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Town 1-1 Charlton - Updated Thursday, 2nd Jan 2014 16:16
Charlton skipper Johnnie Jackson came off the bench to net a 90th minute equaliser as Town and the Addicks drew 1-1 at Portman Road. The Blues had gone in front via Richard Wood’s 24th minute own goal with David McGoldrick coming off the bench in the second half and having a penalty saved by Charlton keeper Ben Alnwick.
Boss Mick McCarthy made three changes to his side having named the same XI for the previous five matches.
Top scorer McGoldrick, Frank Nouble and Luke Hyam dropped to the bench with Paul Taylor, who was making his first Blues league start since September 2012, Paul Anderson and Jay Tabb returning to the team as the Blues switched back to 4-4-2 with the Addicks employing the same system.
As the wind swirled and rain continued to fall on an already very wet pitch, with water cascading from the roof of one section of the East of England Co-op Stand, Town had a very decent third-minute shout for a penalty.
Taylor played in Daryl Murphy and the Irishman got ahead of centre-half Wood - a Town target during Jim Magilton’s time as boss - who appeared to bundle him to the ground. The Blues players and fans protested but referee Stuart Attwell and his assistant weren’t interested.
At the other end, Dean Gerken claimed a Dale Stephens freekick from the left on seven, the ball having beaten everyone and bounced just in front of the Town keeper.
Anderson’s curling 20-yard shot forced Addicks keeper Alnwick to save to his right in the eighth minute with Town settling into the difficult conditions better than the visitors.
On 13 Murphy hit a powerful left-foot strike wide from the right, then Aaron Cresswell’s scuffed an effort through to Alnwick with the Blues regularly looking to shoot from distance, presumably to try to make the most of the keeper-testing conditions.
Four minutes later, Gerken made the save of the game so far when he tipped Yann Kermorgant’s deflected 20-yard low shot round the post at full stretch to his left.
Blues skipper Luke Chambers volleyed Murphy’s left-wing cross over in the 22nd minute with the home side continuing to have most of the ball, at times playing some very good football, particularly so given the surface and wind.
The goal which McCarthy’s men deserved came in the 24th minute. Murphy crossed low from the left but too far ahead of Jay Tabb, but Wood behind him turned it into his own net.
Murphy miscued wide on 35 with the Blues still on top but without threatening to add to their lead too often having gone in front. At the other end, Tommy Smith superbly blocked Marvin Sordell’s 25-yard effort.
Charlton believed they should have been awarded a penalty in the 40th minute when Cameron Stewart got in behind Chambers on the Addicks’ left. The Blues’ right-back tried to get back and the on-loan Hull man went to ground appealing for a penalty.
Referee Attwell immediately whipped out his yellow card and booked the winger for a dive. On initial viewing the Blues, like Charlton earlier, were probably fortunate not to have conceded a spotkick and then lost a man to a red card for denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity. Christophe Berra was subsequently added to Attwell’s book for an earlier foul on Kermorgant.
Sordell shot wide for the visitors then as the half moved into injury time slowly made his way off with a hamstring problem, Jordan Cook replacing the on-loan Bolton frontman.
Moments later, Tommy Smith was somewhat harshly booked for a foul on Cook, Kermorgant sending the freekick wide of Gerken’s right post.
The Blues deserved their lead at the break having been on top for the most part with Taylor, Skuse and Anderson particularly influential.
However, the scoreline might have been very different with both sides likely to feel they ought to have been awarded penalties which would probably have seen their opposition reduced to 10 men.
Town started the second period brightly, winning two early corners. On 50 Wood was lucky to get away with pulling Anderson back just outside the area, referee Attwell failing to spot the foul.
Stephens shot wide for the Addicks in the 53rd minute after the Blues had been unable to clear a corner, then two minutes later Taylor hit a low shot which failed to test Alnwick. Soon after, Skuse bravely blocked a Stephens strike from the edge of the box with his face.
