Last gasp equaliser

Ivan Mesik scored a 96th-minute equaliser for Charlton to deny Burnley what would have been their first home league win in 360 days.   1,100 Addicks were there.  Charlton remain 12^th pending tonight’s games.

There were just 14 seconds of added time remaining when Slovakian defender Mesik took full advantage of some poor defending by the Clarets to strike home his first goal for the Addicks.  Mesik's dramatic goal came after Largie Ramazani thought he had ended Burnley's long winless league home run when he scored the Clarets' second.

That came after Kayne Ramsay cancelled out Jacob Bruun Larsen's opener for Burnley and Charlton will not care that they are without a victory in seven games after that sensational ending.

Jamie Vardy made his first start for Burnley in place of Zeki Amdouni, who had an ankle injury, and the 39-year-old striker fired well over from his only real effort on goal.  The Clarets took the lead on 36 minutes when Bruun Larsen cut in from the left on to his right foot and his shot went through the Charlton defence and goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo's legs for his second goal in successive games.

The goal brought the Addicks to life and Kyle Walker cleared Billy Koumetio's effort off the line before goalkeeper Gregoire Coudert saved from Lloyd Jones' header and a Karlan Grant attempt.

Charlton kept up the pressure and after Miles Leaburn missed a header at the back post, the visitors equalised on 50 minutes.  Coudert failed to deal with a corner swung into the six-yard box and Ramsay smashed the ball into the roof of the net from close range.

Back came Burnley and Anel Ahmedhodzic fluffed a header before Ramazani produced a piece of magic to restore their lead on 57 minutes. Igor Julio fed Ramazani on the right and Charlton stood off the on-loan Leeds winger, inviting him to finish right-footed into the far corner.

Burnley were nervous and deep into stoppage time, substitute Hjalmar Ekdal failed to deal with a high ball and Coudert made a mess of Mesik's shot to condemn the Clarets to two more dropped points in stoppage time for the second successive game at Turf Moor.

Nathan Jones told BBC Radio London: "I thought we were excellent, I really did. I thought first off we had less control, but we had real clear-cut chances to take the lead and make the scoreline a lot more comfortable for us at half-time.

"At half-time we just reiterated the gameplan and they came out and we were excellent. We really were.

"The disappointing thing is after controlling the early stages of the second half, then we just conceded from a counter-attack. We allowed them to go through us and that's the disappointing thing.

"But I thought we controlled the game, I thought we outpaced them, we worked really hard and they're an ex-Premier League team. I'm really proud of the performance."

Okonkwo's younger brother Brian saved a penalty in the needle derby between Leamington and Redditch and the Brakes went on to score two goals in time added on to make it 2-2.   A strong presence from both Warwickshire and West Mercia police ensured a trouble free game.

 

It's tough 'oop North

Burnley are looking forward to back up their first Championship win of the season with three home points when they welcome the Addicks to Turf Moor tonight.

These midweek away matches in the north of England are always a tough challenge.  Away support will be depleted, although it does give a chance for the quite considerable number of Addicjks exiled in northern parts to support the team.

The only slight concern at Turf Moor is that some players are tired after Saturday's exertions, leaving the manager with something of a rotation dilemma.  However, the expectation is of a clean sheet with Burnley scoring two or three goals.

I have the option of watching the derby between Leamington and Redditch, but trouble is anticipated with both Warwickshire and West Mercia police brought in.

The Clarets picked up their first league victory of the campaign in style at Vicarage Road on Saturday, thrashing Watford 4-0, but they still remain in the relegation zone.

Since winning their opening three games of the season, the Addicks are now on a six-game winless streak (D4 L2) following a 1-1 draw with Bristol City at the weekend and have slipped from top to 12th on that run.

• Burnley have won each of their past five league meetings with Charlton without conceding, with this their first since winning home (4-0) and away (3-0) in 2015-16.

• Charlton have lost six of their previous seven league visits to Burnley, winning the other 1-0 in November 2012.

• Burnley could become only the second side in English Football League/Premier League history to go 20+ consecutive home league matches without a win (currently 19 – D9 L10), after Sunderland (20 from Jan-Dec 2017) and Sheffield Wednesday (23 from Apr 2025-Apr 2026).

• Since the start of last season, the only ever-present side to win fewer away games in the Championship than Charlton (5) are Watford (4).

• Since the start of last season, Charlton have won three of their four Championship away games at sides newly relegated from the Premier League (D1), already winning 2-1 at West Ham this term.

The strange saga of my relationship with Burnley

It is often our luck to play a team that has just found form.  Burnley suffered a woeful start to the season under a manager who has only managed Haverford West in the UK,   The FLP described it as a 'bizarre appointment'.  Nevertheless, Burnley managed to thump Watford 4-0 at Vicarage Road on Saturday.   Of course, that may say as much about the lack of sting on the part of the Hornets as it does about the Clarets.

