Charlton defender Richard Wood’s own goal sees the Blues leading the Addicks 1-0 at Portman Road at half-time.

Boss Mick McCarthy made three changes to his side having named the same XI for the previous five matches.

Top scorer David 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 Ben 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: Gerken, Chambers (c), Berra, Smith, Cresswell, Anderson, Skuse, Tunnicliffe, Tabb, Murphy, Taylor. Subs: Loach, Mings, Edwards, Hyam, Wordsworth, Nouble, McGoldrick.

Charlton: Alnwick; Wiggins, Solly, Wood, Morrison (c), Wilson, Stewart, Cousins, Stephens, Sordell (Cook 45), Kermorgant. Subs: Hamer, Evina, Dervite, Jackson, Church, Pritchard.

Photo: Action Images

BillBlue added 17:12 - Jan 1 Sorry, but before anyone else says it, it appears that Taylor is 'Back to the future'!
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