Fleetwood Town 1 Charlton 1
The Addicks stretched their unbeaten run to eight games on Saturday afternoon, drawing 1-1 at Fleetwood Town.
With the Fishermen coming into this one off the back of two goalless draws, it is perhaps no surprise that it was a slow first half in Lancashire.
In a stop-start 45 minutes, Fleetwood looked slightly more dangerous thanks to their threat from dead ball situations.
In the fifth minute, Bosun Lawal’s long throw from the right was nodded down by former Addick Jayden Stockley, and Xavier Simons volley had to be tipped over by Harry Isted.
Midway through the half, another long throw from Lawal caused some panic in the Charlton box. The ball was not cleared, instead brought under control by another former Addick, Brendan Wiredu. The Fleetwood skipper turned inside Rarmani Edmonds-Green and sent a curling shot towards the far corner, but a strong left hand from Isted turned the ball over.
Despite bright play throughout the first 45 minutes from Thierry Small, the half looked to be petering out. But then, out of nothing, Charlton gave themselves the best possible chance to open the scoring.
A seemingly run-of-the-mill header into the box from George Dobson on the left appeared to be heading the way of Shaun Rooney, but out of nowhere Alfie May got to the ball first, Rooney’s attempted clearance catching the striking and bringing him down.
May would get back up, dust himself off and, just as he did in the Addicks 2-1 win against Fleetwood in September, score the resulting penalty. In a half with few chances, the travelling support behind the goal had something to cheer.
The Fishermen responded well in the second period, having the better of the play early on. Within a 90 second period around the 55th minute mark, the hosts had three decent chances to get back on level terms.
First, Lawal hit a shot straight at Isted from just inside the box after a clever backheel from Promise Omochere. 30 seconds later, Fleetwood were on the attack again, a good break culminating in Ryan Broom finding Rooney on the overlap, getting it back, and seeing his shot deflected wide by Terell Thomas.
From the resulting corner, Phoenix Patterson’s cross was headed wide by Wiredu when he perhaps should have done better.
In truth, the second period followed on in much the same fashion as the first, with both teams struggling to create chances. Charlton did grow into the half, going close in the 77th minute when Conor Coventry’s free kick found Edmonds-Green at the back post – the defender’s effort from a tight angle was deflected wide by Stockley.
But there was a sting in the tail for the Addicks. Just as was the case in the first period, a half which looked to be heading to its conclusion without incident was suddenly turned on its head.
Good hold up play from Tommy Lonergan ended with him prodding the ball in behind for fellow substitute Ryan Graydon. Isted rushed out to meet him and made the save, but the ball came back to Graydon who was able to finish from a tight angle at the second attempt.
After a subdued game, the goal proved the spark for a flurry of chances at both ends. The best for Charlton fell to Freddie Ladapo in the 90th minute, who ran onto an excellent through ball from George Dobson and tried to chip Lynch, but the keeper read the effort and saved.
Michael Hector also had an excellent chance in the 96th when debutant Kazenga LuaLua sent in a cross from the left, but the defender fluffed his shot.
There was still time for Isted to pull off one of the saves of the season, when he somehow kept out a Lonergan header from six yards out following Broom’s cross.
It was a remarkable conclusion to the game, with more chances coming in second-half stoppage time than the rest of the match put together. But neither side were able to find a winner, and Nathan Jones’ side now have almost two weeks to prepare for their next fixture – a trip to Exeter City on Good Friday.
Fleetwood Town: Lynch; Rooney, Heneghan, Wiredu (c); Broom, Kilkenny (Graydon 76), Lawal, Simons (Mayor 63), Patterson; Omochere (Lonergan 76), Stockley
Subs (not used): Johnston, Samuels, Holgate, McMullan
Goal: Graydon 85
Assist: Lonergan 85
Booked: Stockley 34 (foul on T Watson), Broom 88 (foul on Kanu), Wiredu 90+9 (unsportsmanlike conduct)
Charlton: Isted; Edmonds-Green, Thomas, Gillesphey; T Watson (Hector 90+1), Dobson (c), Coventry, Anderson, Small; Kanu (LuaLua 90+1), May (Ladapo 84)
Subs (not used): Maynard-Brewer, Campbell, Bakinson, Asiimwe
Goal: May 45+1 (pen)
Booked: Ladapo 90+9 (unsportsmanlike conduct)
Attendance: 3,401 (551 from Charlton)
Referee: Tom Reeves