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.
Town: Gerken, Chambers (c), Berra, Smith, Cresswell, Anderson, Skuse, Tunnicliffe, Tabb (Hyam 68), Murphy (Nouble 82), Taylor (McGoldrick 68). Subs: Loach, Mings, Edwards, Wordsworth.
Charlton: Alnwick; Wiggins, Solly, Wood, Morrison (c), Wilson (Church 71), Stewart (Jackson 80), Cousins, Stephens, Sordell (Cook 45), Kermorgant. Subs: Hamer, Evina, Dervite, Pritchard. Referee: Stuart Attwell (Warwickshire). Att: 18,731 (Charlton 780).
