Considering this game was between the almost certain Champions and a team that has flirted with relegation all season, there wasn't a great deal of difference between the two sides evident today. They certainly weren't almost an entire League table better than us, so where have we gone wrong this season?
The Reds matched Charlton all over the park, and in brief spells we were much the better side, but the first half didn't really have enough to get the pulse racing, although it was entertaining enough, especially in midfield, and as half time approached neither keeper had been forced into real action and going in level would have been just about fair.
The Reds matched Charlton all over the park, and in brief spells we were much the better side, but the first half didn't really have enough to get the pulse racing, although it was entertaining enough, especially in midfield, and as half time approached neither keeper had been forced into real action and going in level would have been just about fair.
However, football is rarely fair, and Charlton were to go in ahead as they scored what is probably the softest goal seen at The City Ground this season. There seemed to be no danger at all when Charlton were awarded a throw in out on the left and their fullback played a speculative ball through the middle. Amazingly, the entire Forest defence seemed to think so too, as somehow the ball found it's way through to Andy Hunt ( of all people ) 10 yards out - and he doesn't miss from there, the ball having just enough strength to roll over the line.
It wouldn't have come as a major surprise if Forest's heads had dropped and Charlton had gone on to dominate, but the pleasing thing today was that this didn't happen and the Reds continued to match Charlton. An obviously unfit Stern John was replaced at the break by Jack Lester, and he made a major contribution when he met Calderwoods knock on from a free kick on the volley, only to be denied by a great save from Keilly.
It was beginning to look as though a goal would not come for Forest and things were expected to get worse when they were reduced to 10 men with a quarter of an hour to go, when Calderwood was sent off for a second yellow card offence. Strangely, it prompted Forest's best spell of the game.
With Bart-Man pressing forward more and more, Forest pegged Charlton back in their own half and a great move between Brennan, Johnson and Rogers ended when Johnno was body checked in the box - as clear a penalty as you will see anywhere. CBW stepped up, calmly planted the ball into the bottom corner and we were level. The final 10 minutes saw chances at both ends, Bart, Terry ( WHAT A GOOD PLAYER HE LOOKS ) and Gray all making saving tackles , whilst at the other end Lester and Harewood, who had another excellent game, both went close. We were denied what looked to be another penalty when Lester was brought down but maybe two was a bit too much to hope for.
Other results went our way today, but I am still reluctant to say that the panic is over - we still have some tough games to play, and things can change very quickly. Having said that, I do expect us to stay up, despite all of Platts best efforts to the contrary.
