Jones: 'a point on the road in the Championship is a good point'

James Bree's sublime first-half strike gave Charlton the lead on 37 minutes at the end of a flowing move by the Addicks.

The Rams had appeals for a penalty waved away inside the opening minute but Thomas Kaminski in the Charlton goal was largely untested until late in the game.  The Addicks keeper pulled off a strong save to deny Bobby Clark before defender Clarke rose highest to head in moments later following the corner.

Greg Docherty and Lars-Jorgen Salvesen had late chances as both sides pushed for the winner but the game ended with the points shared.

The result leaves Charlton eighth in the table, with Derby a point clear of the relegation zone in 20th.

Macaulay Gillesphey will perhaps count himself lucky not to have given away a spot kick in the opening minute of the match as he had a handful of Carlton Morris' shirt when the Rams striker tumbled in the box.

An uneventful first half sprung into life late on with a moment of quality from the Addicks attackers, all started by a long ball forward from goalkeeper Kaminski.

Charlie Kelman found space from Dion Sanderson and took the ball down with a deft touch, before playing in Tyreece Campbell.   The Jamaica international pulled it back for Sonny Carey and from there it was one-touch football, as he laid it off to Docherty, who passed out to Bree in space on the right and he smashed the ball first-time beyond Jacob Widell Zetterstrom into the top-left corner.

The hosts were much improved after the break but didn't test Kaminski until the 77th minute of the game when Clark opted to shoot with passing options either side and the Charlton goalkeeper pulled off a fine save.

Charlton cleared away the corner but Lewis Travis recycled the ball back in and Clarke beat everyone to head into the bottom corner with 11 minutes remaining for an equaliser.

Both sides pushed for a winner in a frantic end to the match, with Harvey Knibbs slicing wide before Docherty's added-time effort deflected just wide for the visitors.   Salvesen forced a big save from Kaminski right at the end but John Eustace's side couldn't find the second goal that would have given them a first home win in the league since April.

Charlton Athletic supremo Nathan Jones told BBC Radio London:

"Relatively pleased. Any point on the road in the Championship is a good point.  Once we've taken the lead we would have liked to have gone on and probably had a bit more control of the game but full credit to Derby, Derby gave it everything.  They were playing with a front four, [they] left four up at times and had runners.

Both sides had chances. They had a chance before they scored and then we had three late on that maybe could have nicked it.  So there's mixed emotions but I'm happy that we haven't got beaten and it's another point on the board."

 

Cheese award

James Brie is named in the Football League Paper's team of the day this morning.

Already becoming a fan favourite, Bree is on a loan until January, but would have preferred to spend the whole season with the Addicks.

James Bree signed for Charlton Athletic on deadline day - with his loan running until the January transfer window.

The 27-year-old spoke to South London Sport: Charlton Athletic Edition about his future, with his contract at parent club Southampton expiring at the end of June.

Why was there a delay in you going out on loan? Nathan Jones said last week that he had been forced to bide his time to get you.  Bree: “I had a solid pre-season with Southampton and then got injured in the last pre-season game. It was a soleus injury in my calf. I was out for four weeks. Being injured, I wasn’t sure what the situation was. There was nothing about leaving the club - it hadn’t been spoken about at that point.

“We had a big squad at Southampton and the last week of the window it was something they put towards me, if that was something I wanted to do. I wanted to come out and play football. Once the opportunity came up to work with the gaffer again, at Charlton, I snatched at it.

“I was still dealing with the injury when I first came here but I was pretty much fit to be on the grass, to be fair.”

Was playing football this season even more key with your Saints deal not having a huge amount of time to run?

Bree: “Yeah. With a year left on my contract it was a bit of a weird one, being sent on loan. It’s not something you see happen much.  It is a win-win for everyone - especially for me. I didn’t want to waste a year if I wasn’t going to play. I definitely wanted to come to Charlton and play.

“Initially I thought it was going to be a season-long loan and it ended up being six months. I’m not sure what the technicalities behind that all were. I’d rather it be a full season - whether that be a loan or whatever it turns into. We’ll just see how it goes until January and go from there.

“I wanted to come and play. I’m enjoying working with the gaffer.”

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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.

 

 

Big cheese

James Bree is named as star man by the Football League Paper this morning.    'We don't like cheddar, we like brie.'

Other scores:

• Thomas Kaminski 8, safe handling when called for without being over exerted.
• James Bree 8, an assured display, helping to keep the hosts at bay
• Josh Edwards 8, good performance at the back, including an important block to keep out Campbell
• Lloyd Jones 8, good work-rate and efficient defending to help the side keep a clean sheet
• Amar'i Bell 8, defended well throughout, restricting the opportunities for United's forwards
• Conor Coventry 7 solid, no-frills performance in midfield, helping to stifle the Blades
• Sonny Carey 7 a competent performance from the midfielder, without having a great performance
• Reece Burke 8, an assured display in defence, helping to keep the home side at bay
• Greg Docherty 7 good from the skipper, leading his side to victory after going close with a header
• Tyreece Campbell 6, struggled to make a great impact before being replaced after 79 minutes
• Charlie Kelman 6 posed little threat after an early effort which went wide, before being replaced
• Leaburn 8 (61); Oloafe (79); Knibbs, 8 (79)

Saints alive: Charlton swoop for Bree

Charlton are working on a deal for Southampton's right back James Bree. Worked with Nathan Jones at Luton Town and the Saints, reports Richard Cawley.  If there are no last-ditch hurdles then Bree is set to be the 10th signing of the summer transfer window.

The 27-year-old has made more than 200 Championship appearances + 22 at Premier League level. Bree made 17 Premier League starts last season for Saints (13 of those starts) as well as being a regular on the bench (unused 15 times).

Report from Southampton sources: https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/25431357.southampton-defender-nearing-deadline-day-reunion-jones/

Armchair critics of Nathan Jones will no doubt complain about the signing of another player associated with him, but he is the gaffer, not them.

Update: now signed on loan until January.