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CHARLTON HOME 27-2-05
Final whistle: 1703 - Report online: 1708
Nash, Reiziger, Riggott, Southgate, Queudrue, Parlour, Doriva, Zenden, Downing, Hasselbaink, Nemeth
Knight, Graham, Cooper, Parnaby, Job
ALL AT SIXES AND SEVENS
It's almost one year to the day since we scored our last penalty and the man who awarded it to us is also the referee today. It's nice to see our mate Mike Riley again...
When Carlo Nash made his 149th Premiership appearance, the admission price was in pounds, shillings and pence. Today, he was in the starting line-up due to Skippy's injured knee.
The Geordies did us a favour just before we kicked off by beating Bolton for us. Whatever happens today, we stay sixth, but a win will put us in 5th, above Liverpool who are playing Chelsea for our Carling Cup.
Boro had an early scare after six minutes as a cross was floated in and Hreidarrsson, who the Boro defence had failed to pick up got in his header which floated just wide.
A couple of minutes later, Franck Queudrue made amends by winning a corner, the first in a sequence of two which threatened to sparked the game into life.
And we should have gone ahead after 12 minutes when a neat move saw the ball fall to Parlour who should not have taken the first touch. All he had to was belt it but he took too much time and the opportunity was gone.
Sloppy defending cost us dear again on 15 minutes, Matt Holland taking the strike well with a blast into the top right corner which gave Skippy MKII no chance.
We've come back form a goal plenty of times this season and it looked like we would pull back a quick one as The Lizard played a one two with JFH and aimed his shot true into the bottom corner. It was a wonderful save by Dean Keily. It gave us hope.
The Boro bench were on the touchline as instructions from the McPhone rang out. We had not won one single ball in midfield during the first twenty minutes...
But Boro were looking hard for the equaliser and yet again, a great save by Keily denied The Lizard, this time from a well timed header...
It didn't seem to be happening for Boro at all. In fact the biggest display of passion in the opening half hour came when Riggott gave Reiziger the verbals when once again, Chris was left to provide all of the defensive cover.
The McPhone was ringing off the hook now. Heads were going to roll at half time...
Boro did have a couple of chances in the closing minutes of the first half. But Boro trudged off in the same lethargic and disorganised manner in which they had played. The McPhone was hung up and its owner stormed into the dressing room, fire in his eyes.
Fan Reaction: Bring on Danny 'Golden' Grahams to give us a bit of cinnamon up front. We need a sense of urgency..."
"We are so subdued today and that's odd. Normally going a goal behind galvanises us but what the hell is going on today?"
"How about playing Reiziger and Parnaby on the wings?"
"How about a kick up the arse for all of them...?"
THE SECOND HALF...
Boro showed more balls in the opening stage of the first half, winning an early corner from which a Michael Reiziger shot went just wide.
A brilliant move from Boro, the best of the game so far, culminated in a Downing cross which found Zenden who forced another great save from Keily. A poor corner resulted in a counter attack which was snuffed out but clearly, Charlton's game plan was working.
Stewey Downing was our chief playmaker but too often he found himslef in the middle of the park. On one of these occasions, he was fouled by Konchesky and JFH stepped up to take the resulting free kick. Visions of Crystal Palace and Macnhester City flashed in front of us as the shot went literally a millimetre wide.
Boro kept the attacks going, Riggott coming close twice. Yet again, Charlton's keeper was responsible for keeping The Addicks ahead with a wonderful stop from Chris' header.
Boro should have had a penalty on 65 minutes when JFH was brought down in the box. No favours from Mr Riley today though as he frustratingly waved play on...
We weren't depending on favours from the ref though and we had Charlton hanging on for dear life going into the 70's. First a Gareth Southgate shot galnced just wide and moments later, Franck nearly restored the score but we were yet again denied by Keily who had so far had an extraordinary game.
The defenders seemed just as keen to get on the scoresheet as JFK and the absent Lizard. But it was Jimmy who made the equaliser, working the ball well to Zenden who found Chris Riggott in the box who made absolutley no mistake and at last, Keily was beaten.
That gave Boro the momentum and with the scent of blood in our nostrils, we went straight for the winner and as Jimmy made his move, he was hacked down by Chris Perry who was lucky not to see red for his heinous offence.
INTO THE RED ZONE...
Reiziger found himself out of position again as Charlton took full advantage of our defender's attacking bent. With our defence badly outnumbered, the equaliser was cancelled out. Reiziger was immediately withdrawn and Danny Graham replaced him. This was a massive disappointment. Had we had our chance?
With six minutes to play, Steve Mc gambled and sent on Joseph Job for Ray Parlour. The switch paid immediate dividends but it was another defender who got the second equaliser and Danny Graham's first ever Premiership goal was an absolute beauty that would grace the portfolio of any top striker.
He took a bang on the nose which sent claret flying all over the Riverside pitch but I'm sure he felt it was worth it.
Stuart Parnaby entered the fray, replacing The Lacklustre Lizard and Boro went for it.
A massive 6 minutes of injury time were added on and this should have been to our advantage as we were now on the up. But we failed to keep solid possession and a Carlo Nash save kept us in it at the death...
Fan Reaction: "We were poor today but maybe it was a good point..."
"Two points lost, not a point gained. We have to do better than that...!"
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