Watford 2 Charlton 2

A late surge from Charlton saw them snatch a point after going two goals down in the opening 21 minutes. Hameur Bouazza put the home side in front and Damian Francis made it 2-0 to the Hornets. Luke Young reduced the arrears and Darren Ambrose snatched a point a minute from time.


By the end of this season Charlton fans will have no finger nails left, in a game that was again termed as a ‘must win game’ they almost lost it and won before drawing it, that`s the sort of performance this was.

It’s hard to explain why we was so poor for the first 45 but then so much better for the second half. Perhaps it had a lot to do with the changes that Alan Pardew was forced to make, Osei Sankofa along with Jon Fortune came in and Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink played alongside Darren Bent in attack.

Bent was first to have a shot on goal as he cut in from the left flank but his shot was well save by Richard Lee in the Watford goal. Just a minute later Charlton fell behind, Francis was denied when Scott Carson pulled off a magnificent save but he couldn’t stop Bouazza rifling the ball high into the net, from the rebound.

The home side were two ahead six minutes later, Tommy Smith crossed from the left and with Carson and Sankofa both waiting for each other to clear Francis prodded home from an acute angle.

It had been a disastrous start to the game and I’m sure Pardew, the players and fans were just thankful the damage wasn’t greater as they headed for the tunnel at half-time shell shocked. Had we been playing a side that had more quality we could have been six nil down.

Hasselbaink had been woeful in the first forty five minutes and was replaced by Zheng Zhi who has looked so impressive coming on as substitute in the last two matches.

The second period started more positively for the Addicks and Matt Holland and Darren Bent were both unlucky not to see efforts put Charlton back in the match.

With 66 minutes gone Alexandre Song carved the Watford defence apart and laid a lovely ball for Holland which he squandered from the penalty spot hitting the ball over the bar. Charlton were however in cruise control and Watford was finding it hard to break us down.

Charlton needed to get a goal back soon and just a minute later they did and it was Song again who found the gap, Young raced onto the through ball by the classy midfielder and finished low past Lee.

Charlton were always on top and with just a minute remaining they finally got themselves level. Song crossed the ball for substitute Dennis Rommedal, instantly trapping the ball he sent it to the far post picking out Ambrose who headed down and into the net.

With four minutes of injury time shown Charlton almost stole all three points. Kevin Lisbie had come off the bench and was sent clean through by Rommedahl, he checked back steadied himself but Lee saved, the ball fell back to him but he shot a couple of yards wide.

Has Bent been in Lisbie’s place you have to agree Charlton would of probably stole all three points.

Watford: Lee, Mariappa, DeMerit, Shittu, Stewart (Doyley 46), Smith, Mahon, Williams, Bouazza, Francis (Cavalli 63), Priskin (Henderson 88).

Subs Not Used: Loach, Kabba.

Booked: Francis, Mariappa.

Charlton: Carson, Sankofa, El Karkouri, Fortune, Young, Ambrose, Holland (Lisbie 78), Song, Thomas (Rommedahl 86), Hasselbaink (Zheng 46), Darren Bent.

Subs Not Used: Randolph, Faye.

Booked: Fortune, Sankofa.

Att: 19,782

Ref: P Walton (Northamptonshire).