The distance players can fall

Yesterday I saw Marlon Harewood withdrawn from a pre-season friendly between Leamington and Nuneaton Town, to a chorus of 'what a waste of money'. The one time West Ham United (under Pardoo) and Aston Villa player is getting on a bit, as was evident as he lumbered round the pitch to no great effect. Earlier in the year I did read a message on the boards suggesting we should take a look. Thankfully, we didn't.

I was, however, surprised to read that one time Addick Danny Haynes has signed for Ebbsfleet. He is only in his late twenties: Haynes

He was originally a product of our youth system and scored nine goals for us inn 34 appearances in 2012-13.

Haynes joins County

Former Addicks striker Danny Haynes has dropped down a division and joined Notts County. He reckons that he can do better things with manager Chris Kiwomya: Haynes

Haynes on his way?

Sky Sports News is reporting that Danny Haynes will leave Charlton when his contract expires next month: Haynes

A number of clubs are reported to be interested in getting him on a free which is not surprising. Whilst he was affected by injury problems, he scored some exciting goals for us.

Former Addicks keeper John Sullivan has joined Portsmouth on a two year contract, rather than AFC Wimbledon where he was on loan. He says that he is excited by the 'project'.

Leon Cort has been retained for another year at The Valley.

Addicks do double over Leicester

Charlton did the double over Leicester for the first time in 21 years this evening with Foxes anti-hero Yann Kermorgant scoring in both games. It will be a difficult result for those who have been predicting that the Addicks were about to be sucked into a relegation struggle.

There were three changes for Charlton in Leicester tonight, reports Paul May. Rhoys Wiggins returned to the side in place of Cedric Evina. Wilson was dropped after an indifferent performance at Hull and Dervitte played in front of the back four. Fuller was on the bench and Wagstaff came in to support Kermorgant as the lone striker.

An effort from Pritchard was wide of the top upright. A cross from Konchesky was cleared. A header went over the bar. Charlton needed to make sure that they tracked runners.

Wagstaff won a free kick, but Schmeichel saved from Cort. Charlton were pressing quite high up the park. Kermorgant was winning most of the balls that went up to him. A dreadful back pass was made by Drinkwater for Leicester, Pritchard picked out Kermorgant who scored with a great finish with his left foot from 18 yards out to make it 1-0 to the Addicks on 19 minutes.

The game entered a quiet phase. The home crowd was getting a little frustrated. Konchesky surged forward and woke them up again, but the referee pulled the game back for a dubious yellow card on Jackson. The free kick was punched clear by Hamer and the move ended in a Charlton goal kick.

The home crowd and Nigel Pearson went wild when Stephens leant in a bit. The impressive Pritchard won a corner kick. The home support and Nugent demanded a free kick and didn’t get one. Morrison cleared as the Foxes attacked. Leicester pressured again, but Solly cleared. The home support started booing as a free kick was awarded against Wood for handball. They were convinced that the referee was against them.

Hamer initially spilled the ball but then managed to smother it. Leicester put the ball over the bar when they had their best chance of the half. Solly had to block the ball at the expense of a corner. The ball swung harmlessly out of play.

A cross from Nugent was blocked by Wiggins at the expense of a corner which led to a throw in for Charlton. Two minutes were added on, quite what for was unclear. Hamer dealt with a cross well and the whistle went.

Half time: Foxes 0, Addicks 1

Leicester came out early to return to the hunt. Charlton eventually came out and did a drill, but there was no sign of the referee. The Foxes won an early corner but Hamer claimed at the second attempt.

Kermorgant put in a lovely ball, but Pritchard shot too early from too far out and it went high and wide. It could have been a turning point if Pritchard had been more clinical.

Jackson put in a free kick, Schmeichel tried to punch clear and he had to scramble back quickly to make a great save to deny Morrison who put in a left footed volley.

Konchesky won a corner kick for the Foxes. Stephens managed to half clear and then Pritchard put the ball out for a throw in. Morrison headed clear. Leicester kept up the pressure. Chris Wood finished well after a good pass from Morgan, but the offside flag was up.

Leicester’s tempo had picked up and the home support had found their voice, but the Addicks were still ahead on 60 minutes. Kermorgant continued to look impressive. Leicester won a corner kick. Morgan tried to get away from Cort, but Cort did enough. Leicester made a double substitution. Gallagher and Dyer came on and Knockaert and Marshall went off on 65 minutes.

Cort blocked the ball as the home support appealed for a penalty for handball. The Foxes got a corner. Cort was there covering Morgan again and Charlton won a goal kick.

Charlton recovered well from some pressure, but then Leicester equalised with the ball falling to Wood who side footed it past Hamer who had no real chance.

