Town 1-0 Charlton - Half-Time
Tuesday, 30th Dec 2014 20:45

Tommy Smith’s 31st minute goal has given the Blues a 1-0 half-time lead against Charlton at Portman Road.

Town boss Mick McCarthy named an unchanged side for the third game running, however, left-back Tyrone Mings was back in the squad and on the bench in place of Matt Clarke.

Charlton were forced into a late change when defender Oguchi Onyewu suffered a knock in the warm-up and was replaced by Joseph Gomez. Many in the crowd won’t have realised with the Portman Road PA out of action.

The visitors created the first opening of the game in the first minute when Johann Berg Gudmundsson crossed from the right and Jordan Cousins hit the side-netting from a very tight angle on the left.

But it was soon the Blues putting the Addicks under pressure. A Daryl Murphy shot deflected wide, then from the corner Tommy Smith looped a header into Charlton keeper Neil Etheridge’s arms.

On eight, Murphy was fouled by Andre Bikey just outside the area to the right. David McGoldrick curled the freekick against Etheridge’s left post and rather fortunately to a Charlton defender, who cleared.

Gudmundsson curled a 20-yard shot just past Bartosz Bialkowski’s right post in the 18th minute with the keeper scrambling across his area, but in the main Town were continuing to present the greater threat.

McGoldrick was almost handed a chance in the 23rd minute after Paul Anderson had crossed from the left and the ball was half-cleared to the edge of the area but just beyond the Blues striker, who a minute later dragged a left-foot shot wide from the edge of the box.

The Blues continued to push for the opening goal. On 31 Anderson’s dangerous right-wing cross was turned behind at the near post and from the corner a Charlton boot just prevented Christophe Berra from adding a final touch to skipper Luke Chambers’s header.

And from the resultant flag-kick the Blues went in front. Chambers nodded down Jay Tabb’s ball in from the left, Murphy mis-hit a shot which found Tommy Smith, who hooked into the roof of the net from close range.

The Addicks threatened to get back on terms in the 38th minute when Cousins played George Tucudean through on goal but Bialkowski was off his line quickly to block. Gudmundsson’s looping follow-up was headed off the line by Berra.

Moments later, with the visitors beginning to look more dangerous, Chris Solley crossed from the right and Tucudean turned the ball well over when he ought to have done better.

As the game moved into injury time McGoldrick hit the post for a second time from a freekick. This time the striker curled a shot on to the left post, off the back of the diving Etheridge and wide.

Soon after, the whistle went to warm applause from the large home crowd, happy with their side’s first-half display and 1-0 half-time lead.

The Blues had been on top for the most part and had deserved their lead when it came via Tommy Smith’s second goal in two games.

Town taking the lead saw Charlton start to play with less restraint and threaten on a couple of occasions, while McGoldrick was hugely unlucky not to have scored with at least one of his excellent freekicks.

Town: Bialkowski, Chambers, Smith, Berra, Parr, Skuse. Tabb, Bishop, Anderson, Murphy, McGoldrick. Subs: Gerken, Mings, Bru, S Hunt, Ambrose, N Hunt, Sammon.

Charlton: Etheridge, Gomez, Bikey, Ben Haim, Solly, Gudmundsson, Buyens, Jackson, Cousins, Vetokele, Tucudean. Subs: Pope, Wilson, Bulot, Fox, Pigott, Ahearne-Grant. Referee: Christopher Kavanagh (Lancashire).

Photo: Action Images

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