Charlton are Kings

A suburb of Cheltenhm is called Charlton Kings and so it proved yesterday in the Carabao Cup with the Addicks convincing 3-1 winners.  Negativists searching for a narrative pointed out that it was Cheltenham  not Chelsea.

Nathan Jones' side opened up a three-goal lead before half-time, with Matty Godden, Sonny Carey and Tyreece Campbell on target.

Godden fired wide with the first chance in the fourth minute but two goals in two minutes put Charlton firmly in control.  Godden charged down a clearance from Robbie Cundy, allowing Carey to set him up for a finish which bounced in off the post in the 22nd minute.

Carey then fired in the second almost immediately to make it 2-0.  And Campbell was teed up by Conor Coventry before curling a fine shot inside the top-right corner from outside the penalty area, giving goalkeeper Joe Day no chance in the 37th minute.

Day denied Karlan Grant with a fine stop just before half-time and Cheltenham pulled one back 10 minutes into the second half.

Joe Tomlinson's in-swinging corner was nodded in from close range by George Miller.

Will Mannion denied Tomlinson after Shaun McWilliams' cross in the 59th minute as Cheltenham nearly pulled another one back.

But Charlton had done enough and only two late saves from substitute goalkeeper Wyll Stanway denied them a fourth.

Kayne Ramsay is out for for a few weeks with an ankle injury.

Steve Cotterill, the Cheltenham Town manager, was full of admiration for the quality of Charlton’s attackers - and claimed to know about transfer interest in them. “Their finishes have been incredible,” he said. “We’re talking about a good few million pounds that those goals are worth.

“You’ll probably see, in a short space of time, a couple of those players…..there’s already been bids in for them, I know that. They are going to be going for big money soon.

One is never enough

Charlton moved six points clear of the relegation zone with three games remaining as they drew with Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough. Their inability to score more than goal a game cost them again.

Charlton are limping towards the end of the season, but the objective has always been to stay up and then have a clear out of lower league players.

West Brom won 2-0 at Preston, but it looks as If Leicester City are all but relegated.

Matty Godden gave the Addicks the lead just after the break, having hit the crossbar on the stroke of half-time.

Gabriel Otegbayo tapped into an empty net to level the score after an error from Charlton goalkeeper Will Mannion, while the Owls felt aggrieved not to be awarded a penalty in the first half.

The result moves Nathan Jones' team up to 50 points, while the Owls have become the first team in Football League history to go 37 consecutive matches without a win.

In a match that lacked quality, Charlton were perhaps fortunate not to have conceded a spot kick when Reece Burke brought down Tayo Adaramola on the edge of the area, with the challenge looking very close to the line.

Godden had the best chance of the first half when he acrobatically flicked the ball against the crossbar from Harry Clarke's deep cross right before the break.

But the 34-year-old, who has missed much of the season through injury, broke the deadlock on 49 minutes when he chested down a flick on from Lloyd Jones, took a touch on the turn and finished into the bottom corner via the post for his second goal of the season.

The Addicks came wickedly close to doubling their lead as Sonny Carey's low strike hit the inside of the post and came back out into play.

The Owls equalised with less than 15 minutes to go as Addicks goalkeeper Mannion dropped Sean Fusire's cross when he came out to claim it, under pressure from Jamal Lowe, with Otegbayo tapping home into the empty net despite Mannion's calls for a foul.

Chastened manager Nathan Jones commented: '“I’m disappointed. In the cold light of day it is a positive point because it means we go further away from the relegation zone. But the level of performance, I expect us to be better.'

Yestreday's visit of the Super Hoops to Millwall might have seen a coming together of the two leading Charlton critics from the Spectator.  Rod Liddle actually lives up north so probably doesn't get to the rust bucket much these days.

However, Lord Young of Acton was there, having mysteriously decided to travel to Shadwell station which left him half an hour from the New Den.   He was too upset about losing the double to Millwall to direct any invective at Charlton.

Charlton take something from the Hornets' nest

Charlton drew 1-1 at Watford this afternoon, remaining 18th in the Championship.  Matty Godden scored the opener for Charlton in the second half after his introduction.   Godden had apologised for failing to take a scoring opportunity against Bristol City.

Unfortunately the home side equalised, but it was generally agreed that Will Mannion had a good game.

It was a lively start at Vicarge Road.  Tyreece Campbell, back in the side, got to the byline and dug out a cross but Lloyd Jones couldn't get over it and his header goes into the Rookery End behind the goal.  Coady was also back in the side which should please some online managers.   Unfortunately, he had to be stretchered off after a ball hit him in the face in time added on ihe second half.   {He has been discharged from hospital and given the all clear).

At the other end, Nestory Irankunda cuts inside and unleashes a terrific strike with his left foot which was brilliantly tipped away by Addicks keeper Will Mannion.

Charlton started the stronger and hit the post through captain Greg Docherty's close-range header.

Watford struck the woodwork too when Imran Louza's cross bounced off the bar before Mamadou Doumbia's strike just before the break was disallowed for an offside in the build up.

