Charlton Athletic in crisis in League One….but two wins away from Wembley showpiece final
It’s entirely in keeping with the mayhem that is Charlton Athletic that they have reached the last eight of the EFL Cup despite yet another week of upheaval in SE7.
While their League One campaign is all about pulling clear of the bottom four, they are now just two rounds from Wembley.
It takes a lot to top the stoppage-time turnaround that saw them draw 4-4 with Ipswich Town in October as the highlight of the season but Wednesday night’s tie runs it close, at the very least.
Charlton’s players have had plenty of criticism this season but this was an evening when they closed ranks and delivered a big performance to give caretaker manager Anthony Hayes the perfect sign-off. Sam Lavelle, dropped by Ben Garner for his last match in charge, converted the decisive penalty to ensure the sole London club left in the competition made the quarter-finals.
Some big guns have already exited but every other team left standing is a Premier League one. Let’s not fret about that. This campaign has been so joyless and demoralising at points that you have got to savour this moment, let it percolate for a bit.
New manager Dean Holden was in the stands and will take charge for the Boxing Day visit of Peterborough United. The display he witnessed backed up his assertion when he got the job that not everything in SE7 is “broken”.
At times the hosts rode their luck. There were plenty of close shaves with Ashley Maynard-Brewer unbeatable when the backline did get breached.
This was their first clean sheet in 12 matches, since a 1-0 win over Shrewsbury Town on October 22.
Picture : Keith Gillard
Brighton’s errant finishing was summed up by penalty misses by established first-teamers Pascal Gross, Solly March, Leandro Trossard and Tariq Lamptey.
Jake Forster-Caskey, Steven Sessegnon, Corey Blackett-Taylor and Lavelle kept their nerve when it mattered most. The good times are back. But will it be for one night only?
STAR MAN
Ashley Maynard-Brewer. String of saves and then a vital one in the shootout from Moises Caicedo to cap it off.
BEST MOMENT
Sam Lavelle sticking away the 12th penalty on the night to take the Addicks through.
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It was the 14th penalty. Charlton scored 4 missed 3, Brighton scored 3 missed 4.