Teenager Danny Graham rescued a point for Middlesbrough with the first
Premiership goal of his Riverside career.
In a frantic closing 15 minutes, the fortunes of both sides swung one way and
then the other, with centre-back Chris Riggott first cancelling out Charlton
captain Matt Holland's 14th-minute opener following an hour-long bombardment.
But Shaun Bartlett restored Charlton's lead 10 minutes from time, only for
19-year-old Graham to endear himself to the Middlesbrough faithful with a brave
equaliser in the 86th minute just four minutes after his arrival as a
substitute.
But despite an astonishing end to the game, this was another sorry Sunday for
Boro as they have now played 10 games on the so-called 'rest' day, winning just
one, while losing four and drawing the other five.
Six of those matches have come in the wake of UEFA Cup action on a Thursday
night, and they are yet to taste victory as they have lost two and drawn four.
So while Boro's debut on the continent has been a welcome distraction this
season, and attracted a number of high-quality players to the Riverside last
summer, the UEFA Cup has been to the club's detriment in pushing for a Champions
League place this term.
Boro, typically in post-UEFA Cup tie mode, were slow out of the blocks and
behind after just 13 minutes as they succumbed to route-one football.
They had already been given a scare in the sixth minute when Danny Murphy
floated in a free kick for left-back Hermann Hreidarsson to attack with a diving
header from six yards that flashed a yard past the right-hand post of Carlo
Nash.
With regular number one Mark Schwarzer sidelined with a knee injury sustained
yesterday in training, and which flared up this morning, Nash was handed his
first Premiership start since November 8, 2003, and his first at home for the
club.
But there was little he could do about Charlton's opener, instigated by an
80-yard ball pumped upfield by Talal El Karkouri for Bartlett to control on his
chest inside the area before laying it off for Holland.
The Republic of Ireland international then drove home from 20 yards, albeit
with his shot taking a deflection off fellow skipper Gareth Southgate and beyond
Nash.
Boro then rarely managed to find another gear for the remainder of the half as
Charlton were first to the tackle and challenges, albeit without threatening
Nash's goal again.
Instead, it was Dean Kiely who was the busier of the two custodians, superbly
keeping the home side at bay just two minutes after his side had taken the
lead.
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Szilard Nemeth played a one-two in the Addicks
area where the latter was left with only Kiely to beat, but from close range he
struck his shot at the visitors' goalkeeper.
Nemeth then spurned a second glorious opportunity in the 25th minute, with the
Slovakia striker getting in behind the defence after Riggott had flicked on a
long ball forward from Michael Reiziger, but his header was again at Kiely.
Boro's frustration then grew as the half wore on, resulting in long-range
shots such as those from Doriva in the 40th minute, with the ball taking one
bounce in front of a comfortable Kiely.
But he did come under pressure in the 43rd minute as he was at full stretch in
tipping from underneath his bar a dipping Hasselbaink header from 13 yards
courtesy of a perfect cross from Stewart Downing, who had shaken off a hamstring
injury.
Kiely's heroics continued after the break, with Boudewijn Zenden first
stabbing a speculative shot goalwards from 25 yards with his left foot, forcing
Kiely into again just nudging the ball over from underneath the crossbar.
After Hasselbaink had curled a 25-yard left-foot free-kick inches wide of the
right-hand post, an under-pressure Chris Perry then headed over a seven-yard
header from the Dutchman.
Kiely then came to the fore again as he pushed over the bar a bullet header
from Riggott before tipping away an attempted goal-bound clearance from
Hreidarsson.
But the bombardment continued with Southgate seeing a 20-yard volley deflected
inches wide and then Radostin Kishishev heading a Riggott header off the line.
Finally, Boro made the breakthrough in the 74th minute and in controversial
fashion as Riggott appeared to be offside in stabbing home from four yards after
Kiely had parried a Southgate shot into the centre-back's path.
But six minutes later Charlton were back in front with Bartlett firing home
from 10 yards after Queudrue had failed to cut out a low left-wing cross from
Hreidarsson.
However, Boro again drew level six minutes later when Graham - on for Reiziger
- bravely looped a header over Kiely following a long through ball from
Queudrue, receiving a kick in the face from Perry for his heroics.
Teams:
Middlesbrough Nash, Reiziger (Graham 82), Riggott, Southgate,
Queudrue, Parlour (Job 86), Doriva, Nemeth (Parnaby 87),
Zenden, Downing, Hasselbaink.
Subs Not Used: Cooper, Knight.
Goals: Riggott 74, Graham 86.
Charlton Kiely, Hreidarsson, Perry, El Karkouri, Young,
Konchesky, Murphy (Euell 78), Holland, Kishishev,
Thomas (Johansson 72), Bartlett.
Subs Not Used: Fish, Jeffers, Andersen.
Booked: Konchesky, Hreidarsson, Perry.
Goals: Holland 14, Bartlett 80.
Att: 29,603
Ref: M Riley (W Yorkshire).
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