Addicks 1 Rovers 1

[Rockford's Love Child]

Another decent away performance. A draw was probably a fair result today, but I am slightly disappointed we didn't win. Charlton were very poor, obviously lacking in confidence, and barely created a chance form open play in the whole game, their equaliser coming direct from a free kick. I think we may have taken three points if we hadn't followed the pattern of other recent away games by sitting too deep at the start of the second half, after a good first half performance when we caused them a lot of problems. We didn't keep possession well enough after the break, which allowed an underwhelming Charlton side to build up a head of steam, without ever really stretching us at the back.

Regarding the individual performances, Zoom was good down the left, doing brilliantly to set up Enoch's goal with a midfield interception similar to the one which led to the goal at Exeter. Cresswell produced some great balls from set plays which we didn't fully capitalise on, and showed why he has been sorely missed. Robinson had a decent game, showing some nice touches at times, but is still clearly not fully fit: the decision to play him ahead of Lateef surprised me a bit. Weir did ok at right back.

We probably should have won the game in the closing stages when Enoch finished after their keeper made a hash of a cross from the left hand side, but Lateef was penalised for a foul (from behind the goal it did not appear that he even touched him).

As in many other matches, 4-3-3 served us well away from home, but I am still concerned that this formation is inappropriate for home games against struggling teams and I am nervous about Tuesday night. We can't afford to take one nil leads at Prenton Park and attempt to sit on them. We kind of did that today, which is forgivable away to Charlton, but not at home to Bristol Rovers. The point won today is no use if we do a Yeovil on Tuesday.

 

[DIW]

Agree with all that. Sort of weird. Annoying that we have taken the lead in the last three away games and not won any, but good that we are actually scoring goals away from home.

Tuesday night is a home banker which, going on past history means we will screw up.

 

[SCooperSomersaults]

We have to admit that we'd all have taken a point before the game. Would we not? It's a difficult place to go, regardless of their recent poor form.

It's frustrating that we cannot keep hold of a lead. We'd be useless dog owners! It's time to work hard on defence and keeping clean sheets again. That's what we were doing when we had that little run at the beginning of the year, and I'm sure Tony Warner is desperate for his clean sheet bonuses!:whistle: I'd happily pay it myself to him!

All in all, a difficult game where we won a deserved point. Not bad at all. Now lets try and win some home games starting with Bristol Rovers and we'll be nicely safe sooner rather than later.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

I'm satisfied with 1-1, given that we should have got the same result at Brentford and Peterborough but lost 2-1.

 

[Ian]

Yeah, decent point that, and picking up these points is great, as long as you can win most of your home games.

 

[bigmart]

reasonably happy with a point although they were on a worse run than us, will look really usefull if we win on tuesday

 

[SCooperSomersaults]

Yeah, decent point that, and picking up these points is great, as long as you can win most of your home games.

Yeah, Ian, that's the key. We have to be winning the home games against the teams in and around us, starting on Tuesday. Good point at the Valley, they'll be there or thereabouts come the shake up for the play offs, so we can't grumble at a draw at their place.

 

[roverstillidie]

Tranmere seem to have this awful habit of solving one problem and then creating another. One minute were good at home and awful away now it's the other way around!

 

[Ian]

Yup, that'll be called inconsistency. Very frustrating as a lot of times it cancels out the really good results. 1-1 at Charlton is an excellent result but will be overshadowed if we fail to win on Tuesday.

 

[Boz]

My second away game of the season, dragging along two non-Rovers fans to boost the ~300 decent SWA turnout. I share RLCs disappointment that we didn't take all 3 points.

First half, Charlton did very little, it was only in injury time that they had an effort on goal. By then, Rovers were ahead, Zoum's winning the ball and setting up Enoch for a cool finish. John Welsh troubled their keeper with a decent shot from distance.

Second half, we were camped in our own half from the off and their equaliser from a deflected free-kick seemed inevitable. Most of the next 20 minutes was Charlton, although they didn't really pose much danger; there were about 4 shouts from their fans for penalties impossible to judge their merits from the other end of the park. It then became more end-to-end. Robbo put an effort wide and Zoum tried to pass the ball, when he was better placed for a shot, Cressa put a free-kick on the edge of their box wide, but we didn't trouble their keeper too much. The same was true of their strikers and Warner, though if anyone had got their foot to a Simon Francis ball into the box late on, it could have been different.

Charlton on this showing didn't look anywhere near play-off contenders, although they were a much less cynical and niggly side than under Parkinson. If we'd have started the 2nd half more positively, all 3 points could have been won.

MoM. Struggling with this one. Zoum, Weir and Enoch were the pick of the bunch.