It’s All Rover Now

Charlton’s travelling army of 6000 fans who made the trip to Ewood Park was full of confidence and in high sprits leading up to kick off. The long journey seemed well worth it once we had arrived and the streets of Blackburn were a washed in the great red and white. It was a nice touch from the chairman and the board to come onto the pitch and clap the away support before kick off.

The game was no where near the efforts of which we travelling fans had made. Sadly the result has all but cost us our Premiership survival and the journey home was a long one after watching our team fall apart.

We were all left dejected at the final whistle.

The game started pretty even and although Blackburn looked in charge the reds did try and get forward with numerous counter attacks. As the game went on it became scrappy and you could just tell it wasn’t going to be the best of days.

Blackburn seemed to be better than us all over the park and the forward pairing of Robert’s and McCarthy always looked like doing damage.

The away fans made plenty of noise but the player`s didn`t seem to respond and after the half time break it was Blackburn who deserved to be in front.

The second half started almost as badly as the first and again it was all Blackburn.

On the hour mark Carson made a mistake at his near post that gifted the home side a goal. Jason Roberts managed to gain a couple of yards on Hreidarsson, and he fired a shot in. It was a tame effort that somehow went in off Carson. The goal keeper somehow got it all wrong and Blackburn was ahead.

With only three minutes after conceding, things went from bad to awful. Ben Thatcher, who had been booked for a first half challenge on David Bentley saw red after lunging at the same player giving the referee no option but to send him off.

Charlton managed to battle back and in the 71st minute they got themselves level. Stephen Warnock crashed a header against his own bar and Darren Bent was on hand to steer his diving header into the net.

The 6,000 Addick’s fans went crazy but it was a short lived celebration. Seven minutes after Bents equaliser, Hreidarsson put through his own net, after a shot from Morten Gamst Pedersen. The extra man that Blackburn had proved to match and we just fell apart.

The game was put to bed by Jason Roberts. The big front man collected his second goal of the game after the defence didn`t pick him up and he had an easy task of beating Carson again.

Matt Derbyshire came off the bench to add a fourth for the home side in the 83rd minute.

Darren Bent hit the bar late on but the game was well beyond Charlton.

Looking at Saturday`s performance we do not deserve to be in The Premiership and it’s now just a matter of time until our drop is confirmed.

The day out on Saturday was superb and you have to thank the club for sending us up there for free. Sadly the result and performance by our players was not good enough and that`s why we will be in the Championship next year.

With West Ham winning and Sheffield Utd picking up 3 points too, we now sit 19th and have no chance of staying up.

The drop may do us some good as we can have a major clear out and get rid of the rubbish we have wearing our shirt. Although we will lose Bent his transfer fee should help cushion the financial loss and under Pardew we have a great chance of returning to where we belong, The Premiership.

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