This result moved Burnley off the bottom of the table.  They are also above Charlton in the form table with the Addicks second from bottom.

This is, of course, plays into the hands of the armchair managers who argue in particular that Jones has made the wrong team selections.

I never feel qualified to question the decisions of a professional coach.   My GP recently varied my meds (Nurse!) and I didn't question whether he had got the right tablets in the right strengths.  If I dared to do so, I would risk getting delisted.

But short termism is everything in football.  During the international break the FLP proclaimed. 'Are Burnley in danger of getting relegated?  I don't see how it's possible to say anything else ... The whole thing is a recipe for disaster and it's been coming for a while.'   The basic argument was that Burnley had not spent enough money, although it's far from clear that they have any money to spend without going further into debt.   In the circumstances, hiring Jamie Vardy can be seen either as an act of desperation or a clever use of limited funds.

In relation to the Bristol City result, they do have some very good players.  Arthur Okonkwo was quite fortunate not to get sent off or concede a penalty.   Ironically, younger brother Brian did just that in front of a crowd of nearly 2,000 in the Warwickshire derby at the Anne Hathaway stadium.  He was not able to make the save, but at least the fact that the game ended 2-1 to the Bardsmen meant that the Bardy Army could not chant the classic 'Two-nil or not two-nil.'

Rather unusually, Burnley are only team I have watched in the away and home ends at Charlton and similarly at Turf Moor.  I have known a Burnley fan locally ever since i moved to the Royal Spa.  He celebrated his 80th birthday the other week in  what is now the Silicon Spa and everyone was given an memoir which contained many stories about the Clarets.

When Charlton moved to Selhurst I rather lost touch with the club, although the main driver was that I had three growing children who needed a taxi service for most of Saturday.  Burnley were drawn away in the FA Cup to the Addicks and I navigated my friend to The Valley.  The East Stand was still a building site.  I watched the game from the Jimmy Seed and Charlton won 4-1.  I had to bite my lip.

When he celebrated his 60th birthday, I watched Burnley beat Hull 2-0 from the home stand.  Then we had a midweek game at Burnley and he drove me up there.   Chris Powell was ui the squad but didn't play so he was put in a kind of box in the away end from where he signed autographs and chatted to the Addickted.   I can't remember the result offhand, but I think we drew.

I would be satisfied with an away point tomorrow night.

I had been thinking of going to Swansea v. Charlton and was considering taking the granddaughter who has moved to Abertawe.  Then I found out the match was on New Years Day.  In any case, I saw her at the weekend and she told me that as part of her new identity as a Welsh woman she has become an egg chaser.  At least she has realised that she will have to learn Cymraeg.   It is one of the most difficult languages to learn as an adult, but any great-grandchildren will be taught in Welsh.

Neither side launches at The Valley

The clash between Charlton (River Thames) and Bristol City (Bristol Channel) ended 1-1 at The Valley this afternoon as draw specialists Charlton maintained their unbeaten home record.

The Addicks scored early doors through Karlan Grant, but the visitors eventually secured the penalty they demanded to level up.

The second half was disjointed and scrappy, showing the effects of the break on two tired sides, but Charlton had the best two chances which fell to Tyreece Campbell and Harvey Knibbs with a free kick that drew a good save.

Charltion are down to 10th and may fall further after results later this afternoon.   With Millwall's win at Preston they ended up 11th.

Bristol conceded from Charlton's first attack in the eighth minute when Grant beautifully controlled Tyreece Campbell's cross from the left before firing home left-footed for his second goal of the season.

City took charge and Charlton goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo was fortunate to escape conceding a free-kick on the edge of his area, and perhaps a red card, when he appeared to bring down Yu Hirakawa after the Japanese forward latched on to Josh Edwards' under-hit header.

Dom Ballard headed over for the visitors but then won City's penalty when he was felled by Conor Coventry for Twine to slide home.   The Robins maintained the pressure and Okonkwo did well to touch away Twine's free-kick at his right-hand post.   Meanwhile, his brother was getting ready to face the Bardsmen at Stratford Town's Anne Hathaway stadium.

The second half was poor although Addicks forward Campbell twice went close in quick succession, his first effort saved by City goalkeeper Sam Tickle before he fired another over.

Charlton might have snatched all three points in the final minute but Tickle did well to touch over Harvey Knibbs' free-kick with a strong right hand.

The moaners have been out in force and Nathan Jones admitted: '"I'm a bit disappointed really because you know we've worked on a load in the last two weeks, freshened them up.  We started really well, looked fluid, scored and then we didn't really go on. We stopped passing the ball well, gave the ball away, were deep, were passive and that was the frustration."

