Just home.
Walked past all the gloating 'fake London' Watford fans with their cheery faces and bright eyes.
In all honesty, tonight would have been the very best type of away victory for them.
Winning away, with just 10 men, is the kind of game you remember at the end of the season as one of your highlights.
The fact that Watford were battered for the majority of the game wouldn't matter one jot.
The scoreline is everything in these situations.
Charlton started strongly and it came as quite a shock to go 1- 0 down.
A rather unnecessary corner was given away and while Charlton supporters were moaning about the kick being taken from outside the arc, it was whipped in and a combination of wayward marking and flukey rebounds ended up with the ball in Ben Hamer's net.
Hoban was credited with the final touch.
Travesty!
Charlton came back and carried on as before, sending mostly one way traffic towards the Watford goal.
The expected equaliser finally came when Fuller ran onto a slide rule pass and tucked the ball away.
He never really looked like missing.
Just before Half Time there was the critical moment in the game.
Forestieri made the most appalling attempt at winning a penalty.
His dive was so blatant it gave referee Mike Dean no choice but to issue a yellow card.
I'd forgotten he'd already received one for not retreating 10 yards at a free kick so it was an early bath for him.
This gave the Watford supporters a feeling of persecution.
They couldn't see how justified the decision was from their end and booed the officials.
In the second half, it was one way traffic again.
Watford barely got a sniff of a chance.
Referee Dean probably felt his dismissal of the Watford Tom Daley was enough for Charlton and gave us absolutely nothing throughout the second half.
The winning goal, when it came, was an absolute peach.
Watford were never going to score from open play.
Luckily for them they didn't need to.
Leon Cort gave away a foul and one of those 'wonder goal' free kicks was curled around the wall, leaving Hamer stranded.
Oddly, a few moments later, exactly the same kind of challenge occurred up at the other end, inside the penalty area this time, yet Mike Dean just waved play on.
The Charlton players were incensed.
We hear plenty about consistency with decisions.
This was yet another time when things just didn't fall for us this season.
Every single attack Charlton made, (and there were many), was blocked in the Italian fashion by holding down the forward and pushing the runner.
Very skilful when done well, which often it was -but there were also many times when it was just an assault.
BWP was put through on goal and he had 3 defenders tugging and pulling at him.
He did really well to stay on his feet but being pulled back so sharply meant his eventual shot went high and wide.
It looked the most obvious free kick in the world.
Yet it wasn't given.
I was hugging my knees with the score at 1-1 due to the missed chances.
Surely we couldn't be so far and away the better side yet have to settle for a draw?
As it turned out, it was worse than that.
Fair play to Watford.
They had so few forays on goal, yet scored 2.
Charlton played well for most of the game but just needed that tiny little bit of luck to get what was deserved.
We can all criticise the referee but despite his odd decisions, especially in the last 20 minutes, it was down to our players to get the ball into the net.
Which they failed to do.
Sometimes football is a real sickener isn't it?
13 comments:
Oh dear, oh dear! someone has sour grapes.''Fake London fans'', not used by us real fans, and if you are not good enough to beat 10 men in 45 minutes perhaps you're punching above your weight in this division.Oh I forgot, you also conceded in the second half!
Battered is a bit extreme as well. You certainly had the lons share of the second half, but didn't create too many decent opportunities.
Back to the drawing board Mr Powell!
Why is it always someone else's fault. The referee, the cheating opposition etcetc? The fact you couldnt fashion a clear, scoring opportunity despite playing against 10 men was in no small part a result of hard work by Watford and lack of quality from your addicks....Up the 'orns. Enough sour grapes from Charlton fans
You didn't actually get around to reading what I wrote did you?
Extremely biased report.
Watford fan here.
Think your report is fairly accurate. We didn't attack much, especially after the sending off.
I think our defence did particularly well to hold out against the constant pressure for so long.
It's nice to read a blog where the opposition are mentioned.
If you think this is biased why read it?
It is obviously written by a Charlton supporter for other Charlton supporters.
Don't expect balanced views on a fan blog. You have come to the wrong place for that.
Actually, if you read what is said it praised Watford. I don't see any sour grapes just what a typical Charlton fan would be saying after the game.
Watford is Fake London
:-)
Looks like no one in Watford even gets a name....
Watford got battered, erm no, neither side generated much in first hall, other than Hoban's opener.
2nd half mostly attacked Watford, as they had 10 men! FairPlay for the Watford second goal! Nice strike.
Think t agree this article was written pretty poorly! At least the clown at the top shows your IQ level
Poor review, fair play to Watford.
Watford fan here.
Enjoyed reading that. A hat tip to us Hornets is that's required on an Opposition's blog (that's a note to those complaining of bias).
Thought you had the pressure but not enough quality chances out of it (though you did have a few).
F Forestieri is probably the most skillful player in the league - amazing... ...but after two matches (well, 1.5!), his diving is grating and he now ALREADY has a reputation. Heard a lot about it being a geniuine slip, but, to be honest, if you cry wolf too many times, you can't expect the decision in your favour...
...Zola was clear afterwards: stop falling so easily or you'll be dropped. Which was encouraging.
If BWP had the same boots on as FF, I suggest that you probably would've had a penalty, if not seen us reduced to 9 men. Glad to see that sort of honesty BUT referees have to be sharper and reward it...
Cheers.
Thanks for the comments everyone.
It's all about opinions.
We're all starting from a different position so one persons pride at solid backs to the wall defending, is another persons amazement at the inability to get things flowing upfront.
What everyone- (including the sweary Watford people who have had their comments deleted) -all agree on is Charlton need to start tucking away some of the decent chances we are producing, regardless of the bad luck we've been receiving from officials and injuries this season.
To those people who took umbrage at the Fake London comment, it was based on following some fans back to their car who had parked near my home.
They were harping on about how South London is full of shite, how it is much better to live up in Hertfordshire with all the advantages of London but not having to live here.
They ended up agreeing they were all 'practically' Londoners anyway....
They're right about the Hertfordshire bit.
Regards
New York Addick (now living in Hertfordshire)
ps - I did think your report was a bit rose-tinted! We only created one chance after the hour mark (for Stephens in the 93rd minute).
That very strong argument when you have a different point of view so the other person must be a bit thick?
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