Charlton's brief flirtation with the Premiership ended as it had begun as
Southampton escaped the drop for the fifth time in seven years on the last day
of the season.
Twelve months ago there were tears of joy at Wembley as the Addicks secured
top flight football at the Valley with an extraordinary penalty shoot-out win
over Sunderland in the play-off final.
But just a year on and it was tears of sadness as Sheffield Wednesday sent
Alan Curbishley's men straight back to the Nationwide League through substitute
Danny Sonner's 79th-minute goal.
In truth the game was over 10 minutes before then as news filtered through
from the Dell that Southampton were 2-0 ahead against Everton, rendering the
result in south London meaningless.
The previously passionate atmosphere generated from a 20,000 capacity crowd
suddenly died, leaving only the Owls supporters in full voice, taunting the home
faithful with chants of "You're off to Bramall Lane".
Even the sending-off of Wednesday skipper Peter Atherton for a second bookable
offence did not raise the spirits as the game faded out to a half-hearted
conclusion.
The vast majority of the Charlton crowd stayed to salute their heroes as they
took a circuit of the pitch but could not hide their disappointment that a
season that started so well with a 5-0 thrashing of Southampton, had ended in a
damp squib.
As expected Charlton were swiftly on the attack as they chased the goal that
was essential to give them a chance of survival.
Neil Redfearn had the first opportunity to test the visitors' resolve with a
first-minute free-kick but centre-half Carl Tiler's header floated harmlessly
wide.
With Wednesday still in with a chance of Europe through the fair play league,
the cynics suggested the Owls would be something of an easy victim at the Valley
but any such notions were quickly dispelled.
Petter Rudi found Niclas Alexandersson in yards of space on the edge of the
penalty area after five minutes but Andy Petterson was equal to the challenge
and saved well at his near post.
The nerves among the Charlton players were all too evident at times,
Petterson's hacked clearance only just avoiding the onrushing Andy Booth and
Danny Mills' temper boiled over minutes later as he shoved Dejan Stefanovic to
the ground after a foul by the Yugoslav.
Redfearn then just failed to collect Mendonca's knockdown in his stride on the
edge of the area before Des Walker was the first player booked by referee Mike
Reed for a foul from behind on Mendonca.
Gradually Charlton began to settle and take some control over the game and
came close to opening the scoring several times in a six-minute spell midway
through the half.
Pavel Srnicek, until then not forced to make a save, came to punch a long ball
but his clearance fell only to Graham Stuart some 20 yards out but with the
empty net yawning, Stuart's first-time volley sailed agonisingly past the far
post.
That seemed to imbue Charlton with fresh confidence and Tiler went close with
another header from a Mark Kinsella free-kick.
Those dead-ball deliveries were causing problems for the visitors and from a
Kinsella corner seconds later Mills' header looked goalbound until it came back
off Walker who knew little about it.
The Addicks went closer still after 31 minutes when Steve Brown's intelligent
movement in the box bought him enough space to meet Kinsella's free-kick only to
see his header come back off the cross bar with Srnicek beaten.
Atherton then made another dent in Wednesday's disciplinary record by picking
up the second caution of the day for a foul on Jones.
Charlton did think they had broken the deadlock just before half-time as
Mendonca stabbed home after Srnicek could only parry Brown's powerful drive.
But the signs were that it was not going to be their day and a linesman's flag
quickly raised for offside stifled the roar in the throats of the home
faithful.
With the knowledge that Southampton were one ahead at half-time, Charlton came
out with all guns blazing in the second half, Wim Jonk clearing Tiler's header
from in front of the far post while Mendonca, Robinson and Jones all failed to
get a touch to Mills' inviting inswinging cross.
Curbishley then rang the changes, bringing on John Barnes, Mark Bowen and
Martin Pringle but they seemed to be running short of ideas up front.
Robinson created room for himself with a mazy run but then wasted his good
work with a weak shot that was easily gathered by Srnicek at the near post.
It was then that the crowd became aware of developments at the Dell and that
seemed to not only knock the stuffing out of them, but the players as well and
it came as no surprise that Wednesday scored.
Sonner, on for Benito Carbone, played a delightful one-two with Alexandersson,
before chipping over the advancing Petterson to effectively kill off the game.
To their credit Charlton kept plugging away but it was not to be and several
players slumped to the turf as the final whistle went, their adventure in the
Premiership finally over.
Teams:
Charlton: Petterson, Mills, Tiler, Brown (Bowen 64), Powell,
Stuart, Kinsella, Redfearn (Barnes 62), Robinson (Pringle 70),Jones, Mendonca.
Subs Not Used: Ilic, Parker.
Booked: Robinson, Jones.
Sheff Wed: Srnicek, Haslam (Cresswell 59), Walker, Stefanovic,
Thome, Rudi, Jonk, Atherton, Alexandersson, Booth,Carbone (Sonner 60).
Subs Not Used: Pressman, Humphreys, McKeever.
Sent Off: Atherton (83).
Booked: Walker, Atherton, Jonk.
Goals: Sonner 79.
Att: 20,043
Ref: M Reed (Birmingham).
E-mail Article 
Print-Friendly
Subscribe to RSS Feed 
Post to del.icio.us
Facebook