Town fell to a surprise 1-0 home defeat as Charlton carried out a successful smash and grab raid at Portman Road. The Blues really ought to have got something from the game, but just couldn't get the break which would have put them ahead. Kevin Lisbie's late goal took the points to the Valley.

The away side used the same tactics they did last season and were hard to break down. Town, lining up as they did on Tuesday, toiled but couldn't get the same fluency as they had against Derby.

It was Charlton who had the first chance with John Salako causing Matteo Sereni to make perhaps the first proper save of his Town career. This he made without any hassle.

Marcus Stewat almost got Richard Naylor in on fifteen before there was controversy. Stewart was trying to find himself space on the edge of the area and tried to bring the ball over a defender's knee. The ball appeared to strike the player's hand inside the area, but refereee Steve Dunn gave no penalty. Stewart was still remonstrating with him when he gave Town a freekick a few moments later.

Finidi George had a header well-saved by Kiely in the Charlton goal before Graham Stewart was booked for dissent. Referee Dunn also moved the freekick ten yards further forward.

Martijn Reuser hit a freekick, just wide of Kiely's goal. The kick had been given for a foul by Richard Rufus on Marcus Stewart. Rufus went off after sustaining an injury in that incident.

With Town now up against a weakened Charlton defence Naylor did well on the right to get over a cross which was cleared for a corner. Reuser's corner came in and an almighty scramble ensued, but no Town foot could poke the ball home.

Finidi George had a go at a freekick but he struck the wall. However, a few moments later he went close with a header as Dean Kiely came to meet him. He had laid the ball off to Chris Makin who had played a nice ball over the top.

With the half almost at an end Charlton broke, but Titus Bramble got back to make a fine challenge on Jonatan Johansson.

Town had had the better of the first half, but still had not got the goal they deserved. There were no changes for the Blues at the break.

Bramble was again in action early in the half as he tackled Lisbie on the left of the Town box.

With only five minutes or so gone in the second half George Burley decided a switch was required. Off came Richard Naylor and on came Pablo Couñago.

The Spaniard was quickly into the action nd he perhaps should have done better with a rebound after Stewart had almost got to a Finidi George cross. Soon after he headed just over from a Reuser cross from the left.

Matteo Sereni had a further opportunity to impress as he saved well from a Scott Parker.

With just over an hour on the clock George Burley surprised Portman Road by replacing Marcus Stewart with Jim Magilton. Magilton went into the midfield with George going up front with Pablo. Much of the crowd reacted angrily to the decision with a number of boos ringing around. It had seemed likely that Jermaine Wright, not having the best of games would go off, but it was Stewart who made the march to the touchline.

Finidi played up front much as he had at Sunderland and almost vanished from the game for the next few minutes. Matteo Sereni pulled off another save as Charlton showed a little more attacking endeavour than they had previously.

Town fans thought they had another good call for a penalty when Jermaine Wright had a cross which looked to be handled. Once more Steve Dunn, as whistle happy as Graham Poll was last week, refused a penalty. He did however, enter the controversy surrounding freekicks. Martijn Reuser and Jamie Clapham tried to get theings going quickly down the left, but were called back by Dunn. Didn't happen to David Beckham the other night did it?

Dunn was getting fed up with Charlton's time-wasting. Dean Kiely had been given that pointing at the watch signal that refs do while Chris Powell received a lecture. Town supporters were also getting fed up with Charlton's tactics and chants of 'boring, boring Charlton' resounded.

Dunn did finally give a freekick for handball when a Reuser shot was stopped by a defender just outside the box. Finidi George hit another freekick into the wall.

Moments later as Jim Magilton played the ball off a defender for a throw-in Jason Euell, some yards away from the incident, talked his way into the ref's book.

Chris Makin tried to get his first ever Town goal, but the ball cannoned away for a corner.

There was an anxious moment for Titus Bramble when he hauled Kevin Lisbie down when it might have been argued that he was the last man. Fortunately referee Dunn saw this otherwise and showed just a yellow card.

Finidi George hit a shot just wide from distance before Pablo Couñago nearly got on the end of an excellent ball over the top from Jim Magilton.

Then, on 85, the increasingly frustrated Town fans were shocked into momentary silence. A ball down the Town left was misjudged by Jamie Clapham who let Kevin Lisbie get beyond him and wallop a shot past Sereni and into the net. It was a stunning effort and Lisbie celebrated by taking his shirt off, no longer a bookable offence.

Jamie Clapham was quickly sacrificed for Alun Armstrong as the Blues sought to get things moving at the other end. But despite their efforts only a Matt Holland stab past the post even came close. Four minutes injury time didn't help and it was Charlton's fans cheering at the end.

It seems sides are increasingly coming to Town to play a more spoiling game. If they play it as badly as Derby did on Tuesday we take them apart, however Charlton were far superior to Jim Smith's side a broke well while looking solid at the back. If more sides start to take this approach we might see more games like today's.

Sereni, Makin, Clapham (Armstrong 86), Hreidarsson, Bramble, Holland, Wright, George, Reuser, Stewart (Magilton 63), Naylor (Couñago 50).

Photo: Action Images

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