Charlton had had the better of the second half played in improved conditions, although without creating much significant in front of goal. The Blues had similarly rarely threatened but in the 65th minute Skuse sent Murphy away on the Town right. With Taylor and Anderson having broken into the area, the Irish striker cut in but his shot was blocked.
Blues top scorer McGoldrick replaced the lively Taylor and Luke Hyam took over from Tabb in the 68th minute, then two minutes later, the visitors switched one-time Blues trialist Lawrie Wilson for an additional striker, Simon Church.
Alnwick saved Murphy’s low shot in the 77th minute after good work from McGoldrick and from the resultant flagkick the Blues won a penalty. Cresswell’s delivery from the left was sent into the air and as Anderson looked to get on to the loose bouncing ball he was shoved by Jordan Cousins. This time referee Attwell pointed straight to the spot.
McGoldrick stepped up and hit his kick to Alnwick’s left, the keeper pushing it on to the post, back across goal and wide before anyone could get to the loose ball.
Cousins hit a low shot through to Gerken following a corner in the 89th minute with the Addicks continuing to put the Blues under pressure. However, as at the Valley in November, Chris Powell’s men had been unable to make much of an impact Town’s backline.
Then, just as the fourth official’s board went up indicating four additional minutes, the visitors equalised. Rhoys Wiggins’s cross was nodded back by Kermogant, Church laid it off and skipper Johnnie Jackson, on as an 80th minute sub, hit a bouncing shot which deflected off Berra and past Gerken and into the net.
The Blues, who had largely been happy to sit back on their lead, now went about looking for a second they ought to have scored earlier in the game.
As injury time ran out Town sub Nouble was booked for kicking the ball at Addicks right-back Chris Solly as he tried to hurry him up at a throw-in, before referee Attwell blew his whistle for the final time.
Having been in front and having had a golden chance to make it 2-0 from the penalty spot, the result can only be viewed as two points lost.
The Blues, who defended so resolutely in the 1-0 win at the Valley in November, looked to pull off the same trick again in the second half but were made to pay for missing earlier opportunities. Before the break Town had been well on top and a lead of more than a single goal wouldn’t have flattered them.
Over the three festive fixtures, however, Mick McCarthy is likely to be reasonably happy to be unbeaten, to have picked up five points and with his side still in sixth place.
I see in the football paper we have dropped 23 points from winning positions while trying to sit on a one goal lead. Add 23 to 36 and it comes to 59 - eight points clear at the top of this crap division surely the penny must drop at some stage! Blueboy - are you sure that wasn't an 'h'?
2 points dropped & the manner in how we did is very frustrating. But I think we deservedly lost the 2 points, not that Charlton deserved anything out of the game but we deserved not to win for just sitting back far too much. Yes conditions didn't help but we really should have been home & hosed had we scored the penalty, though Alnwick must take credit for an excellent save. None of the 3 below us won but it was a great chance to put some daylight between us & them wasted.
I,m sure MM is fully aware of our current shortcomings! All the more reason for ME to get his cheque book out at the end of the season! We are not a team to be serious contenders for promotion this season, but with some good summer signings we could become a very good one, MM has done a brilliant job since he arrived good teams do not appear overnight they take time. Lets give mm the time and hope ME is the true Town supporter he want,s us to believe he is.
Jimmy86 we must have been at different games then as the Anderson i saw just sat there doing nothing again. He had one go at taking somebody on towards the end and as usual didnt have a clue. He only gets picked to justify swapping JET. To push on 2nd half of the season we need to have 11 men out there, he's a handicap to the team before we even kick off. It cant just be me becauae everybody round by me on the SBR lower seem to think the same.
