Festive unbeaten run continues

Charlton's festive unbeaten run continued with a 1-1 draw at Ipswich Town today in front of 780 Addickted in very wet conditions. A Johnnie Jackson goal in the 90th minute from an assist by Simon Church offset an own goal conceded by Richard Wood in the first half.

It required a fine save from Dean Gerken to keep the scores level in the 17th minute. Yann Kermorgant’s low shot from 25 yards was heading for the bottom right corner of the goal after taking a deflection off of Christophe Berra, but Gerken did well to turn the ball around the post at full stretch. Charlton went behind through the own goal on 23 minutes after a cross came in from the left.

On 38 minutes Kermorgant’s clever reverse pass had put Cameron Stewart clear in the box, he cut back across Chambers and appeared to have his heels clipped by the stranded full-back. Referee Stuart Attwell was unimpressed. In fact, he booked the Charlton winger for ‘simulation’ as well as showing Berra a yellow card for his foul on Kermorgant in the build-up.

The Tractors sat back and attempted to protect their 1-0 lead after the restart and, in a rare attack, were awarded a spot-kick in the 78th minute when Jordan Cousins barged Paul Anderson to the floor following a corner. Addicks keeper Ben Alnwick dived full stretch to his left to keep out McGoldrick’s spot-kick though, pushing it against the inside of the post. Alnwick is surely making a case to keep the shirt when Hamer is fit.

Ipswich began to sit deeper and deeper and they were punished just as the fourth official raised the board to indicate four minutes of stoppage-time. Rhoys Wiggins lofted a high ball into the box from left-back, Kermorgant won the headed knock-down at the far post and, after Simon Church laid the ball off with his back to goal, Jackson – on as an 80th minute sub – struck a shot into the ground, the effort taking a deflection off the thigh of Berra and wrong-footing Gerken.

Millwall lost at home to Leicester and Doncaster lost at QPR, but Sheffield Wednesday beat Blackpool at home. Yeovil's game was postponed. Charlton remain top of the Championship Relegation League at 19th.

Ipswich began to sit deeper and deeper and they were punished just as the fourth official raised the board to indicate four minutes of stoppage-time.