1 min
Charlton Athletic are just five points above the Championship drop zone after a 2-0 defeat to Blackburn Rovers at The Valley.
The Addicks started the game well with Lyle Taylor and Tomer Hemed both having efforts saved by Rovers keeper Christian Walton.
However, Blackburn had an early penalty claim waved away when Dominic Samuel, who went down in the area, was adjudged to have fouled Jason Pearce instead.
Rovers did not have to wait long for their opening goal though, John Buckley skipping past half-hearted challenges to slot past an unsighted Dillon Phillips in the Charlton goal on 29 minutes.
And it went from bad to worse eight minutes later when Tosin Adarabioyo reacted quickest to poke home Stewart Downing’s free-kick.
The Addicks had a golden opportunity to pull one back moments later but Walton denied Taylor’s header with a fantastic fingertip save.
The second-half witnessed a better performance from Charlton but they failed to really make their possession count.
Taylor tested Walton with a pair of free-kicks and Josh Cullen saw his curling effort tipped behind for a corner late on but Blackburn ultimately ran out comfortable winners.
Key Points
Check out all the key talking points and reaction from London Football Scene below…
Key Moment
Christian Walton’s fingertip save from Taylor’s header moments after Blackburn’s second may well have given Charlton the belief they could salvage something from the game.
Moan of the Match
Charlton failed to make the opposition work for their goals which is criminal when you are in a relegation battle.
Talking Point
Is Tomer Hemed the best man to partner Lyle Taylor upfront? Charlton looked ineffective in the final third and Taylor too often isolated.
Man of the Match
Bradley Johnson – an accomplished performance by the midfielder as he shut down multiple Charlton attacks and was the pivot to many of Blackburn’s.
Tweet of the Match
Referee Watch
Andy Davies (Hampshire) – an erratic display by the man in the middle encapsulated by his failure to award Blackburn what looked like a clear penalty in the first-half.
Atmosphere
The Valley was packed out for ‘Football for a Fiver’ and despite the poor showing, the fans maintained their support throughout.
Verdict
Charlton’s performance lacked a cutting edge which was all the more disappointing given the midweek victory at Nottingham Forest.
