburn Rovers at The Valley this afternoon.

It took a while for the game to warm up, with Balazs Toth the first goalkeeper to be called into action with 28 minutes on the clock, dropping to hold onto home skipper Greg Docherty, who let fly from the edge of the box.

The cultured right foot of Bree, which gave Blackburn problems all afternoon, finally made an opening.  He swung in a deep free kick that was met at the back post by substitute Gillesphey.   The Wembley hero nodded back across goal and into the corner to give his side the lead just seven minutes after replacing the injured Josh Edwards

The penultimate chance of the half saw Pickering go for goal from a free kick, with the defender’s strike from 22 yards sailing comfortably over the top of the upright and into the home supporters behind Kaminski’s goal, before Toth produced a good stop to beat away Lloyd Jones’ header with the final touch of a scrappy first half in SE7.

The Addicks went in ahead and they almost doubled their tally just four minutes into the second period, but Docherty’s left-footed attempt from inside the box was parried away by Toth. before the danger was hacked clear.

Filling in at right-back after Ryan Alebiosu was forced off at half time, Gardner-Hickman was beginning to be targeted and after winning a battle against the hapless substitute, Tyreece Campbell bent inches past Toth’s left-hand post just before the hour mark with a curling right-footed effort after darting in from the left flank.

Reece Burke missed a glorious opportunity to bag a second for Charlton with just over 20 minutes left, with the defender firing over with the net gaping after Toth had initially saved Docherty’s stinging effort from 18 yards out.

Charlton grew stronger as the second half progressed and when substitute Isaac Olaofe held the ball up and laid it off, Carey was given far too much time and space to weigh up an attempt and he then sent his thunderous shot flying between the desperate dive of Toth and his near post to smash into the back of the net to make it 2-0.

Bree was waiting at the back post to score his first league goal for the club since joining on loan from Southampton in the summer to make it 3-0. Olaofe, who scored the late winner in South Yorkshire last week, created the third in the fourth minute of added time, setting off on a run down the left and freeing Greg Docherty, whose pull-back to the edge of the box found Bree, who calmly stroked a side foot shot through a crowd of players.

 

 

Jones admits: 'We are disappointed with points gained'

Supremo Nathan Jones responded in his press conference yesterday to fans like Desmond from Deal who have demanded more from the team in the final third.

The Welshman said: ‘We have to build from a solid foundation, like we did then. Once again we are building a solid foundation but come January, February, March and April, I have no doubt if I’m doing my job then we will be a better side than we are now - more fluent and much more potent in the final third. But that’s an evolution process.

We have come up a level and you have to remember we need to adjust to certain stuff. We are coming up against sides with huge budgets - regular Championship sides that have spent money on quality. That is what we have to get to. But, I’ve got to be honest with you, we’re sitting where we are and we are disappointed, realistically so, with our points gained. We feel we should have more.

We’ve got a squad now where we have got two in pretty much every position. If I play Amari’i Bell or Macaulay Gillesphey, is anyone going to raise their eyebrows? If I play Rob Apter or James Bree? If I play Kayne Ramsay or Reece Burke? If I play Charlie Kelman, Miles, Tanto (Isaac Olaofe) or (Matty) Godden in that position?

There are some tough decisions, sometimes, to make. Some people are a little bit unlucky. Macaulay Gillesphey, for example, can feel very unlucky and hard done by, because of what he did last season. But he will play lots of games for us.  Burkey had to be patient.’

Kayne Ramsay is back from suspension and Jones has also confirmed that Luke Berry is in full training.

The comments above reproduced from Richard Cawley's Substack platform where there is a lot more to read.

Blackburn Rovers arrive fresh from their washout against Ipswich Town which the EFL in its wisdom has ruled has to be played in full.

Nathan Jones believes Blackburn Rovers will pose a tough threat when they visit The Valley this weekend.  Valerien Ismael's side would be on the back of successive wins, and three in four games, had their Ipswich Town result stood. As it is, Rovers still carry good momentum as they search for a third away triumph in a row.

“There won't be a Championship team that comes here where it's a small game or insignificant, they're all massive," the supremo said.

"Blackburn have had a decent start with an experienced manager, narrowly missing out on the play-offs last year following a good second half to the season.   They've started quite well this time out and it’s another tough game, and one where we have to concentrate on us. We want to be the best version of ourselves at home.

"We love playing back at The Valley. The crowd is fantastic and so is the atmosphere. Matchdays are real occasions now and something we always look forward to."

Spirits are said to be high in the Blackburn camp as they prepare for their trip to the capital.

CAS Trust reckons the mood is more upbeat at Charlton than at Blacburn: https://www.castrust.org/2025/09/game-set-match-or-second-serve/

Addicks back in the Championship

For the next few weeks reports will appear here and on the third division diary before this site takes over.

Ramsay was almost caught out early doors, but recovered.   Lloyd Jones was fortunate not to get a yellow and Orient had a free kick. 

Orient won a corner.  Mannion secured the ball comfortably and released it well.   Docherty thought he had won a Charlton corner, but the referee gave a goal kick.

After quarter of an hour there had been few incidents of note. The referee was reluctant to give free kicks. 

Ramsay blocked an Orient counter attack well. 

Charlton needed to improve in the final third to get a shot away.    Orient looked better in the forward areas in terms of positioning and ball control, but neither keeper had much to do.

Charlton won a free kick in a promising position after Campbell had drawn it on 29 minutes.     It was taken by Gillesphey and the much criticised player scored.

An Orient corner was poor and ended in a Charlton goal kick.

Orient tried to finish the half strongly with a spell of possession.   Charlton tried to take the sting out of the game with their own spell of possession.

Two minutes added on.  

HT: 1-0

Gilbert took a Charlton free kick, but then the Addicks conceded a free kick.   Matty Godden won a free kick.

Campbell was starting to look more dangerous.  

An Orient ball was just wide through a deflection.    The corner was not successful. 

Two massive chances for Orient!  Currie was the first to unleash but he sees his attempt deflect out by mere inches to go out for a corner.

What do the O's do with it? They see it go just outside the box for Jordan Brown to pounce on.  He whacks it but it just lifts high. Just.

Charlie Kelman connects with his right-foot in the box to draw breath from the Addicks fans. But as good as his strike is, it takes a small knock from a Charlton defender to see it ricochet off the bar on 62 minutes.

Charlton's Alex Gilbert wiped out Jamie Donley inside of the D and gives Leyton Orient a free- kick.  The wall stood.

A disappointing Small came off along with Gilbert.   Watson and Anderson came on.  (68 minutes)

Charlton won a corner after Keeley deflected a Coventry shot.   Clare headed it away.   Subsequent play ended in a goal kick.   Ramsay required treatment for cramp.   Orient withdrew Clare in favour of James. Brown was replaced by Ball.

Ramsay was still struggling.   Charlton were having to call on all their defensive skills.   Godden waved his arms to the Addickted in encouragement.    Godden went off along with Campbell and Mbick and Aneke came on.  (81 minutes)

Orient made three more changes, Beccles was among those to go off.

The referee went down the tunnel, apparently because of technical issues with communication (the headsets).   Attendance was announced at 76,193.

11 minutes of added time were announced.    Keeley saved from Aneke.    Lloyd Jones got the first booking of the match for interfering with a free kick.

Docherty blocked a free kick with his face.   Mannion collected a free kick well, he was bold and brave.  Mannion claimed an incoming header. 

Charlton won, they are back in the Championship, now the hard work begins.