Hamer was alert as Leicester threatened. Dervitte came off for Haynes in a bold move by Chris Powell. Danny Haynes got a flick on from Kermorgant to put in the top left-hand corner with a superb strike to make it 2-1. It will be a contender for goal of the season.

Charlton won a corner, but the effort by Stephens was claimed by Schmeichel. Cort conceded a corner, but it was cleared.

It opened up for Leicester for a moment, but Cort did enough at the expense of a corner which was unproductive. Hamer had to move across the goal to push away an on target long-range effort from Drinkwater to concede a corner which was not easily cleared and another corner followed. The short corner went badly wrong for the Foxes.

Wilson came on to replace Stephens. Taylor replaced Wagstaff. Four minutes were added on. Leicester won a free kick, Hamer couldn’t make contact but the ball was just wide.

Failed attempt to sign N'Guessan

Charlton made an unsuccessful attempt to sign former loan player in the dying hours of the transfer window, a Millwall site has revealed. But Millwall did not want to leave themselves short of cover at the eleventh-hour and talks barely got off the ground. A swap deal involving Danny Haynes was briefly discussed but then dismissed.

The Addicks have been keen to sign N'Guessan ever since he impressed while on loan at The Valley last season and the 25-year-old had been expected to make the move permanent last August. But the Frenchman has featured on a regular basis for Millwall in recent months after starting the campaign on the fringes of the squad and manager Jackett would be reluctant to lose him at this stage.

Thirteen points out of fifteen?

Charlton fans will be hoping for thirteen points out of fifteen tonight as they face bottom club Peterborough. However, it's always dangerous to fall into the 'easy three points' syndrome, particularly given Charlton's stuttering home form. There was a worrying shortage of ideas on Saturday, although it is hoped that both Dan Seaborne and Danny Haynes will be available tonight, avoiding the need for experiments in the left back position and giving us more oomph up front. Chris Powell may, however, want to rest one or two players in anticipation of Saturday's clash at Millwall.

When Peterborough went down 1-4 at home to Blackburn on November 17th, the view of commentators was that Posh were extremely accommodating and the scoreline was in no way harsh on them. It took them half an hour to register an attempt on goal and that went whistling over the bar. In goal Bobby Olejnik was left badly exposed. Nathaniel Knight-Percival didn't know who to pick up at times and Shaun Brisley couldn't handle Blackburn's front men.

In their 1-1 draw at Ipswich last Saturday, Posh showed their battling qualities with manager Darren Ferguson saying 'We've got character in abundance' which is another way of say 'never mind the quality, feel the commitment.' Brisley and Knight-Percival certainly improved on their performances the preceding week. George Thorne looked a class act in central midfield, but up front George Boyd was once again rarely involved.

The Addicks and Posh have only met four times at The Valley in the League with the Addicks winning three of those matches with Posh winning the other one. The solo Posh win came back in the 1992/93 season when Posh won 1-0 in the Division One encounter.

I would expect Peterborough to go for an early goal and a third away win of the campaign is not out of the question. What I would not expect is a draw and I am going for a 3-1 win for the Addicks.

Charlton win away

Charlton defeated Burnley 1-0 at Turf Moor in their third consecutive victory. They are now 14th in the table but on the same number of points as Millwall in 11th place (that was before Millwall's winning goal against Leeds United in the last minute of injury time). They are five points away from the last play off place.

The home side started off brightly and Chris McCann tried to break the deadlock in the eighth minute by shooting from just outside the area, but his effort missed the target.

Then Kieran Trippier was sent off on 15 minutes for a handball offence in the penalty area, but Lee Grant in the Burnley goal managed to save a relatively weak penalty shot from Johnnie Jackson.

While the home side were able to weather the storm of being down to 10 men in the first half, the second half was a different story as Charlton began to get on top and launch a number of attacking efforts. Their pressure paid off when Danny Haynes found the back of the net from a headed effort inside the penalty area courtesy of a cross from Robert Hulse. Mirror football tweeted that it was a goal straight out of the strikers' manual.

The home side piled on the pressure in the closing minutes. With six minutes to go, an Austin header was blocked and the follow up saved by Hamer. Chris Powell brought on Dervitte and Taylor to shore up the defence. Dale Stephens was unable to play because of illness.

The Football League Paper reports that Chris Powell 'was involved in an angry confrontation with home fans after the final whistle'. Powell later said, 'Tensions and emotions run high and I understand that. But, of course, if they feel my language was wrong, then I feel it was two-fold.' Certainly the home fans were very aggrieved after the sending off decision which was on the harsh side.'

Eggert Jonsson was given his first start for the Addicks, but was substituted after 53 minutes by Fuller as Chris Powell went for a more attacking formation to secure the win. However, he is given a rating of only 5 by the FLP which was the lowest rating for a Charlton player.

Four players received 7 scores: Michael Morrison; Johnnie Jackson; Salam Kerkar; and Danny Haynes.