Charlton 3-1 Rotherham - Addicks Reclaim Play-Off Spot After Convincingly Beating Millers
Myself, and I'd imagine many other Addicks, were extremely nervous before the game, suffering from butterflies in the stomach. If Charlton are to finish in a Play-off position come the end of the season, these are the games they need to be earning results. While the other play-off contending teams also have a hard remaining set of fixtures, Charlton have one of the hardest, making these closing stages of the league the most important and most tense. Charlton come into the game in 8th position with 58 points, two points off 6th placed Plymouth and 5th placed Scunthorpe. With one game in hand on Plymouth, but two on Scunthorpe. These games could be crucial in the race for the Play-offs. Meanwhile, Rotherham are much more firmly in the Play-off positions, sitting comfortably in 4th on 66 points. The majority of the top 8 are also yet to play each other, while there are 4 or even 5 teams pushing for two Play-off spaces. The Addicks have started their tough run with a 2-0 win over Play-off rivals Plymouth, but still have the likes of Rotherham, Scunthorpe, Portsmouth and Blackburn to play in a run that will define their season. Rotherham have had good stages of the season, but also bad. They got off to a relatively poor, inconsistent start, but soon picked up form and went on a 14-game unbeaten streak that stretched from early December to early March. However, the Millers managed only one win in the 5 games prior to their match with the Addicks. After taking over from the recently-resigned, Karl Robinson, will Lee Bowyer be able to continue his impressive run since taking over the managerial helm? After ending Plymouth's 8 game unbeaten run, and smashing relegation battlers Northampton for four, beating Rotherham will be no easy task and is arguably the hardest test faced so far.
Charlton: Amos, Bauer, Pearce, Dasilva, Konsa, Reeves, Forster-Caskey, Aribo, Fosu (Kaikai 18), Ajose (Mavididi 67), Zyro (Magennis 84)
Rotherham United: Rodak, Emmanuel, Wood, Purrington (Lavery 84) Ajayi, Vaulks, Palmer, Forde (Taylor) Newell, Williams, Smith
Rotherham started the match well and almost took the lead with their first attack of the game, with Will Vaulks hitting the bar early on with an effort from outside the box after a weak, mistimed tackle from Joe Aribo in the first minute. Charlton were then dealt a major injury blow, as one of their main attacking threats, Tariqe Fosu had to be substituted within the opening 15 minutes. 5 minutes later, Charlton's luck went against them again. The Addicks then had a penalty awarded but overturned after Sullay Kaikai's cross was handled by former Addick Richard Wood, but Patrick Bauer was adjudged to have pushed Wood. Frustrating but promising for the Addicks. Charlton did deservedly find themselves ahead however, with loan signing Michael Zyro, then putting the addicks ahead as Joshua Emmanuel's poor header back fell kindly to Zyro, who beat Rodak and three Rotherham defenders well from outside the box just before the half hour mark. As the half drew to a close, Addicks Captain Pearce and Millers striker Michael Smith come together in a bit of a scuffle. Smith grappled with Pearce following a hard tackle minutes before. However, somehow, Jake Forster-Caskey was unluckily booked after trying to break the scuffle. At the interval, the game was ultimately quite even, with both teams having good chances and the only goal coming through a defensive mistake combined with an unstoppable effort.
Rotherham almost found an equaliser just after the second half started as Ben Purrington's cross was deflected but only into the arms of Addicks keeper Ben Amos. 10 minutes later, the Addicks found themselves further ahead after Jake Forster-Caskey's flighted free-kick was nodded in by Aribo who had a free header in the centre of the Rotherham penalty box. Rotherham continued to push for a goal that would see them have a potential way back into the game. However, as they were pushing for a goal, Charlton counter attacked and, once again, the Rotherham defence was torn apart by the rampant Aribo and Nicky Ajose. Aribo played in Ajose, who then sent a beautiful looping ball over the Rotherham defence and into the path of Aribo, who juggled towards the goal. First with his chest, then his head, and the final few touches with his feet as he closed in on the Rotherham goal, before blasting his effort past Rodak and in off the crossbar on the 65th minute to score his second and Charlton's third as the game was effectively finished. The Millers did pull a goal back 13 minutes from time as they looked to stage an unlikely comeback. But it proved to be a consolation at most. A long throw that went through the Charlton defence was headed back across goal by Smith, which was excellently saved by Amos, but Wood was there to poke past Amos on the second attempt to score against his former team.