"Their goal, I'm really disappointed because it's someone rushing out, dangling their leg and that's the second time he's [Conor Coventry] done that. He has to be better at that because he's a defensive midfield player.   We were better when we changed shape in the second half. We had the best chance of the game to win it and overall I'm disappointed."

Jones equivocated when asked about reports that Timothy Ouma had reported back late from international duty with Kenya, saying he would deal with those rumours when they became relevant.  'Anything we need to put out, we will put out.'

If you have seen Ouma, please notify Richard Cawley.

Jones has more players available

Charlton have had a number of their players away on international duty and only Arthur Okonkwo, who had hooked up with Nigeria, has completed a full week of training because he returned earlier than the likes of Tyreece Campbell, Tyler Bindon, Ivan Mesik and Conor Coventry.

Nathan Jones told had told Richard Cawley's website that after the loss against Cardiff that Billy Koumetio, Kayne Ramsay, Micah Mbick and Will Mannion were set to be back after the international break.

Cawley notes that it’s been mentioned countless times before that Jones is reluctant to confirm player availability that can be picked up by the opposition. But the Welshman did impart some info.  Asked if that quartet were available, he said: “We are significantly ahead of when we went to Cardiff."

“Whether all those play, we’re not giving any information away. But they are all back in training and available. It’s just where we feel they are at, in their rhythm.  I’ve given away that we have got at least 25 players fit - because we have just had a practise match and three have been on the side.”

The CAS Trust preview emphasises the strength of Bristol City at set pieces and they have hired a new set piece coach this week: https://www.castrust.org/2026/10/which-early-bird-will-catch-the-points/

The Addicks go into the game without a win from their past five games while City snapped a two-match losing streak by beating Watford 1-0 last time out.

• Charlton have won one of their past six league games against Bristol City (D2 L3), a 3-2 victory in December 2019.

• Following a 2-1 win at Charlton last season, Bristol City are hoping to win consecutive away league games against the Addicks for the first time.

• Charlton Athletic have kept three consecutive home league clean sheets, with their past two games at The Valley ending 0-0. Burnley, in January 2025, were the last Championship side to have three 0-0s at home in a row.

• Bristol City have won four of their past six league games, as many as they managed in their previous 17 games combined (D5 L8).

• Bristol City's Rio Cardines has created the most chances (31) and assisted the most goals (6) in the Championship this season

Mbick offered new contract

Charlton Athletic have tabled a new contract offer to Micah Mbick, reports Richard Cawley.

The 19-year-old striker was the subject of a £5million bid from Southampton at the end of the summer transfer window which was rejected by the Addicks.

South London Sport: Charlton Athletic Edition understands that Mbick scored twice in a behind-closed doors friendly against Barnet last week.

The teenager was also a target for Brighton in January but the Addicks showed no desire to negotiate with the Premier League club.

Geography alert: Bristol Live is saying that Bristol City are heading for East London on Saturday,  Good luck on getting back through the Blackwall Tunnel, or perhaps try the Free Ferry.

Luke Warm

Many summers ago I headed from Helsinki in my favourite country of Finland on a flight to Oulu in the country's north.    I was going there to catch up with Charlton's Nordic tour (we drew 2-2 with Oulu).  The local youngsters were thrilled to see Finnish international JJ and be handed free Charlton merchandise.

There were quite a few Charlton fans there already, although I was probably one of the few with a smattering of Finnish.  All the talk was about new signing from Spurs Luke Young.   Asked about him, many fans inevitably responded 'I'm Luke Warm about him'.

Richard Cawley has carried out a fascinating in depth interview with Luke Young.  One thing that comes across is his respect for Curbs   The manager set up a meeting with Young at his brother's home in Little Venice to persuade him to join the Addicks.

Young admitted to Cawley that he failed to make a positive first impression.  “I was a little bit off the pace, if I’m honest,” said Young.

"People forget that, at 22, I had never been a regular playing 30-odd games in a season. So I was still learning my trade, from a first-team point of view. To play week in and week out, you have to learn how to deal with the ups and downs, to be resilient. Charlton was my first year doing that.

There were games where I played not so great and ones where I did well. But Curbs kept me in - no matter what. I think he knew the player I could perhaps become and he was patient with me. He gave me the games I needed.”

One of my memories of him is scoring against Liverpool in a 2-0 home victory.  A disgruntled Liverpool fan said afterwards at the station, 'I was so looking forward to this evening.'

I was interested to learn that Young has a Substack page based on his years at Charlton and I must try and find time to read it.  Unfortunately or not, I am getting more work at the moment that I can readily handle.