Youri Djorkaeff rescued Bolton with a wonder goal five minutes from the end of
a match in which they had no right to earn a point.
Bolton looked like a team heading out of the Barclaycard Premiership and only
the heroics of goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen kept them in the game as he made
important saves from Claus Jensen and Shaun Bartlett.
Charlton were also guilty of some poor finishing and should have been home and
dry long before Frenchman Djorkaeff struck with a superb bicycle-kick.
Instead The Addicks could manage only one goal when former Bolton defender
Mark Fish scored with a shot which went in off the post in the first minute of
the second half.
It took 20 minutes for the game to come to life, when Charlton had the first
shot on goal. The ball fell nicely for Radostin Kishishev on the right edge of
the box and he hit a rising half-volley which flew just beyond the far post.
That seemed to spark the home team into life and the Bulgarian defender then
started the best move of the game so far after 23 minutes with a lovely ball to
release Jensen wide on the right.
The Danish midfielder cut inside the box and hit a good shot which
Jaaskelainen did well to block, and the rebound was scrambled clear as Kevin
Lisbie waited to pounce.
Two minutes later Jaaskelainen was forced to make another important save. This
time Kishishev curled a free-kick on to the head of Fish on the right edge of
the box and his downward header was on its way inside the near post until the
flying Finn pushed the ball to safety.
Jensen had a golden chance to put Charlton ahead a minute later at the end of
a brilliant move. Lisbie carried the ball down the left flank before cutting it
back to Jason Euell, who laid it into the feet of Bartlett on the edge of the
box.
The South African chipped the ball over the defence into the path of Jensen,
but he totally miscontrolled it despite having time and space, and the ball hit
him on his head before Bolton cleared the danger.
Jaaskelainen rescued Bolton with the save of the half, three minutes before
the break. It was "route one" football from Charlton as Dean Kiely's clearance
was headed on by Lisbie, and Bartlett hit a stinging shot which the goalkeeper
managed to beat away to safety.
Charlton knew Bolton were there for the taking and came out for the second
half determined to wrap up all three points - and the tactic worked as they
scored within a minute of the restart.
Jensen's free-kick was punched away by Jaaskelainen but the danger was not
completely cleared. The loose ball fell for Fish who swung a boot at it and saw
his shot creep in off the inside of the far post.
It was a sweet moment for the defender who was jeered by the visiting fans
every time he touched the ball, and he could hardly have picked a better moment
to score his first goal of the season.
Charlton could have killed off the game after 65 minutes when Scott Parker
raced from box to box down the left flank.
All he had to do was pick out substitute Paul Konchesky as he arrived at the
far post, but the young midfielder slid his cross too close to Jaaskelainen who
pounced on the ball.
Euell was presented with a golden chance to score his ninth league goal of the
season after 81 minutes. A rare slip by Bolton defender Charlton left Euell with
only Jaaskelainen to beat from 10 yards, but he slipped his shot wide of the far
post.
Charlton were made to pay for their poor finishing when Djorkaeff scored a
wonder goal with only five minutes remaining to rescue what may yet prove to be
a valuable point.
Per Frandsen chipped the ball into the box and despite having his back to goal
the Frenchman produced a wonderful overhead kick to send the ball crashing past
Kiely and into the far corner of the net.
Teams:
Charlton: Kiely, Young (Konchesky 57), Rufus, Fish, Powell,
Kishishev, Euell, Parker, Jensen (Johansson 88), Lisbie,
Bartlett (Svensson 88).
Subs Not Used: Rachubka, Fortune.
Goals: Fish 47.
Bolton: Jaaskelainen, Barness (Facey 77), Bergsson, Whitlow,
Charlton, Nolan, Frandsen, Gardner, Djorkaeff,
Pedersen (Mendy 68), Ricketts.
Subs Not Used: Poole, N'Gotty, Campo.
Goals: Djorkaeff 85.
Att: 26,057
Ref: D Elleray (Middlesex).
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