Good defending by Huddersfield denied an early break from Charlton involving Wright-Phillips and Wagstaff reports Philippa Nicholson from The Valley. Semedo put in a good tackle to stop Huddersfield advancing. Benson put in a rather soft shot when Semedo was available in a lot of space.
Doherty had to deal with a cross from Hunt. Solly put in a good tackle on Roberts to win a throw in. Charlton were generally tackling well. Charlton won a free kick in a decent position, but although he put in a decent delivery it was defended. In the following play, Charlton won the first corner of the game. It went straight over the head of Wright-Phillips and out for a goal kick.
Huddersfield put in a long ball forward which could have been dangerous but their advanced player was unable to control it. The visitors threatened again with Gudjohnsen looking dangerous after a Huddersfield cross from Roberts but eventually Sullivan was able to claim. The ball was in the air far too long with Doherty’s attempted clearance going straight up in the air.
Captain Jose Semedo lost it a bit with the referee. Charlton won a free kick in a promising position, Doherty connected with his head, but it went straight to the keeper. Hunt went down for a free kick just outside the penalty area, but the appeal was ignored. Hunt made a speedy recovery without attention from the physio.
Wagstaff advanced and was subjected to a cynical foul. Roberts received a yellow card for his effort. The free kick was well worked, but in the end Wright-Phillips put the ball over the bar. Fortune made a sliced clearance, nearly conceding a corner.
Huddersfield had a spell of pressure. Semedo advanced, but the attack was snuffed out. Wagstaff put in a good cross, but Benson’s volley went over the bar.
Benson advanced and won a corner. Stewart’s effort was cleared. The Addicks applied some pressure in stoppage time, but then Huddersfield advanced.
Half-time: 0-0
Charlton started the half well, but Stewart put the ball straight at the keeper. Bessone defended well against Hunt. Charlton had a chance, but Stewart did not connect well. Wright-Phillips was beaten in the air when had a chance to be one on one.
Gudjohnsen sent the ball across the goal but Roberts, who had slipped in behind Chris Solly, headed wide. Charlton conceded a corner through Doherty in front of the 1,300 Huddersfield fans in the Jimmy Seed. Doherty headed it out for a second corner. Sullivan saved on the line and Doherty was able to clear. The visitors made a third attempt, but it was cleared for a corner, but the Huddersfield effort went wide.
The visitors were having a good spell and Charlton needed to stop the crosses coming in and re-gain possession. Wagstaff picked the ball up off Benson and got the shot in which the keeper had to dive to his right to keep out.
Fortune defended well and got caught leading to a free kick for the Addicks on the edge of their box.
Wright-Phillips made a great turn and hit the ball first time and Clark had to concede a corner which was headed away. Solly over hit a cross after a good build up by Charlton. Wagstaff put in a shot from 25 yards out which went over the bar.
Charlton advanced but were given offside, a very strange decision by the lino. Stewart was furious.
Huddersfield came down the right, but Sullivan came out to make a great save. Racon held the ball out and laid it off to Solly, Semedo pounced on his cross and the keeper turned the header over the bar for a corner.
Racon put in a shot and a Huddersfield defender had to clear it over the bar. Unfortunately, the corner was initially unproductive. Benson was brought down. The free kick was headed behind for a Charlton corner. Roberts came off for Huddersfield and Novak was brought on.
Stewart gave the ball away under pressure, he may have slipped, but Huddersfield got a corner. A push led to a Charlton free kick. Wright-Phillips took the ball forward well and tried to feed Wagstaff but the ball went slightly behind him. Reid came on to replace Racon.
Huddersfield won a free kick about 25 yards out. They won a second one for handball on the edge of the ‘D’. Gudjohnsen struck it in the back of the net to make it 0-1 with seven minutes to go.
Semedo was the victim of another cynical foul. Benson tried to get hold of the ball, but the keeper was able to clear. Charlton got another free kick, but the visitors were able to clear for a throw in.
A header from Benson went over the bar. Wagstaff almost found Stewart and Charlton won a corner in the last minute of normal time. The corner was headed away. Semedo put in a good header from a cross but he could not beat the keeper. Charlton kept up the pressure in time added on.
It had been a spirited performance by Charlton and they had edged the second half, but they came away empty handed.
2 comments:
Wyn, One of the better efforts this season. We certainly deserved a draw and but for a number of cynical professional fouls and the lukc not going our way could have had all three points. Stewart looked a good prospect picking out some excellent passes and combined well with Soley and Wagstaff. Doherty (slow in pace and thought)and Fortune (two howlers) made some good defensive tackles. MNo-one rally at fault for the goal as from a free kick, tought they defended well enough to keep clean sheet, but was not to be.
But we were very one sided I can't recall a cross or ball put in from the left, so we didn't stretch their defence enough, not sure if Racon was just having an off day or aware of the threat from Hunt neither he or Beccone wanted to over expose themselves. Some tidy passing and movement, and effort put in, even though losing being clapped off at the end says it all. Roll on next season.
More vacuous 'poor us' words from Powell. He should be disappointed and largely with himself. Yet again he stood impotently and inertly by while his plan 'A' produced little. Not helped as Benson again disgraced himself and the shirt by never breaking sweat. Even when we went one down Eccleston remains frozen out when just his pace terrifies defenses at this level, Powell's non-use of Nathan E defies credibility, especially when one in red so clearly doesn't want or deserve to be involved.
As for Huddersfield's goal, whether the 2nd free-kick was a fair decision I couldn't see from the Upper West and the tv 'highlights' don't help. What is clear is that the ball went through the wall at chest height so someone in the team failed his colleagues and us by chickening out. Sums up the Powell era perfectly.
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