The pin-money boys of Charlton and mega-rich Blackburn Rovers collected a
point apiece from a desperately frantic relegation battle at The Valley, but
both now find themselves drowning at the bottom of the Premiership.
A Jason Wilcox header that crashed against the bar just before half-time after
Charlton striker Martin Pringle applied a crucial deflection was the nearest to
a Blackburn goal and the result was better for them than their hosts who now
have just two more games left.
But there was little difference in 90 muddled minutes between the Charlton
side bolstered by just £4million since their promotion at the end of last season
and a Rovers team which has cost nearly 10 times that to rebuild this season.
Near the end of a passionate but ultimately unproductive game Rovers had a
loud shout for a penalty when striker Ashley Ward - who cost almost as much as
Charlton manager Alan Curbishley's entire transfer budget - went sprawling
between substitute goalkeeper Andy Petterson and defender Carl Tiler as he tried
to latch onto Tiler's careless back pass.
But referee Gary Willard, who had done well to keep emotions in check and
restrict the number of yellow cards to a manageable eight, firmly rejected all appeals for a spot kick.
Blackburn would not have deserved to win only their second game in 13 matches
because Charlton were slightly the more inventive of the two teams even though
they blatantly lacked a cutting edge.
They were in difficulties early on when goalkeeper Simon Royce, just returning
from a back injury, lay prone in the goalmouth as Keith Gillespie powered in a
25-yard drive from a half-cleared corner.
Richard Rufus came to Charlton's
rescue, heading away from the open goal but such was Royce's discomfort even
after extensive treatment it was no surprise when he was replaced by Petterson
for the second half.
Last-ditch tackles by the non-stop Mark Kinsella and the recalled Neil
Redfearn got Charlton out of trouble when the hobbling Royce's clearances only
travelled to the edge of his box.
But although Petterson was soon in trouble himself at the start of the second
half when Gillespie's superb cross sailed beyond him, Rufus again had to come to
the rescue.
Pringle deserved credit for his heroic intervention just before the break when
Wilcox's header seemed destined for the net but he was the prime culprit at the
other end when he failed to put away a series of presentable half chances which
have to be taken in the hothouse temperature of the relegation dogfight.
He stabbed into the side netting from an admittedly difficult angle after
Kinsella's pass carved Blackburn open.
Then the tall Swedish striker turned well
on Graham Stuart's intelligent flick-on only to hit his shot straight at
goalkeeper John Filan.
Filan had a more difficult save to make, stretching to his right to keep out
Redfearn's powerful shot just after the hour but not until 14 minutes from the
end did Blackburn really worry Charlton's deputy goalkeeper.
They should have scored, though, when after Danny Mills, Charlton's rampaging
right back, slipped up in defence and allowed Callum Davidson to roar in and
unleash a right-footer which Petterson palmed away straight to Jason McAteer.
The Republic international lined up his shot coolly but then struck it
straight at defender Chris Powell on the goalline.
Late in the day both sides tried to introduce a little
culture into the rumbustious proceedings with Damien Duff, Blackburn's tricky
winger, replacing a below-par Kevin Gallagher and veteran England man John Barnes
substituting for John Robinson.
Robinson had run his legs off in a gallant display which confounded those who
predicted he would be out for the season with an ankle injury collected against
West Ham last month.
He pulled back an inviting ball for Andy Hunt in the first
half which his co-striker missed completely.
And Robinson caused problems galore
with his sharp running at the Blackburn rearguard.
But Barnes, still capable of the occasional touch of class, clipped over an
exquisite free-kick which fellow sub Steve Jones headed straight at Filan and
Charlton's last chance was gone.
Teams:
Charlton: Royce (Petterson 45), Mills, Powell, Redfearn, Rufus,
Kinsella, Hunt (Jones 69), Robinson (Barnes 74), Tiler, Pringle, Stuart.
Subs Not Used: Brown, Bowen.
Booked: Pringle, Redfearn, Mills.
Blackburn: Filan, Davidson, Peacock, Henchoz,
Gallacher (Duff 74), Wilcox, Carsley, Croft, Gillespie, Ward, McAteer.
Subs Not Used: Flowers, Davies, Broomes, Johnson.
Booked: Carsley, Ward, Wilcox, Davidson.
Att: 20,041
Ref: G Willard (Worthing).
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