Terrible weather and so one of those days that can happen to any team. But disheartening to a degree that Charlton had more oomph about them in the final quarter when our midfield disappeared. Anderson darted around energetically in the first half but truthfully faded from vision as the game went on. Similarly Tunnicliffes post halftime performance bore no resemblance to his earlier neat and effective display. Jay Tabb is industrious but is never going to boss a game.and whilst Cole Skuse is the most gifted of our midfield players most of his endeavours are not producing defence splitting goal chances, and he alone cannot be expected to stem the oppositions advances. Collectively our midfield lacked the guile and the physical strength to prevent an ordinary but increasingly confident Charlton team push forward until even if somewhat fortuitously in its execution their equaliser was inevitable. We have improved over 12 months but expectations must be reined in. A competent keeper, a resilient back four and one of the most skilful Championsip forwards in DM, but in my opinion the continuing improvement is dependent on securing at least two more "quality" midfielders at the soonest opportunity both to safeguard the defence and add a spark to our attacking options.
Have to agree re: our performances at home have not been particularly great, our last decent 3-1 win at home v Blackburn certainly flattered us and I'm trying to think of the last comfortable home performance over 90 minutes - maybe against Brighton and that was a long time ago. So far just over half way through the season and so far it's been a bit strange as we started with some reasonable performances but nothing against the newly relegated teams but then started to 'grind' some points out whilst being rather inconsistent (performance wise), we've let numerous points go from 1-0 leads but at the moment on an unbeaten run but with plenty of draws. At times we can grind the points out when we need them but other times fritter them away - fact is we could and should have more points than what we have which worries me for the rest of the season when it comes to the 'crunch' - if we really have a strong enough mentality to 'eek' the results out, and THAT is Mick's way.
Sixth place a year on from being a bottom placed side - is that progress - of course it is There are some very short termist folk on here who seem to think we have suddenly become the finished article - So all the people on here moaning about not closing out games after going 1-0 up are advocating what ? get rid of MM ? COS THAT IS WHAT IS BEING IMPLIED And as for 'working out ' all the points we dropped from going behind and adding them to our total = and 'we have 59 points ' genius !! if only football was played that way Teams will equalise and sometimes win cos they play better football - simple - We are probably one of 12 teams that 'could' get in the play offs - Just enjoy it for now and see where we are in April - MM has done a GREAT JOB in getting us where we are now = some people need a dose of REALITY and understanding of football We all remember the late 90s when we 'built' a team capable of promotion and it took us afew seasons - MM is building a team that can now at least challenge for promotion HNY !!! AND BE REALISTIC !
blueherts - .... bit of an over reaction your post - as a matter of interest: Were you there today and witnessed what many of us did ?? If you were, good on ya - if not - well ......... say no more.
I am always a glass half full kind of guy at Portman Road but came away today feeling miffed! I cannot understand why you would switch to a negative formation and invite pressure on when 1-0 up at home?! We were playing Charlton today, it's not like we had managed to sneak a goal up against Arsenal in the cup so had to park the bus.
The penalty miss was obviously a blow but Charlton were there for the taking and we should have taken 3 points away from the game today. If we have ambitions of making the play offs we need to finish off games like this.
A very good first half from town today and I thought Taylor was excellent in the first half. Second half Taylor did not look fit and perhaps should have been substituted earlier. Murphy worked very hard again. I would really like to see Hunt play again in front of Cresswell as he is a great player and gives us excellent shape and balance.
I dont understand some people here. We all know that MM has done a very good job so far. Yes he took us from relegation material to a top 6 possition so far but that doesnt mean he shouldnt take the blame for some of our results, or some of his tactics.
If we dont at least make the playoffs then I think thats a failure. 7th place or 21st place its the same, no playoffs. Same old boring championship.
We have droped ALOT of points from winning possitions and that can only mean one thing. We are easily being figured out by other teams and our manager should take the blame for it. He takes the credit when we win and he should be a man and accept responsability when we dont win. As simple as that.
I hate it when MM says that who would have thought we would be in top 6 by new year.
I'm really not being negative but I do rather worry when we're just one nil up at half time! Thought we played OK today, not great, and a draw was about what we deserved. Real shame though, would have loved to have got 2014 off with a win. COYB!
