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Charlton Athletic 2-1 Walsall
Charlton Athletic 2-1 Walsall
Lee Bowyer revealed after the game with Walsall that he is ‘very‎ close’ to making two signings ahead of Saturday’s game with Sunderland at The Valley, and that one of them attended Saturday’s game.

That player was Crystal Palace midfielder Jonny Williams.

The diminutive Williams is a 25-year-old midfielder who has had loan spells with Nottingham Forest, Ispwich, MK Dons and Sunderland.

The other signing is likely to be a defender.

Bowyer also revealed after the game that Jason Pearce’s injury‎ will rule him out for ‘several weeks’ and that Ben Reeves was taken off because he picked up an injury.

The Walsall encounter was the classic tale of a game of two halves. In the first period the Addicks were sharp, incisive and the Saddlers could not live with them.

At the heart of the performance was young midfielder, Albie Morgan, who had a fine game.

Charlton took the lead after just six minutes. Tariqe Fosu intercepted a sloppy ball from Morgan F‎errier, and sent Karlan Grant clear. The in form striker coolly slipped the ball under Liam Roberts to open the scoring.

Two minutes later a superbly weighted ball from Morgan sent Lyle Taylor clear in the area, where he was brought down by Jack Fitzwater.

Taylor took the reultant penalty himself,and thundered it home.

Dean Keate’s side came into the game in the latter stages of the opening period, and Naby Sarr had to make one spectacular headed clearance off the line.

But it was a diffent story after the break. The Saddlers showed more attacking intent, and pulled a goal back in the‎ early stages of the half.

Andy Cook took advantage of dithering in the middle of the Addicks’ defence to slot home.

The visitors continued to press, but Bowyer’s side appeared to have sealed the game on the hour mark when Taylor powered home a header from Ben Reeves’ right wing corner. But it was inexplicitly ‎ruled out.

Walsall held the upper hand for most of the seond period, but Charlton saw the game out, despite some of their players only running on fumes, something Bowyer acknowledged after the game:

“I think you have to give Walsall credit because they pressed us harder and quicker (in the second half), which made it more difficult and we got tired and second half we couldn’t move the ball. Physically I think we looked absolutely shattered.

“Fatigue played a massive part, Krystian  was hanging by a thread, Reeves came off injured, Naby hasn’t been here for a while as he’s been suspended, he looked shattered, Pat looked shattered.

“The ones that looked sharpest for me were the strikers, they still look like they had a lot of energy.

“Overall I think it is a great three points. Walsall drew with Luton last week and they are a good side and they try and play football. It was a tough game and we made it tougher for ourselves at times but we thoroughly deserved it (the win).

“We had a goal disallowed, I don’t know why, there was no contact. It was never a foul, I’ve seen it, never a foul. Thankfully for us it didn’t make any difference.”

Next up is the crunch game against Sunderland at The Valley on Saturday.

Charlton: Phillips; Dijksteel, Bauer, Sarr, Stevenson; Bielik, Morgan, Fosu (Marshall 86), Reeves (Pratley 83);Taylor, Grant.

Subs (not used): Maynard-Brewer, Sarpong-Wiredu, Clarke, Hackett-Fairchild, Ajose.

Goals: Grant 6, Taylor 8 (pen).‎

Walsall: Roberts, Edwards (Morris 73), Guthrie, Devlin, Leahy; ‎Ferrier, Dobson, Kinsella, Fitzwater; Cook, Gordon (Ismail 83).‎

Subs (not used): Dunn, Johnson, Wilson, Ronan, Bates.‎

Goal: Cook 47‎

Booked: Fitzwater 8 (foul), Edwards 44 (foul), Leahy 66 (foul), Gordon 69 (foul)‎.

Referee: Ross Joyce (Cleveland).‎

Attn: 10,396 (172 Walsall)‎.


 
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