Godden scored his first goal of the season in style by controlling the ball on his chest in front of goal and swivelling to angle in a fierce finish, giving the Addicks hope of a league double in the fixture for the first time in 30 years.

Irankunda had other ideas, cannoning a piledriver off the bar and forcing Mannion to tip his shot away either side of his scintillating fourth goal of the season, continuing the 20-year-old's splendid form after netting twice for his country against fellow World Cup participants Curacao six days ago.

Mannion stopped a Louza shot while Goglichidze and Mattie Pollock sent headers wide as Watford pushed for a winner, before Coady's misfortune caused both sets of players to show their concern for the on-loan Wrexham defender.

Nathan Jones told BBC Radio London: "It's a good point. Watford have outstanding individuals who can change and win a game - players who have cost millions, talented individuals from all over Europe.

"When we got the goal, they made a plethora of positive subs. We found that difficult to contain but we didn't give them any clear-cut chances and, when they shot from distance, Will Mannion had a wonderful game.

"We need to get a win very, very soon, so it just settles everyone down and we can start planning. We'll probably have to lose every game to be embroiled in anything, but the message is to finish the season strongly."

A foregone conclusion

Needless to saym Millwall are the favourites to win tomorrow’s encounter at The Den at 5/6, giving them an implied win probability of 55%. Charlton are 18/5 to take the away win while a draw is 23/10.

Charlton have lost nine of their past 12 away league games against Millwall (W1 D2), losing their past three in succession. Their only victory during that time came with a 2-0 success in December 1995.

Having lost three of their first four home league games this season (W1), Millwall have now lost just one of their past 10 at The Den (W7 D2).

Charlton have won just one of their past 18 away London derbies in the Championship (D5 L12), conceding at least twice in each of their past six.

CAS Trust try to extract some hope from the fact that Millwall are expected to win: https://www.castrust.org/2026/01/to-be-or-not-to-be-our-day/

Matty Godden is hoping to be in his neighbours’ bad books this weekend - with the Charlton Athletic striker living on the same road as Millwall supporters.  The Kent-based striker recently returned from a knee injury which had sidelined him since the League One play-off final win over Leyton Orient.

Godden has scored for previous club Coventry City at The Den. He got the first in a 3-0 victory over the Lions in November 2023 and also struck in a 3-2 reverse in August 2022.

,”I’ve got Millwall fans either side of me at home so it’s important for me - I know what it means for the club and for the community,” he told Charlton’s official website. “We’ll be going out there and giving it everything we’ve got.

Richard Cawley reports that Lincoln City are bidding for Deji Elerewe.  Now at Bromley, there is a sell  on clause.

Waiting for Godden

Desmond from Deal may be considering convening a get together of armchair critics from his part of the  Kent coast, but around the coast Ramsgate-based fanzine editor Rick Everitt takes a more positive view of recent setbacks in a 'torrid week': https://www.votvonline.com/home/the-2025-26-blogs/1-12-torrid-week-still-leaves-us-waiting-for-godden/

As the Rickster points out, a lack of firepower is as much a problem as defensive lapses and we are still 'waiting for Godden'.   However, Nathan Jones and his players still have a load of credit in the bank even if the rumbling of discontent is getting louder.

Godden close to first team readiness

Richard Cawley reports:'Matty Godden closing in on a return to the first-team fold. Nathan Jones: “Matty Godden is a lot closer. He is far more mobile and doing the things we want him to do. He’s had two weeks now of fitness work. That is really good. It will give us another option, another headache. We are looking forward to that."

“Josh Edwards is the only one then that is a little way off.”

Tomorrow's opponents, Swansea City, have avoided defeat by Charlton in the last three encounters.  We last beat them in 2008, although obviously in many seasons we have been in different divisions.

The Swans beat a struggling Norwich City 2-1 at home last Saturday and then had a midweek encounter with an altered Manchester City side which they lost 1-3.

On the road the mid-table Swans have won two, lost two and drawn one, conceding just three goals.

CAS Trust notes that Swansea have one of the most international squads in the division and like to play possession football with short to medium passes: https://www.castrust.org/2025/10/valley-beats-charlton-v-swansea/

International break may help injured to recover

Under pressure manager Nathan Jones said at this afternoon's press conference about two key injured players: 

“We’ve had to manage Matty [Godden]. He played through the pain barrier last year, so we had to rectify that over the summer (he underwent surgery. It was so important that we got him to the end of last season - he was one of the best strikers in the league and he was our top goal scorer.

“He was important to us and Miles (Leaburn) was injured. We felt we needed to get him through (the games) and as a result of that he’s had a shortened pre-season. He is now back on the grass and we just have to build him up.

“What we don’t want to do is bring him back too quickly, he then pulls a hamstring and is out for another month.

“Luke Berry is exactly the same. He played through stuff last year."

“Those two are the only two now that we have as absentees. Hopefully they will be back soon. The international break gives us a two-week window, without missing games, to put a bit of work into them. They will be in a better place coming out of that.”