That win makes it three wins from three for Lee Bowyer, who has done brilliantly well, considering two of the games he's managed have been against tough Play-off rivals. Charlton will be looking to carry on this form as they go into their toughest run of the season as they face the likes of Scunthorpe, Portsmouth away at Fratton Park and second placed Blackburn. What a time to find form and be rejuvenated under a new manager! The Addicks need to get results like this against the teams around them and above them if they want to finish in a Play-off spot and so far, so good with their games against Plymouth and now Rotherham. The win also sees Charlton re-enter the Play-off places as they find themselves in 6th place with 61 points. Rotherham aren't massively affected by the loss as their Play-off position is firmer and more stable than the other Play-off chasing teams as they sit 5 points ahead of 5th. Although, they will want to get a run of form going soon as they could still fall out of the Play-offs, however unlikely it may seem, and start to build form and momentum for if they do seal their Play-off position. Ultimately, the top 4 looks decided but the final two Play-off spaces will go to two of any four or five teams and it will be harsh on whoever misses out. Hopefully Charlton make it after long two seasons in League One and can enter the lottery to return to the Championship, where they belong!
Charlton: Amos, Bauer, Pearce, Dasilva, Konsa, Reeves, Forster-Caskey, Aribo, Fosu (Kaikai 18), Ajose (Mavididi 67), Zyro (Magennis 84)
Rotherham United: Rodak, Emmanuel, Wood, Purrington (Lavery 84) Ajayi, Vaulks, Palmer, Forde (Taylor) Newell, Williams, Smith
Lee Bowyer and Johnnie Jackson Lead Addicks to 3rd Win in 3 Games (Photo by Benjamin Peters, (Twitter, Flickr))
Rotherham started the match well and almost took the lead with their first attack of the game, with Will Vaulks hitting the bar early on with an effort from outside the box after a weak, mistimed tackle from Joe Aribo in the first minute. Charlton were then dealt a major injury blow, as one of their main attacking threats, Tariqe Fosu had to be substituted within the opening 15 minutes. 5 minutes later, Charlton's luck went against them again. The Addicks then had a penalty awarded but overturned after Sullay Kaikai's cross was handled by former Addick Richard Wood, but Patrick Bauer was adjudged to have pushed Wood. Frustrating but promising for the Addicks. Charlton did deservedly find themselves ahead however, with loan signing Michael Zyro, then putting the addicks ahead as Joshua Emmanuel's poor header back fell kindly to Zyro, who beat Rodak and three Rotherham defenders well from outside the box just before the half hour mark. As the half drew to a close, Addicks Captain Pearce and Millers striker Michael Smith come together in a bit of a scuffle. Smith grappled with Pearce following a hard tackle minutes before. However, somehow, Jake Forster-Caskey was unluckily booked after trying to break the scuffle. At the interval, the game was ultimately quite even, with both teams having good chances and the only goal coming through a defensive mistake combined with an unstoppable effort.
Michael Zyro Puts Charlton Ahead With Unstoppable Long Range Effort (Photo by Benjamin Peters, (Twitter, Flickr))
Rotherham almost found an equaliser just after the second half started as Ben Purrington's cross was deflected but only into the arms of Addicks keeper Ben Amos. 10 minutes later, the Addicks found themselves further ahead after Jake Forster-Caskey's flighted free-kick was nodded in by Aribo who had a free header in the centre of the Rotherham penalty box. Rotherham continued to push for a goal that would see them have a potential way back into the game. However, as they were pushing for a goal, Charlton counter attacked and, once again, the Rotherham defence was torn apart by the rampant Aribo and Nicky Ajose. Aribo played in Ajose, who then sent a beautiful looping ball over the Rotherham defence and into the path of Aribo, who juggled towards the goal. First with his chest, then his head, and the final few touches with his feet as he closed in on the Rotherham goal, before blasting his effort past Rodak and in off the crossbar on the 65th minute to score his second and Charlton's third as the game was effectively finished. The Millers did pull a goal back 13 minutes from time as they looked to stage an unlikely comeback. But it proved to be a consolation at most. A long throw that went through the Charlton defence was headed back across goal by Smith, which was excellently saved by Amos, but Wood was there to poke past Amos on the second attempt to score against his former team.
Joe Aribo Does the Traditional Tunnel Jump After a Man of the Match Performance (Photo by Benjamin Peters, (Twitter, Flickr))
That win makes it three wins from three for Lee Bowyer, who has done brilliantly well, considering two of the games he's managed have been against tough Play-off rivals. Charlton will be looking to carry on this form as they go into their toughest run of the season as they face the likes of Scunthorpe, Portsmouth away at Fratton Park and second placed Blackburn. What a time to find form and be rejuvenated under a new manager! The Addicks need to get results like this against the teams around them and above them if they want to finish in a Play-off spot and so far, so good with their games against Plymouth and now Rotherham. The win also sees Charlton re-enter the Play-off places as they find themselves in 6th place with 61 points. Rotherham aren't massively affected by the loss as their Play-off position is firmer and more stable than the other Play-off chasing teams as they sit 5 points ahead of 5th. Although, they will want to get a run of form going soon as they could still fall out of the Play-offs, however unlikely it may seem, and start to build form and momentum for if they do seal their Play-off position. Ultimately, the top 4 looks decided but the final two Play-off spaces will go to two of any four or five teams and it will be harsh on whoever misses out. Hopefully Charlton make it after long two seasons in League One and can enter the lottery to return to the Championship, where they belong!
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