Despite the negative comments against him, I still think Anderson has promise, I bet if he gets a couple of goals (which he may well have done early on in the game) - his ratings will start to soar! It wasn't that long ago everyone on here was moaning about what a waste of space Nouble was, now they're chanting his name from the North Stand! How fickle we all are!
Good positive 1st half. Bad negative 2nd half. That just about sums it up. I do not understand when we get a goal up why we do not keep the momentum going to go on and score more not start to worry about the opposition getting level or worse. Is it the players or is it Micks orders - I'm confused when Mick is telling them to get up the field and get at em, we can hear him, and they just sit back and get taken again.
1st half we played football the right way, tackled and closed down giving them no space to play in. 2nd half we back off, gave them free players all over the midfield and loads of time to pick a pass, we were nowhere near them - why. Charlton were poor in the 1st half how we played them so why change how we played in the 2nd half to let them play? Not convinced by Taylor again today, easily knocked off the ball and offered not a lot, which surprised me as he is rated so highly by his fan club. Nouble dropped , sorry rested but was not missed as far as I'm concerned. Can he head a ball? No.Can he hold the ball up? No. He looked baffled when Mick told him to get ready to go on! A car full of us coming home were very disappointed by today's result at the end after such a positive 1st half. I know we should be pleased that we are in the play off position but today was a disappointment at home, especially what happened in the results around us. Maybe the introduction of a new attacker on Saturday will give the boys a boost.
Unfortunately this is the way any team managed by McCarthy will play. He may be good enough to get us in the play offs and even promotion but that is where it ends, he is not a Premiership manager & there are very few British managers who are good enough. I expect WHUFC to sack their man before too long, again long ball negative football. As someone else said this way of playing is not ITFC but I was lucky to see the halcyon days under Sir Bob, George Burley, a little of SAR and Bill McGarry who even though he was a pretty dour man did play some football. Never liked McCarthy & never will or his negative style of football but he may just get us into the Premiership. If I am going to pay £30.00 to watch a game I would like to see some football.
Thebeat fair enough, guess we have just seen different things as you aluded to. Do we really miss JET?? he was the laziest most inconsistant pre madonna to ever pull on a town shirt, so anyone would have been an improvement on JET. yes he is more gifted than anderson, but he very rarely turned up due to his ego!!!
My better half forked out £250 odd quid for a half season ticket for my xmas present last week as she thought what a grumpy bugger I was on Saturdays when I wasn,t at PR. Well I,m a lot more of a grumpy git after having been to PR today & witnessing that dreadful 2nd half display.
pinewoodblueboy - ... anyone condoning todays show just couldn't have been there, any positive posts must have come from from people who weren't.
But, apparently we must not moan, or expect more, because we were bottom of the League last year - how's that for a benchmark going forward ? - I would equally remind these same people that this Club has also been very successful in past times - witnessed first hand - I'd rather use that as my benchmark going forward and strive for that again.
blueboy = not sure what going today has to do with it comment was about the last year I was at Bmouth and seen games this season home and away to make a judgement I am not saying we don't sit too deep - and seen us win games after taking the lead , win games after going behind and lose/draw games after taking the lead what I am saying is expectations need to be realistic . HNY
blueherts - ... didn't think you were there today somehow by the tone of your post - always easier to be positive when you haven't suffered like many of us did today.
And talking about being realistic - realistically we could / should have been able to expect MUCH better today.
I think frustrations are being taken out on here mainly because we gave away 2 points at the death. Its all very well advocating that we should play open and attractive football but in this toughest of tough leagues it generally will not work. You have to work and graft your way through every match and if you get good football then it is a bonus. Watford last season were an exception to this rule but then they had continental players as the bulk of their team. How many Managers in this league tell us how tough it is - most of them in the answer and you have to grind out results. 'Arry is not finding it so easy with his array of 'stars' so why should Ipswich Town with a squad costing little money. The football may not be great but I am happy where we are right now.
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