Charlton Athletic 2 Swindon Town 2 – Defensive slips impacting on Addicks’ promotion aspirations

Charlton Athletic have had a habit of conceding at least two goals in their recent matches – but luckily Swindon Town do too.

Andrew Shinnie’s 90th-minute finish ensured the Addicks banked a point today. It was the least they deserved.

But you also cannot avoid looking at the defensive mistakes which are impacting massively on the club’s play-off hopes, let alone promotion.

Charlton have conceded at least two goals in eight of their last nine League One matches and were undone twice in the space of 40 first-half minutes.

First Hallam Hope cut inside of Adam Matthews too easily, with Ben Amos also likely to be disappointed that the winger’s full-blooded strike squeezed under his body.

And Matty Palmer extended the lead for John Sheridan’s side as he won a crucial 50-50 with Liam Millar on the edge of the Addicks penalty area, his shot deflecting off Deji Oshilaja on the way in.

Charlton created 19 chances – eight of those on target. Three times they were denied by the woodwork. And Charlton manager Lee Bowyer was convinced a Ronnie Schwartz goal in the second period was wrongly ruled offside.

The Danish striker also saw his early effort pushed on to the upright by Mark Travers while Millar clipped the top of the bar with a venomous free-kick.

Shinnie’s introduction at the interval was a positive change by Lee Bowyer with the Scot instantly influencing the play.

Aneke bravely headed past Travers from close range after an excellent ball in by Millar in the 57th minute.

Aneke then hit the bar with a close-range half-volley after chesting down Albie Morgan’s driven cross from the right.

Swindon had barely threatened until the closing stages. Diallang Jaiyesimi did clip the base of the right upright while Jordan Lyden lifted an inviting opportunity over.

Charlton finally found a leveller with time running out. Jake Forster-Caskey’s shot ended up being a perfect pickout of Shinnie, who beat Travers from close range.

It means the visitors have conceded at least two goals in 10 of their last 11 away league fixtures.

And then the South Londoners had a big chance to turn one point into three. Morgan produced a brilliant ball to send Conor Washington through but although he managed to go around the Swindon stopper he drove into the side-netting.

The result keeps Charlton sixth in the table but Sunderland – 1-0 victors over Shrewsbury today – are one point behind and have two matches in hand.

PHOTOS: KEITH GILLARD