FA Cup West Bromwich Albion 2-2 Charlton Athletic
By Jemma Tappenden
January 16 2008
After a 1-1 draw at the Valley ten days ago, Charlton travelled to the Hawthorns for the FA Cup 3rd round replay knowing that their last visit ended in a 4-2 defeat. The prize for the winners was a place in the fourth round and a visit to Peterborough United a week this coming Saturday.
Their third meeting in just over four weeks turned attention from the league momentarily for both clubs, even though Albion have a seven point advantage over the Addicks.
Tony Mowbray made four changes to the side that picked up all three points in the league at the KC Stadium on the weekend. Zoltan Gera, Teixeira, Bednar and Albrechtsen came in for Brunt and Koren, who were dropped to the bench, Phillips who was rested and Paul Robinson who is suspended. Charlton on the other hand named an unchanged side for their third consecutive game.
The match got off to a slow start, with wayward strikes from Gera and McLeod representing the best each side had to offer. In fact the game showed very few signs of life at all until Albion snatched an unexpected 14th minute lead. A throw in from Gera found Greening who was able to quickly get away from Varney and pace up field. He picked out Teixeira who was waiting at the far post. His header back across the face of goal gifted Bednar the easy task of poking home from close range to get his 9th goal in eleven games.
The goal seemed to breathe some life into the game, and after a period of Baggies pressure Charlton finally notched up their first real attempt in the 21st minute when Darren Ambrose’s deflected shot fell nicely for McLeod. But Barnett was on call to provide the crucial block and divert away the danger. McLeod had an even better chance just moments later, but he shot straight at Kiely from 15 yards.
The game was still relatively hit and miss, with long periods of possession from both sides, but neither very productive in creating chances. Albion did not record another real effort on goal until the 35th minute when Miller spun Matt Holland after latching onto a Hoefkens’ pass. But he could not get his 20 yard shot on target.
Albion built up a period of sustained pressure in the ten minutes before half time, but they had a real let off in first half stoppage time when Pele was dispossessed of the ball by McLeod, who squared to unmarked team mate Varney. With just Kiely to beat he fired horribly over from just eight yards.
Half Time: West Bromwich Albion 1-0 Charlton Athletic
Much like the first half the second followed suit and no real goal mouth action occurred until the 51st minute. But the Baggies did not care. It was the second goal they had been searching for. Morrison controlled a neat ball from Teixeira and fired low and hard into the bottom left corner for his second goal in as many games.
Once again the goal kick started the game, and Albion found their swing. The applied serious pressure to the Addicks goal, with the best chance coming from a neat serious of passes from Morrison, Hoefkens and Bednar to set up Gera. But the Hungarian International had to watch on as his 18 yard stinger of an effort was foiled by the keeper.
The game entered another dull patch until Charlton pulled back a goal in the 64th minute. Despite Kiely’s slide to prevent Iwelumo getting onto the end of Ambrose’s pass, the rebounded ball fell straight back to Ambrose who tapped home into an empty net. Chances for Albion started to become few and far between as Charlton began to sense a comeback. Gera recorded a decent effort from 30 yards, but this was only one in the duration of a whole host of Charlton chances.
Charlton came close to n equaliser in the 68th minute, but Albrechtsen prevented Lloyd Sam from converting Varney’s cross. Albion survived another scare moments later when successive blocks from Kiely, Greening and Pele were needed to deny Zhi and Iwelumo in a crazy few moments within the box.
Sherjill MacDonald wasted a glorious opportunity to put the game beyond Charlton’s reach with just three minutes left on the clock, but the striker, a recent permanent signing for Mowbray, failed to convert Brunt’s cross from six yards. It proved to be a chance well and truly rued.
One minute into second half stoppage time Sam flicked on a Zhi cross, which substitute Dickson fired home from close range to notch his first ever Charlton goal and take the tie into extra time.
After 90 mins: West Bromwich Albion 2-2 Charlton Athletic.
Bednar (14)
Morrison (51)
Ambrose (64)
Dickson (90+1)
Extra time provided further proof that legs were now becoming tired. MacDonald continued to be frustrated in front of goal, when Bednar raced down the right and crossed to him in the box he fired his shot straight at Weaver in the Charlton goal. Furthermore the loose ball was missed by MacDonald and his slow reaction allowing Bougherra to clear.
In the 110th minute of play Moutaouakil fired into the side netting for Charlton, and there was a big let off for Albion six minutes later when Dickson’s effort rebound off the post and into the safety of Dean Kiely. But these proved to be the only productive chances of the extended period and the game moved to penalties.
After 120 mins: West Bromwich Albion 2-2 Charlton
Penalties:
For Charlton – Varney (missed) 0-0
For Albion – Brunt (scored) 1-0
For Charlton – Dickson (scored) 1-1
For Albion – Greening (saved) 1-1
For Charlton – Thomas (scored) 1-2
For Albion – Koren (scored) 2-2
For Charlton – Zhi (saved) 2-2
For Albion – Morrison (scored) 3-2
For Charlton – Bougherra (scored) 3-3
For Albion – Bednar (scored) 4-3
Albion win 4-3 on penalties.
Attendance: 12,691