Charlton Legends 6 Portsmouth Legends 5
Charlton ended a year celebrating the 30th anniversary of the club’s return to The Valley as a team of legends beat Portsmouth 6-5.
A host of favourites from throughout the years put on a show for the Charlton faithful and in an action-packed game there was another Valley hat-trick for Kevin Lisbie, a wondergoal from Ricky Holmes and a first Charlton goal for current Manager Dean Holden.
It was the Addicks, managed by Keith Peacock, that got on top early on, creating plenty of chances in the opening 15 minutes. The industrious Holmes, a former Player of the Year at The Valley, twice came close while Paul Hayes sent a half-volley dipping just over the crossbar.
Charlton took a seventh-minute lead when Lisbie released Scott Wagstaff who sped in behind the defence and finished coolly from close range.
Holden, who was playing centre-half but taking every opportunity to venture forward, forced Pompey goalkeeper Dan Binks into a low save after getting on the end of a deft chip by Holmes.
At the other end Holden then made a big tackle to deny Jake Thomson but the Portsmouth striker was not perturbed and got in behind the Charlton defence to level in the 25th minute and put his side ahead one minute later.
Lisbie levelled for the Addicks on the half-hour mark, latching onto a short back pass and taking it around Binks and tapping into the unguarded goal.
Holden put the Addicks back in front with a towering header at the back post from an excellently whipped Danny Green cross from the left wing.
The visitors levelled early in the second half from the penalty spot when Holden, clutching his head, was adjudged to have handled the ball on the line. Lee Bradbury stepped up and dispatched his penalty into the top left corner of the goal, sending the Addicks’ 1998 penalty shootout hero Sasa Ilic the wrong way.
Lisbie scored his second of the game, getting in front of his defender to skillfully deflect home another Green cross but Thomson struck back immediately rounding Ilic and passing into the net.
The Addicks soon had a fifth and Lisbie his hat-trick, when the striker got on the end of a smart Holmes through ball and found the goal with a low shot.
The clinical Thomson broke free again to score his fourth of the game before Holmes netted the best goal of the match with five minutes to go. The winger picked up the ball just inside the opposition half, broke two tackles and drove towards goal finishing with a powerful left-footed shot.
Charlton: Bolder; Humphrey (C), Perry, Holden, Basey; Wagstaff, Garland, Stephens, Holmes; Lisbie, Hayes
Subs: Ilic, Nelson, Green, Haynes
Non-playing: Bennett, Dyer, Mortimer, Powell, Robson, Webster
Goals: Wagstaff 7, Lisbie 30, 54, 58 Holden 36, Holmes 75
Assists: Lisbie 7, Green 36, 54, Holmes 58
Portsmouth: Binks, Antsey, Hopes, L Bradbury (C), Doyle, Birmingham, Vine, Thomson, H Bradbury, Hussey, D Thompson
Subs: Knight, Ledger, Male, Duffin, Robinson, Todorov
Goals: Thomson 25, 26, 55, 72, L Bradbury 49 (pen)
Referee: C Breakspear
Attendance: 1,067
